Meenal Patel Studio

Hey there! I’m an illustrator and artist living in San Francisco. I went to college to study graphic design in Minnesota, which is also where I grew up. I then worked as a designer at a creative agency in Minneapolis for about 10 years. I got to work on a bunch of different projects, from brand design, to surface design, to packaging and illustration. It was an amazing time to learn from some amazing co-workers (and friends!) and was a critical time for me to grow my aesthetic. I’m currently working independently, and focusing more on illustration and my next children’s book. My hope is that the work I produce helps people find a bit of joy and strength.

I want to create things that bring people joy, and provide an opportunity for people to be represented who often don't see themselves reflected in art. I focus a lot on kids within my work; I really believe that the imagery kids are surrounded by has a profound impact, both in how they see themselves and how they see other people. I am inspired by my nieces, family, strong women and my Indian-American heritage. I’m also very much inspired by nature, and feel so lucky to be living in California with all its different landscapes. There’s never-ending variety in the form of redwood trees, leafy plants, the mountains and the Pacific! Getting outside is the best way for me to reenergize and get inspired when I’m feeling stuck.

I try to make sure that my brand is infused with delight at every little moment that people interact with it – that means from the work itself to when people get a package from me. I’m a details person, so I love to incorporate little surprises that might make someone smile. I also try to make sure all of my brand elements complement my artwork; it’s generally really colorful, so to complement that I use black and white or a limited color palette. I love to multi-purpose an item when I can, and noissue offers the perfect balance of functionality for protecting what I’m sending out and also giving people a little surprise when they open their package. Noissue helps me infuse a bit of joy in the moments when people open a package from me; they still carry that thread of my aesthetic, but don’t compete with the work itself.

I consider sustainability throughout my business. From channeling an appreciation and love of nature through my subject matter, to the materials I use to make and package my products. It can be challenging to source the proper materials and at the same time meet a strong quality standard. It’s so exciting when I do find partners who can do both. I’m pretty thrilled to have found noissue!