Meet Skyler Sun of Matchbox Design Festival/Sky Sun Design Studio in RiNo Arts District, Boulder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Skyler Sun.

Skyler, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I showed up to Colorado little over a year ago for a design internship at Emerson Stone in Boulder that turned into a job. I had just graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and wanted a shift from the big city life. When I showed up, I was surprised by how talented the design community was in Colorado. There are so many events sprinkled throughout the area, from morning meetups to design tracks at Denver and Boulder Startup week. As I began attending events and meeting creatives, I noticed a disconnect between the communities in Boulder and Denver and the total invisibility of any other place outside of those two locations.

I wanted to bridge the gap and create an event that brought all of Colorados designers together. That is what Matchbox Design Festival will be. Matchbox will be a day-long celebration of our visual design community in Colorado. The day will feature talks from local creatives, interactive art, and community members projects on display.

On a personal note, I just left my job two weeks ago to pursue my dream of being a freelance graphic designer and eventually founding a design studio. This is something that I have always dreamed of doing but never knew if I would be ready for it.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have definitely been struggles, most all of them self inflicted. My biggest obstacle and fear has always been sharing and talking about my work. That is a fear I have to confront almost every day. I used to hide everything I created, now I have to promote myself as a freelance designer.

I am my biggest doubter, no one ever told me I couldn’t be this or do that, except me. I see this in a lot of people, I guess it’s pretty human, huh? I honestly don’t know how I’ve made it hear with all my worry and self-doubt, I guess something in me wants more than what I have and keeps pushing me into these uncomfortable spaces that have me growing past my fears.

What else should we know about your work?
I am a full time freelance graphic designer. I specialize in brand identity, web design, and packaging. I’m proud to say that most of my clients are small female-run businesses. My ultimate goal is for my clients to enjoy the work I produce and enjoy working with me.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think luck is BS. When I was in Chicago, all I wanted was to work for Chance the Rapper. I met a few people who had been working with him since his first mixtape dropped in 2012—you could say they were lucky. They were in the right place at the right time, BUT they also worked their ass off. They were the right person at the right place and time. I don’t feel I’ve gotten ‘lucky’ yet, but if I keep working hard, I think it might just happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: skylersun.com , matchboxfest.com
• Email: skylersundesign@gmail.com , hello@matchboxfest.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skylersun/ , https://www.instagram.com/matchboxfest/

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