Heart by hand: Paper illustrator crafts intricate designs with an evocative pop of culture
November 29, 2023 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Andrea Cira can trace the inspiration for her hand-crafted, colorful, paper illustrations back to her upbringing in Mexico, she shared.
Andrea Cira, ACira Studio
“You see a lot of things that are done by hand or by scratch,” she explained. “I’ve lived in different places in Mexico, so I got to see a few things from artisans. I always thought that was so cool that people could build things with their hands.”
“I think I tend to be more creative that way than if I just do like digital illustrations,” she continued. “Having this background from Mexico, I’m always bringing in colorful things and a lot of little details.”
Her direct inspiration for designs with paper — sold under the ACira Studio brand — came, however, from Cuban-American artist Elsa Mora, she noted.
“She used to do little scenes with paper and I always thought that was so beautiful,” she explained.
Cira studied industrial design before trying her hand as a maker; launching ACira Studio after moving to the United States.
“I’ve always been very interested in working with paper,” she said. “So I started doing a few things years ago, but it wasn’t until I moved here and I married my husband that I had free time to experiment with it a little bit more. I started with one thing and that thing led to another and I started gaining momentum.”
View this post on Instagram
About a month ago, Cira said, she decided to take the leap and concentrate full-time on her paper illustrations, which she sells online — both originals and prints — at various popups around the city, and at paraMi, a shop in Independence with items from Latinx makers.
“It’s challenging, but it’s my passion and what I’ve always loved to do,” she added.
Click here to shop ACira Studio.
A paper illustration created for Starbucks Mexico by ACira Studio
Cira — who was among the artists selected for the city-spanning Parade of Hearts in 2022 — also creates custom art pieces. Although it started with items like wedding and pet portraits, she said, her custom work has shifted to collaborating with companies on corporate illustrations. For example, she created a Rwandan coffee farm illustration for Starbucks Mexico, Dia de Muertos illustrations for Taco Naco KC, and a charcuterie board for a friend’s business.
“I wish I could have more projects like that because that was fun,” she noted. “I’m very open to commissions right now.”
Designed for the Curated KC brand, this piece by ACira Studio is a unique take on the classic charcuterie board.
La Bota by ACira Studio
One of her latest personal creative projects — Paper Lotería — especially evokes nostalgia for her home country. The purpose of the project, according to her website, is to reimagine every card from La Lotería, one of the most popular games in Mexico and a staple of the culture. Although it just started as way for her to build up her portfolio and form a more cohesive style, she shared, the project has become so much more.
“I just thought it would be cool to make one,” she explained, “but I’ve gotten a lot of attention from the Latino community, which is great because I think there’s not enough art for us, unfortunately. In the Midwest, especially, it’s still very little.”
“It has shifted to something that I feel like helps connect me with the Latino people and so it’s been pretty cool,” she continued.
Click here to check out more of Andrea Cira’s portfolio.
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Fund me, KC: Crossing Arrows launches clothing line for the spirited girl
Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Crossing Arrows founder Tricia Steffes — to share their stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Back Crossing Arrows’ here. Who are you? Crossing Arrows, a clothing line is designed…
Kansas kicks off effort to increase high-speed Internet for schools
The Sunflower State it planning to boost Internet speeds in its public schools. The State of Kansas on Tuesday announced a partnership with San Francisco-based nonprofit EducationSuperHighway to increase school districts’ access to affordable, high-speed broadband. At no cost, the organization will help districts with IT support and data analysis to help upgrade the schools’…
Program commercializing classroom tech spurs 29 startups, dozens of jobs
A Kansas City program is making strides in its efforts to commercialize local, university-cultivated ideas. In the past four years, KCSourceLink’s Whiteboard2Boardroom program helped create almost 100 jobs and facilitated the creation of 29 new startups, according to a recent progress report. Those companies also generated nearly $16 million in follow-on funding, helping to fuel job…
Local entrepreneurs prompt court to hit pause on Kansas ‘patent troll’ rules
A U.S. District Court of Kansas is collecting more public input on proposed legal rule changes after area entrepreneurs expressed concerns that the measures could make the area a haven for “patent trolls.” Patent trolls are non-practicing entities that purchase broadly defined patents with the intention to sue growing companies that are developing tangentially related…