PickTrace is proud to be a team of diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and interests. Each month we highlight members of our team to learn about what makes them, and PickTrace, unique.
Meet our long-time Graphic Design Consultant, Arturo de La Rosa! Since 2018, Arturo has been a major contributor to the look of PickTrace – including this website! Lending his aesthetic eye to everything from our website to print media, Arturo has truly made PickTrace what it is today.
Describe yourself in 25 words or less:
Designer, tech nerd, enthusiast photographer and cinephile
Where did you grow up and what is your favorite memory of that place?
I grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico. When I was about 8 years old the now Intercontinental Hotel had a beautiful ice skating rink inside. One of my aunts worked with this hotel chain at the time and somehow secured a way for us to skate alone while the hotel was closed to the public. It was my first time skating. Not only did I learn to skate on ice that night but we skated for hours until I had mastered the art and our feet hurt so much that we couldn’t walk straight anymore. Sadly, this rink has since closed and I miss it.
In school, what was your preferred subject and why?
Physics and astronomical sciences. There is something beautiful about the unquestionable fundamental laws of reality and the peace that comes from grasping the unforgiving vastness of the universe. Nothing highlights the insignificance of everyday problems better than being aware of the size relationship between you, the cosmos and the age of the universe.
How do you like to spend your free time? Any hobbies of note?
Learning, thinking and some photography here and there. As far as I can remember there has always been this thirst for understanding in me. I like asking why? and how? To all kinds of random subjects. This (too often) results in rabbit holes of research and learning that end up as they started: Why? Only this time along the lines of “WHY am I reading about the invention of toilet paper?” LOL
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
To be fair, most things. I’m a bit antisocial. But perhaps two things:
1) How much of a cinephile I am. According to my IMDB account I have seen over 854 of the best films ever made and 7,923 TV show episodes. If it’s good I’ve probably seen it.
2) Even though I’ve dedicated my life to graphic design and advertising I have a business degree as well.
Before PickTrace, what was your most interesting or unusual job?
This is hard. You must understand I’ve freelanced on graphic design for most of my life.Over these years as a freelancer I had some interesting clients. I’ve worked with companies as startups that have now become big or have been absorbed by big tech companies like woocommerce. You probably know the bitcoin logo… my design was the runner up, back when the current bitcoin logo was chosen, bitcoin actually paid me for the rights to secure it. ( They also offered to pay with 50 bitcoin, back when the price was $2.8USD. I declined and took the US dollars!!! – In hindsight: Big mistake).
I also had some clients from the adult industry.(a story on it’s own) and have had the chance to be backstage on some big music concerts while working on the designs for their stage.
Probably the weirdest job I had was my very first job as a help boy (I was13 years old at the time) in a car repair shop. It was a summer job from a friend to a kid so my biggest responsibility was to rub body cream on the guard dogs. I know what you are thinking: WTF? The owner of the shop had native mexican xoloitzcuintle dogs as guard dogs. These dogs have no hair and require constant hydration on their skin to keep it in optimal shape. So every day for an entire summer I got to work at 7 AM and before I could do anything else the dogs would jump on me anxious to get their body cream spread and massaged into their every inch of skin. For the next 30 minutes I would be contracted to oblige.
How would you describe your current role to a child?
I would say that it is my job to help the PT team make their ideas take shape in drawings and photos instead of letters.
What has been your proudest moment since joining the PT team?
When I discovered for myself the potential and growth of PickTrace over the last years.
What is your favorite part of working with PickTrace?
I get to work remotely with a bunch of talented people that otherwise I would not have met in a million years.
Finally, and most importantly, if you were a piece of produce what would you be and why?
I would be a lemon, a very acidic one. Because I’m better in small doses.
Interested in working with awesome people like Arturo? Check out our open positions here!
