From trivia-fueled pool parties in Miami to five-tier pyramids sketched out on cocktail napkins, Jacksonville brought the fun and the leadership to AIGA retreats. In this episode, we’re joined by longtime partners-in-crime Karen Kurycki (aka CMYKaren) and Varick Rosete (TigerLily Chief Design Officer) to relive the wild, heartfelt, and often hilarious stories from their years leading the Jacksonville design community. These two have done it all—presidents, mentors, party planners, pyramid architects—and their chapter motto said it best: “Have fun. Get sh*t done.”
Key Takeaways:
- How a bag of Pringles sparked a legendary retreat icebreaker
- Why Miami might actually be the birthplace of the pyramid (sorry, Omaha)
- The mysterious origins of the 6 a.m. Club and why it still lives on
- Behind the scenes of Jacksonville’s epic “room parties” (and why they weren’t really in Jacksonville’s room)
- Building lasting community impact—from high school mentorship programs to 70+ chapter events a year
It’s a trip down memory lane that shows how design leadership is equal parts planning, partying, and people-first community building.
Key Moments in This Episode
- 00:16 – Meet the Jacksonville duo: Karen “CMYKaren” Kurycki and Varick Rosete, design leaders known for blending creativity, leadership, and community.
- 02:21 – Karen’s AIGA journey: From volunteer chair to chapter president to launching the Discover Design mentorship program.
- 05:19 – Varick’s fast track: How a love for connecting people turned into a leap from membership to VP to president.
- 06:45 – Miami retreat memories: Poolside beers, Pringles trivia, and the surprising birthplace of the pyramid.
- 10:14 – Pyramid engineering: Napkin sketches, five-tier ambitions, and why security guards weren’t amused.
- 12:00 – Masked introductions: Jacksonville’s Michael Jackson masks made a memorable (and sweaty) first impression.
- 13:41 – Crashing retreats: How Varick became known for sneaking into leadership gatherings without a badge.
- 19:14 – Designing for good: Karen shares how social design talks inspired a decade-long mentorship program in Jacksonville.
- 26:40 – The Jacksonville party myth: Why their chapter became legendary for gatherings—even when they weren’t technically the hosts.
- 29:54 – The 6 a.m. Club: The origin story of an all-night tradition that stretched across multiple retreats.
- 37:23 – 76 events in one year: The ambitious streak that energized (and nearly exhausted) AIGA Jacksonville.
- 40:16 – Beyond AIGA: How both leaders continue to shape community after their official chapter roles.
About our guests
Karen Kurycki – Designer, illustrator, and socially engaged creative known for her watercolor work and civic design projects. Former AIGA Jacksonville president and creator of Discover Design, a mentorship program for students.
Varick Rosete – Chief Design Officer at TigerLily, longtime Jacksonville design leader, and former AIGA Jacksonville president. Known for connecting cultural resonance with design and building community through events like One Spark Festival.
Featuring
Support the Show
Sponsored by: Able Made, The Original Off Pitch Soccer Style: shop now
Sponsored by: Draplin Design Company, check us out!
Sponsored by: The People's Graphic Design Archive: browse, contribute, and research
Sponsored by: Able Made, The Original Off Pitch Soccer Style: shop now
Sponsored by: Draplin Design Company, check us out!
Sponsored by: The People's Graphic Design Archive: browse, contribute, and research
