Karla Maria Creativo: A Fusion of Bold Design, Culture, and Heart
Social media is still a wild concept to me. We often take for granted how wonderfully incredible it is to have access to bright, talented creatives from all over the world—to see their work and hear their stories, all from the comfort of our own homes.
For those of us in Toronto, today, we’re not traveling too far.
Hamilton, ON.
Story Time
I honestly don’t remember exactly how I found Karla, but I’ve been following her for a while now. On Instagram, she’s known as @karlamariacreativo. She is an illustrator, designer, and muralist. Her designs are colorful, fun, and straight from the heart.
The first thing that caught my eye was her collection of traditional Salvadorian folk art-inspired stickers. Let me tell you why these are so precious to me: My beautiful daughter is half Salvadorian. I’ve visited El Salvador multiple times and have come to appreciate and love their culture (almost as much as my own). The first time I reached out to Karla, it was to share this with her.
Karla Maria Creativo
It’s been amazing to watch her growth over the past year. I absolutely adore her stories and reels—she’s genuine, down-to-earth, and very relatable. Karla has been a true inspiration. I admire her free spirit, her openness about the behind-the-scenes reality of being an entrepreneur and creative, and love how fiercely she embraces her heritage. She enjoys what she does, and it shows.
Her collection includes cards, stickers, posters, tote bags, and stationery. You can shop her designs here as an individual or find her on FAIRE for wholesale and retail partnerships.
From Karla:
"It has been my greatest joy to build a business around creating art that makes me feel seen, represented and understood. When I started my small business, I was just looking for a creative outlet while I was at home raising my babies. I could not have imagined then that it would lead me toward a community who also yeared to see themselves represented and that would support my art journey so faithfully. Staying true to myself, my heritage and my core values has opened incredible doors for me and I feel so lucky that I get to pursue this creative career. I have always been very honest with my community about the hard work, dedication and occasional hardships that come along with entrepreneurship, but I hope that my story can show others that pursuing your passions is possible!"
What’s Next?
Karla is slowly transitioning into bigger projects, including murals! If your space or studio needs a refresh or an upgrade, I highly recommend checking her out.
2025 is all about actively pursuing our dreams—taking daily steps outside our comfort zones and into a new reality. Karla is a definite must-follow. Be part of her journey and watch her grow.
Who are your favorite Toronto creatives and inspiring entrepreneurs? Who’s on your must-follow list for 2025?
Let me know in the comments!
