ABOUT CORCRA CREATIVE
Corcra is Irish Gaelic for purple.
The word Corcra is a nod to my wee Irish ancestry line that married into my Scottish family when they immigrated into Nova Scotia.
While brainstorming my company name, I really wanted to use the Scottish Gaelic word for purple – purpaidh – Say out loud: puu-sh-pee, but no one would be able to pronounce it! So Corcra it became! A fun goal of mine is to someday try and learn Scottish Gaelic.
Why Purple?
To me, purple is solidity. It gives me weight. Confidence. Energy. I love it because it can range from light and carefree to dark and mysterious. It’s a combination of two of my favorite colors, red for daring passion and blue for calm focus.
Hence the birth of my company Corcra Creative.
It Was Love At First Portrait
Gracie, an adorable Alaskan Malamute was the first commissioned portrait that I was honored to create. I originally tried to create her portrait digitally in Adobe Illustrator but it wasn’t going well because she was so fluffy! Instead, I decided to take down a set of colored pencils that I haven’t used in a long time and give it a try on paper. I was instantly hooked and in fell in love.
About Michelle Smith
I am a native, puddle-tromping Portland, Oregon-based Illustrator. A passion burns inside of me that is unstoppable. This passion, this excitement, this drive for wanting more…this is what gets me up each day. I challenge myself to stretch and push even harder when I think I have stretched enough. I get excited when I make mistakes because it’s an opportunity for me to learn and grow.
My favorite past-times include being with family and friends while enjoying a delicious wee dram of Scotch whisky, a pint of cider, or a glass of wine from the Pacific Northwest.
Other interests that I adore are bike riding, hiking in the Gorge, kayaking Oregon’s beautiful lakes, spending a day at the coast, and traveling the world.
