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Hi, I’m Sara.
I’m the artist and illustrator behind Kineko Studio, an independent stationery and illustrated goods brand created in Puerto Rico.
I make Japanese-inspired illustrations and turn them into stationery, stickers, prints, journals, and other little things designed to bring a bit more beauty, personality, and delight into everyday life.
Kokeshi dolls have become one of the most recognizable elements of my work. I love their simple forms, expressive possibilities, and the way they give me a canvas for exploring pattern, nature, color, and story.
From paintings to illustrated things
Kineko Studio originally grew around my watercolor and ink paintings, particularly my kokeshi-inspired work.
But as I continued creating, I found myself increasingly excited by what could happen after an illustration was finished.
What if a painting could become a sticker? A postcard? A bookmark? A journal someone carried with them every day?
That curiosity gradually changed the direction of Kineko Studio.
Today, illustration is at the heart of the brand. I still create original watercolor work, but I also love transforming my drawings into useful, collectible objects that can become part of someone’s everyday life.
Made by hand, thoughtfully developed
Many Kineko illustrations begin the old-fashioned way: with my hands, a piece of paper, and materials such as sumi ink, watercolor, or acrylic markers.
Once the original illustration is complete, I can bring it into the digital studio, where I clean, refine, rearrange, and adapt the artwork for different formats.
That process allows one little illustration to take on many lives — perhaps as a sticker today, a postcard tomorrow, and eventually the cover of a journal.
I love that balance between handmade craftsmanship and thoughtful design.
Inspired by Japan, shaped in Puerto Rico
Japanese art and culture are a constant source of inspiration in my work — from kokeshi and traditional patterns to the quiet beauty, craftsmanship, and attention to detail I continue to discover as I learn.
At the same time, Kineko Studio is created here in Puerto Rico, and more and more of the island has begun finding its way into my illustrations.
A flor de maga might appear on a kokeshi’s kimono. A san pedrito can become the centerpiece of a design. Sea grapes, birds, tropical plants, and familiar little details from home mingle naturally with Japanese-inspired forms and patterns.
I don’t feel the need to define exactly where that combination will lead. Part of the joy is allowing the work to keep evolving with me.
A little art for everyday life
I believe the things we surround ourselves with can quietly affect how everyday life feels.
A favorite notebook, a charming sticker on a planner, a postcard pinned above a desk, or a little keychain hanging from a bag may not be important in the grand scheme of things.
But small things can still make us smile.
They can remind us of places we love, things we’re learning, people we care about, or simply the pleasure of having something beautiful nearby.
That is the kind of space I hope Kineko Studio can occupy.
A small, thoughtful corner filled with illustrated things to use, collect, give away, and enjoy.
Welcome to Kineko Studio.
© 2026. All rights reserved.
A little Kineko in your inbox
Once a month, I’ll share something I’m learning from Japanese culture, what’s new in the studio, upcoming market dates, and a little freebie for you to download and enjoy.
Join the list and stay close to Kineko Studio.
