KETSOL

MISSION: At Ketsol, we create the most comfortable, versatile activewear available while using high-quality sustainable fabrics and materials. Our unique hand-drawn designs are rooted in nature and meant to inspire adventure and mindfulness.

The sky above the ranch is glowing as the sun sets. My sister, Elena, and I untie the final binding on the bale and toss the hay flakes to the horses. Our breath combining with theirs in the minus-10-degree air, Elena and I smile at each other knowing this seemingly simple moment is incredibly special. All is calm, and all we can hear is our heartbeats and the muffled breath of the horses surrounding us. We take a deep breath and admire how perfect this moment is. This is awe. Moments like these are why I create. Whether inspired in the backyard or in the backcountry, I live for experiencing nature and it’s what our Colorado brand, Ketsol, is based on.

I have dealt with depression and anxiety my entire life, although I really didn’t know it until I was an adult. I didn’t necessarily show signs of it, and I was lucky enough to grow up in a household of travelers and artists. As a family we would travel the world so my father could do research. My mother and I would draw and explore the world while he worked. My sister and I have been nose to nose with penguins, llamas and whales. We have watched glaciers moving, the northern lights strobing and lava flowing. Creating and being in awe of the world are the moments when my mind stops and being present takes over, which alleviates the mental strain.

As the years have ticked by, I’ve been drawn to adventure and nature. I would ski, swim, hike, climb, run, do whatever I could outside. These moments would help me prepare for a test, figure out a problem or just calm down. I would find myself doodling animals all over my notes in class, and I’d find any excuse to continue to nurture my artistic side. Nature, adventure and drawing have been my saviors over the years, whether during a dark night of the soul when time seems endless and my mind feels relentless, or when the overwhelm of life hits and I feel frozen. When I am present in nature, there is only that. When I am drawing, time doesn’t exist. The anxieties of what I need to get done stop and I am in joy. The time spent in this space doesn’t even matter, because finding these moments carries into the rest of life and brings joy and peace with it.

Fast-forward through the past couple of decades, which I can’t believe I can say, and I’ve become a graphic designer and worked in all aspects of this field. From starting as an assistant at a screen printer where I was told my job was “turd polishing” (making bad artwork usable for the screen printing process), to then graphic designer and art director at Warren Miller Entertainment, I was able to hone my craft but still needed more. I managed a small graphic design firm, and here I found something special … when I don’t have to create for others, there is space to create for me! About six years ago, my husband, Matt, and I took a couple of weeks off and set out to paddleboard the lakes of Italy. We spent rainy evenings eating cheese and sipping Aperol spritz, and he would read and I would draw. Through this journey I homed in on my creative style. My creativity was sparked again and I came away with four drawings that are still top designs at Ketsol. But even better, we came back from that trip with a business plan. Ketsol was born, although we had a different name back then: Vela Apparel.

The two of us trusted our plan with more blind optimism than anyone would have recommended and set out to put my sparks of awe into the world. Seeing the connection we make with adventurers and explorers like you is what lights us up; our growing community is what keeps us going through the tough times and the miraculous ones. The last six years have seen adventures near and far. We now have two toddlers, and like you, have survived a pandemic. Travel looks a bit different these days, but the awe is still sparked daily — whether by seeing a moose by the lake, catching trout in the river, witnessing foxes on a hike or seeing our kids’ love for snow and skiing.

We all work so hard every day to provide for our families and to find meaning and purpose in our lives. When we take those times out in nature, we remember why we do it all. When we see the look on our childrens’ faces as they experience the awe we feel, we know why we are here. Remembering those moments can feel like a lifeline when we really need it. So get outside, take a deep breath and find that spark of joy, and if you want a reminder, know that we at Ketsol are right here in awe alongside you.