Today we’d like to introduce you to Janie Rochfort.
Janie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My passion and interest in exploring various avenues of creativity go back as far as I can remember. I initially entered college with a primary focus on Studio Art, but this ultimately evolved into graduating from UCLA with a degree in Architecture. I enjoyed both of these areas equally and knew I wanted to establish a unique career path that would allow me to fully integrate them. After completing my undergraduate program, I worked for an architecture firm in Los Angeles, which provided me the knowledge base related to the technical side of design. From there, I pursued a position with local design-build company Moniker Design out of Liberty Station, where I developed skills as Lead Designer and gained significant exposure to custom furniture and fabrication.
During my time with Moniker, I painted my first set of large-scale, public-facing murals. They were completed in three of Moniker’s spaces throughout Liberty Station, including Moniker General, their co-working space, and bridal suite at Building 177. This was a significant turning point in my career, as it became clear this was an area, I was strongly passionate about and wanted to further develop. In 2019 I made the difficult but exciting decision to work for myself through building my design and art business, Betty Larkin Inc.
Since then, I have completed over 45 mural projects both nationally and internationally and have designed a handful of commercial interiors throughout San Diego, including Style Lounge, Shop Good, and Iceskimo. I also provide custom canvas pieces, including a recent installment at the St. Regis San Francisco. Owning my own business has been incredibly humbling and empowering, and I am grateful for everyone who has contributed to this experience to be where I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest adjustments I’ve had to make on the road to working for myself is forgoing an office where I have daily access to a team of people to bounce ideas off of at any given time. I have spoken with many other independent designers and artists who also lament the occasional isolation of working alone. I think for that reason, whenever I do get the chance to collaborate with other artists, interior designers, architects, or builders, it makes it that much more exciting and rewarding.
As a small business owner, it can also be challenging wearing multiple hats all of the time to keep the business successful. Each project comes with its own set of unique challenges, and somehow, I continue to learn something new every time!
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am the founder of multidisciplinary design studio, Betty Larkin Inc. There are two components to my business: murals + custom works of art and interiors. I have always been a multi-passionate person, and being able to pursue both sides of my business allows me to spend time in the studio as well as much-needed time off-site and outdoors.
I’m mostly known for the large-scale abstract murals I have painted throughout San Diego. I love to partner with anyone from small business owners to national real estate developers. My work is often described as inspiring yet soothing, and my priority is to always consider the surrounding architecture or landscape so that the design feels completely integrated into the space. My background in interiors allows me to understand the language of my partners on a variety of projects, which are often architects or other interior designers.
I am very proud of how my business has grown in just a few short years. The projects and collaborations I have worked on have been incredibly meaningful and inspiring. Seeing my clients’ reactions to the transformation of their space never gets old.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love being able to discover and explore each of the unique small towns within our city while still having the ability to go on a beautiful hike submerged in nature just a short distance away. My least favorite thing is the traffic.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bettylarkin.com
- Instagram: @betty_larkin
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janie-rochfort-0652458b/
Image Credits
Philip Tran
Charlotte Lea
