Meet Imogen Baxter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Imogen Baxter.

Hi Imogen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.  
Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, I was always inspired by the rich art and design scene and cultural diversity in my home city. 

My mom was an interior designer who had an exciting career, decorating everything from Castles to Safari Lodges in South Africa and abroad. I spent many afternoons with her in fabric houses and decor stores and learned how to make spaces beautiful. 

After school, I moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to pursue an MA in Art History at Edinburgh University. I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do after college, so I spent summers exploring different industries: interning at art galleries, fashion houses, public relations agencies, and even pursued a course in musical theatre! 

After college – STILL not entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life – I took a job at a small start-up creative marketing agency in London. I liked the mix of creative and strategy and realized I had a knack for marketing, but quickly found that London life was not a good fit for this sun-loving South African. 

A friend suggested we move to San Diego “to experience California while we’re young and free”! I enrolled in a Holistic Nutrition course which allowed me to be in San Diego on a student visa. Within 6 months I had fallen in love with the laid back, beachy lifestyle and was looking for any opportunity to stay. I had also fallen in love with the idea of opening a vegan cafe – and happened to meet an NYC-based chef and restauranteur who offered me a 2-month apprenticeship at her restaurants in Brooklyn and Tribeca. 

The week before I left San Diego for NYC, I bumped into a familiar soul at Crssd Music festival – a South African musician who had recently moved to San Diego to pursue his career in the USA. It was love at first sight! 

After experiencing the restaurant world in NYC, I decided to return to London and spent another year of working in marketing before I decided it was time to escape again: this time to Amsterdam, where I’d accepted a role at a creative agency. Within a month of moving to Amsterdam, the job had fallen through and I was at a loss for what to do next. On my final weekend there, I bumped into that same South African musician who was launching his new Album at ADE: an annual music conference and dance event in Amsterdam. 

Within a month of our first date, we were making plans for me to return to San Diego to be with him, and 6 years later, we are happily married and living in the dreamy neighborhood of La Jolla, where I work full time at a fantastic digital marketing agency here called 85 SIXTY. 

I wake up every day feeling grateful for how my journey unfolded and to have the opportunity to live and work in California. The only thing that felt “missing” for me in San Diego was the lack of creative and cultural events. And after covid, once the honeymoon period with the city had wained, I started getting itchy feet again, looking to cities like New York and Los Angeles that I thought had more to offer someone like me who was hungry for art and culture and longing to meet likeminded creative souls. 

One afternoon, a friend invited me to check out his new studio (The Counterflow Haus) in Mission, where he runs a marketing agency from the ground floor and was looking to start hosting events in the upstairs gallery space. 

I partnered with Stacie Daigle (Founder of @TheSDCollective) on a community art show that year, which was a lot of fun and a great success. Realizing the need for these types of events, the following year, I reached out to a San Diego-based interior stager, Jess Tingle (Founder of @staging_collective) on Instagram, whose work I admire, to discuss a more decor/design-focused event. Jess invited her friend and artist, Alyssa Alexander (@amafiberart) to join us, and together we came up with the idea to host San Diego’s first annual Design Expo: showcasing the latest home decor and design trends from top local emerging artists and designers. 

We reached out to a handful of designers to share our idea. Everyone expressed how much they loved the concept and were grateful for the opportunity to showcase their work – sharing that they usually have to travel to cities like LA for trade shows. We realized we had found a gap in the market – something San Diego did not yet have but was clearly craving: an event dedicated to San Diego’s incredible talent that would get them in front of trade buyers, who were personally invited as VIP guests. 

On May 20th, 2023, we transformed my friend’s empty warehouse studio (@thecounterflowhaus) into a downtown loft-style apartment with beautiful and original art and design pieces from over 30 local artists and designers, all available for purchase. 

We had live local DJs, a full bar, a gourmet burger stand, and a room full of creatives and trade buyers connecting, mingling, and sharing their ideas, advice, and inspiration with one another. 

The San Diego Design Expo was born: an unforgettable day and a great success! Many artists sold work, and every artist and attendee made a new connection, a friend, or felt inspired by the experience of collaborating with other makers to bring the space to life. 

We are so excited to make San Diego Design Expo an annual event that provides a platform for makers to showcase their work while helping to establish San Diego as an up & coming center for art and design. 

It truly feels like the start of something special and like my story is just beginning. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been an entirely smooth road! 

Until very recently, I had no idea what my true passion/purpose/calling was. It took a lot of persevering in jobs I didn’t like and periods of feeling uninspired and stressed about what I was going to do with my life. But I was proactive about trying lots of different things – knowing that I wasn’t wasting time if I was doing *something”. Anything is better than nothing, and often it’s the ‘wrong turns’ that get you closer to where you want to be, by showing you exactly what you don’t want. 

I also dealt with the challenge of moving to a new country and building a life from scratch without the comforts of family and friends. But in making the move to the US, I got to know myself quite well, and the tough or lonely days strengthened my will to find something I was truly excited about. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Studio Imogen is the name of my business, specializing in branding, marketing, and event curation. 

Most recently, I collaborated with Staging Collective & AMA Fiber Art on San Diego’s first annual Design Expo, showcasing San Diego’s top emerging local art and design talent. 

We transformed an empty warehouse studio into a stylish downtown apartment featuring work from over 30+ local emerging artists and designers, from art and textiles to furniture and lighting design with every item available for sale. We had live local DJs playing soulful beats, a full open bar, coffee, pastries, and a gourmet burger stand that kept the space buzzing throughout the day. 

The focus was to provide a platform for artists and designers to showcase their work in front of a captive audience of collectors and trade buyers (including interior designers, stagers, gallerists, realtors, and anyone else interested in art and decor). 

The day was a great success, and we are incredibly excited to make San Diego Design Expo an annual event, helping to put San Diego on the map as an up-and-coming center for art and design. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Yes, I think I’ve taken a lot of risks. 

Moving countries was a risk, changing careers multiple times was a risk, and each time I host an event I feel that I’m taking a risk. 

My favorite saying is, “Fortune favors the brave”. And in my life, I have found this to be true. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://imogenbaxterdesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studioimogen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studioimogen
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imogen-baxter/ 

Image Credits
Erica Joan Photography