Mother Stories
At Home With Artist, Activist, And L.A. Mama Carolyn Suzuki
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by Photographed by Nicki Sebastian
Jan 14, 2020
Carolyn Suzuki is a lot like the art she creates. Cute and cool may be the initial adjectives that come to mind, but look for a few minutes longer and you quickly get a sense of something else: Strength, wisdom, and a refreshing point of view. As founder of Carolyn Suzuki Goods, her modern illustrations grace everything from greeting cards to wallpaper to children’s books. And yep, there are lemons wearing party hats and dogs with punky hairstyles, but mostly there are women, of all shades and sizes, speaking their minds, showing support for other women, and making clear, insightful statements about everything from abortion to immigration to gun violence to LGBTQ+ rights. Her collaborations span major fashion and design brands (Kira Kids and Chasing Paper), and world-changing nonprofits (the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, RAICES, and the Purple Purse Foundation). So, of course we jumped at the chance to hear more of what Carolyn has to say. She invited us over to the classic L.A. ranch house that she shares with her two sons, aged 11 and 6, her husband, and their mini, rust-colored pooch. Click through the slideshow below to get a look inside her creative home and studio, and learn more about this mega-talented mama.
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- "We’re in a great neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles. We found our home in 2011, before the market here exploded, so we got this three-bedroom California Ranch home for a great price...relatively speaking!"
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- "Easy, the opposite of precious—what would that be? Casual? West Coast."
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- Carolyn wears all vintage from The Curatorial Dept. Carolyn's sons both wear Uniqlo (plus a Batman costume!).
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- "Nothing structural. There was asbestos popcorn sprayed all over the ceilings, so we had that scraped off and we were so excited to find gorgeous beams all throughout the house. We took out some kitchen cabinets so we could cut out a window in the stovetop area for a maximum, one-giant-room effect. We also added cherry wood floors in the living spaces and added bamboo flooring to our bedrooms and office. We were lucky in many ways with this house, one of them being that there was only one couple who lived here before us. They were the original owners who purchased it in 1964."
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- "I don’t necessarily have one. I just know what I like and don’t like. I use lots of color in my work, but for some reason I don’t really want to see it around me all of the time. I also want to respect the tastes of my husband and my boys, and I think keeping things simple and unfussy encourages a relaxed and neutral vibe."
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- "My kids share a room because the third bedroom of our home has been my company’s office and fulfillment center since 2011. My family and I spend about 90 percent of our lives in our common living area or in the backyard anyway, so it doesn’t feel so cramped. But my oldest is in middle school and his need for his own private space is a-comin’. My constant inner dialogue goes something like this 'Get your act together Suzuki, you need to get an office space pronto!'"
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- "Since we spend most of our time in this main area of our home, the gigantic wall that is wallpapered was a really big focal point. I had always wanted to design wallpaper and was thrilled when Chasing Paper asked me to collaborate on a collection. The wallpaper in our living room is a custom color version of my California Toile pattern."
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- "I’m gonna have to say it’s our giant T.V.! We are a family that LOVES narrative and story. We love to go to the movies and watch as much good stuff as we can when we’re at home. We will talk about our favorite shows and deep dive into characters and motivations. Story is one of the ways that we process the world and connect to those around us. That’s why we decided to really highlight our T.V. and had sconces hung beside it—a bit cheeky and silly, like us!" Ed note: Head back to slide 3 to see what she's talking about!
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- "Our soon-to-be-12-year-old is a huge comedy fan, so we’ve been watching a lot of '80s and '90s comedies. We love a good John Hughes movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a fave. We love early Adam Sandler, Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore never cease to amaze us. I'm obsessed with The Mandalorian and that dang Yoda Baby, I squeal every time that little creature appears on screen! We just finished the second season of Infinity Train last week (full disclosure, my husband works on this show!). for me, there are Miyazaki qualities to it and it's pretty incredible to see such beautiful weirdness on cable TV. As for not-safe-for-kids shows, Pen15 is one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time. It’s about junior high, two best friends, and I personally love seeing a Japanese American family on T.V. in such a real way, a first for me! I love a brutal, funny show, written and lead by women. I cannot wait for the second season! Unbelievable is another female led and run show that made such an impact on me recently. It's the opposite of a comedy, but it's the type of procedural drama that I've always wanted to see, I wish there were more, but this one was a mini-series. Also, The Watchmen with Regina King! It's violent and full of drama, but I loved seeing a leading black woman as a vigilante superhero, she is such a joy to watch. I also highly recommend Mrs. Fletcher with Kathryn Hahn and if you've haven't heard, Fleabag—especially season 2—is incredible."
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- "Yep, every room except for my office has toys in it. But they’re all corralled in different ways—there are a few baskets and drawers in each room to keep things semi-orderly. I want my kids to feel like this is their home just as it is for me and my husband."
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- "That I have been given the task to raise the best citizens and humans that we possibly can. For me personally, it’s my opportunity to learn from these wonderful people who are so different from anyone else I’ve ever met—they are both so funny and fun, they are the light in my life."
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- "The older one doesn’t eat enough vegetables, the little one eats too much sugar. I try not to obsess or fuss over them too much—I remember being a child and I was so sensitive to the world around me, so I know my kids are picking up on everything, especially things that aren’t said. I want them to have the space to explore the world around them without having to carry my worries or anxieties. I trust that they will find their way, as long as we as parents see them as people and show them that we respect them as people."
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- Batman keeps a watchful eye from his perch.
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- "Both my boys have Japanese first names. Since my husband’s last name is European, it was important to us that they maintained their Japanese American identity."
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- "Definitely not! It wasn’t until I fell in love with my husband and suddenly started envisioning a life with him as parents."
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- "Both pregnancies were very different. I was cute and tiny with my first and was sick and very uncomfortable for most of my second. I had some really major complications post-birth with my second son, but that is for a different time..."
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- Even superheroes get sweet around mama.
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- "The birth of my first son is what inspired me to leave my corporate job and figure out something for myself. By the time my second came along, I was into the fourth year of running my own business, so I was able to take things really slow for the first six months or so."
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- "Any person who is trying their best to carve out moments of presence for themselves in order to better parent is a hero in my book. I know how busy life is for all of us, but we have to show our kids that we are strong enough and capable of being honest with ourselves and what we want for our lives. Kids can only benefit from seeing their parents thriving and leading emotionally healthy lives regardless of cultural or economic background."
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- Carolyn wears a MUUMUU dress.
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- "My parents were immigrants from Japan and they were often hustling and working hard outside of the home. I was a latchkey kid and an only child. I didn’t have the best self-esteem and I was very slow to catch up to the world around me, but I was always very curious about movies and music and art."
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- "I’d say I’m thoughtful but hands off. My kids are always taken care of and safe, but within our home, they are free to be who they are. It’s also important that my kids see me having a good relationship with myself and my husband. I want them to see that we communicate and express our love and compassion for one another in many ways—it’s not always perfect, but it’s a place we always go back to when things start to go a bit wonky."
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- "It’s compelled me to be more direct and speak freely on my frustrations with the world in my art/work. But this political climate hasn’t really changed how I feel. I think most people of color and women in this country would agree that these injustices, this feeling of being an other, has existed from the beginning. I think the difference now is that we are all feeling empowered to speak up sooner and louder. I am heartened by how quick we are to rally behind those who are less represented now more than ever, so in a weird way I feel more hopeful about humanity."
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- "Be kind to yourself, be patient. Know that feeling freaked out or overwhelmed is TOTALLY normal. Try to establish a real life friend or a few friends who are also new moms and try to stay off of the internet if you are feeling lonely, scared, or worried, because I think the internet can exacerbate those feelings. Instead, come up with some tools—preferably before your baby arrives. Come up with some ways of entertaining yourself, friends that you can call or text, activities that help you relax, and plans with a partner or friend who can hang with your baby while you take a bit of time for yourself. Remember that moms come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are ready to fully mom it up from the get go, but sometimes it might take a while and that’s totally O.K., too. There’s no perfect way to be a new mom."
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- "No! We’re all done."
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- "L.A. is my hometown and there’s something really special about being born in the same city as my kids. I often feel like I have to defend my town, but Los Angeles is diverse AF and has more multi-generational residents than most places I’ve ever been. The media industry is a small culture in the grand scheme of L.A., and doesn’t represent all Angelenos. Most of my friends were born and raised here and they are some of the most generous, kind, and chill folks you’ll ever meet. I adore that my boys will be amongst those ranks—or already are."
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- "I think we could live anywhere as long as we had each other, but nah, I wouldn’t unless we had to. A summer home in Italy might be nice though."
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- "For yummy Italian food and absolutely wonderful hospitality, I love Hippo in Highland Park. Trails Cafe in Griffith Park is the perfect combination of nature and coffee and a kiddo play area. Sushi Gen in J-town or Sugar Fish in a few different neighborhoods for consistent quality sushi. I love a good camping weekend on Catalina Island, with their giant bodega near the camp grounds for any emergency needs—like beer and margies in a can. I buy most of my gifts for friends at Individual Medley in Atwater or the cute little sandwich shop Topo in Highland Park."
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- "I am the founder and owner of Carolyn Suzuki Goods. I design and illustrate for my company’s products as well as collaborate with other brands and non-profit organizations."
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- "I was born and raised in L.A. My pronouns are she/her. I went to a few colleges before I settled on Cal State Fullerton, and my major was in Studio Art. My biggest jobby job was as a producer in animation at Disney TV. I also worked in animation production at Nickelodeon, Disney Feature, and Cartoon Network."
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- "100%. I’m not sure that I would even be drawing pictures for a living if it wasn’t for my first child and the encouragement of my husband. I was always a very artistic kid making things, dancing, singing, and drawing. But there was no one around in my immediate surroundings who did such things for a living. Even though I went to a state college and majored in art, it didn’t give me any confidence that I could make a living as an artist. I had been on a totally different corporate path in T.V. animation as a producer, not an artist. I went on maternity leave with my first kid and realized that I had to do something that was more meaningful to me. My heart wasn’t in what I was doing at the time and I wanted nothing more than to make something of my own. I wasn’t sure what that was yet, and I freelanced as a producer for 2-3 more years before I started my own business. There were lots and lots of little baby steps that have gotten me here."
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- "YES! My husband is my biggest support system in my personal and family life. We don’t have any family here in L.A. anymore, so we rely on wonderful babysitters who have been with our kids since they were tiny. And I couldn’t do anything without my employees on the business side of things. It really does take a village."
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- "It is indeed a juggle! But there is no balancing it all! I think it’s O.K. to be constantly riding the waves of life. If you are being a super present focused mom, your work is probably falling a bit behind, and if you are super busy at work, you might not be spending as much quality time with your partner or yourself. I think for me, letting go of the idea that we can do all of these things well, all at the same time, has really helped me to stop chasing this unattainable idea and shifted my focus on what is really important."
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- "The mom guilt usually comes when I have to be away from my kiddos too much for work. Although I’ve come to realize that it’s not so much guilt, but rather it’s just straight up pain. I love my family so much and being away from them really hurts me...so it’s a sadness that I try to keep at bay by not saying yes to too many projects or things that would keep me away from them too much. I also feel extremely guilty when I don’t get to walk my dog—which is most days."
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- "I think about this stuff constantly. I just want them to see me happy and well-adjusted, because this is how my kids will know that the world is a safe place. When a child falls and skins their knee, they usually look up at you first to see if they’re suppose to cry or not. They are always looking to us and they need us to see them, not what we want them to be, but who they actually are. I’m trying my best."
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- "Simple, but I like unique pieces so I usually go for at least one vintage element in my outfit."
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- "It hasn’t really. When I was nursing I had to keep the boobs accessible, but my youngest is six now so that was a long time ago."
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- Who needs monkey bars when you have a bunk bed?
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- "Since I tend to buy vintage I don’t really have faves. But I love linen and I love jumpsuits, so I have a lot of linen jumpsuits in my closet. Shout out to my fave vintage shops, Weepah Way in Glassell Park, Curatorial Dept in Atwater, Coast to Coast Vintage online, and of course, good ol' Ebay!"
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- "I’m a horrible example—I just wipe my face with Neutrogena face wipes! Oh, and I use Glossier lip balms, does that count as a beauty routine?"
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- Carolyn wears a vintage sweater from The Curatorial Dept.
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- Carolyn's secret skill? Big Wheel racing.
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- "I dance my ass off with some of my most favorite people on the planet at Pony Sweat. I try to do morning journaling, which is a mix of getting out all of the shit stuck in my head from the night before, and then making a sort of sketch/ list of all the things I need to do and some initial strategies on how I might get them done. If something is worrying me or making me feel anxious, I will do a meditation-like technique called Havening and it really sets me on the right path for the day."
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- "If I get to do what I just described, plus at least one or two really good long phone chats with my besties, at least a once-a-week coffee, lunch, or cocktail meet-up with a friend, enough time for some podcasts, cooking, and a bit of time to pick up around the house, I am feeling pretty great."
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- "More of this. More life, more friends, more food, more of this health and energy to enjoy all that is good. I want to continue to connect and be useful to brands and organizations that want to make a difference in our world."
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- For more on Carolyn, her artwork, and her family, be sure to follow her on Instagram.
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Love love Carolyn and how freaking real her home is. This is wonderful.