Welcome, and thank you for visiting Designs by Gatto.

All of the Handbags, Illustrations, and Designs featured on www.designsbygatto.com were created by me.

I love to create! As an artist and designer, I feel you can put all your creative resources together and create wonderful things for everyone to enjoy. The ability to do what you love in life is a challenge and getting there is the goal.

In 1993, I graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in General Illustration. Since then, I have worked for companies like Grosset & Dunlap (a division of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers) as a Designer and Little Simon & Little Simon Inspirations (both imprints of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division) as a Designer and Associate Art Director and EK Success as a Product and Package Designer for Martha Stewart Wedding. You can check out some of the Children's books I've designed in the Design section of my website. Currently, I am working for Glitterwrap as the Art Director for Festive Products. Glitterwrap is well known in the industry for gift wrap, bags, and party products.

Illustration is my passion. I began taking classes at Cooper Union in NYC with a wonderful teacher who inspired me to find my artist within. As a result I unlocked a whole new style; a new style which landed me the job to illustrate the re-designed packaging line of pet foods for California Natural in 2005. California Natural is an all-natural pet food company owned by Natura Pet. Illustrations can be seen in the Artwork section of my website.

In February of 2006, I joined Christina Tugeau's artist list . You can check out her website at www.CATugeau.com.

Clients with Christina Tugeau are: McGraw Hill Publishing, Benchmark Publishing, Hartcourt Publishing, SRA (MMH) Kaleidoscope, and William H. Sadlier, Inc.

Please see my artwork on page 76 of the 2008 addition of Picture-Book. Please check out my artwork at www.picture-book.com.

In addition to my artwork and designs, I enjoy designing and making handbags. My handbags and accessories are available through my Handbag section on the website. Each handbag and accessory is uniquely designed and created by me; each piece is one-of-a-kind. Lots of love and enjoyment go into making each handbag and accessory.

A new addition to my website is the Links page. There you can check out great artists, wonderful organizations, and interesting sites.

I live in New Jersey, with my husband Michael and our three children (kitties), Choco, Skittle, and Charlie.

Please enjoy your visit to Designs by Gatto.

I hope you come again.