IRENE CASTELLANO is a designer, illustrator, and crybaby based out of Toronto, Ontario. ✨

She / her — Hi, hello, that’s me and thecastlerose is the digital cardboard box that holds my independent design practice and personal work. There’s also probably some dust bunnies in there, ignore them, they’re friendly.

I’ve been designing full-time for over 9 years and my bread n’ vegan butter is visual identity, illustration, branded assets for print + social, and generally messing around with typography + colours. I semi-recently went back to my roots (see: making websites for my neopets) and got really into web design again. I can adapt to different visual styles with ease, but my work is typically whimsical, bold, and precise — some people might call me nit-picky, but I prefer detail-orientated.

I currently split my time between freelance projects + the occasional new bit of nonsense for the shop. I regularly collabing with my pals at Liminal States and The Freelance Squad (I drew that whole site!) and previously, I led all design & marketing initiatives for the University of Guelph’s Central Student Association, the undergrad student union which operates a whole bunch of services, campaigns, and events on campus.

I prioritize working with like-minded folks who give a heck about the world around us and are trying to make it a little brighter in their own way. My personal projects often focus on self-care, mental health, and supporting your communities.

When not playing with pixels + paint, I like every cat I’ve ever met, pretending I like the taste of coffee, staying up too late but still waking up for yoga, and collecting scraps of paper that I may or may not find a use for one day.