“Hi, my name is Kate Pinto. Yep, like the bean, the horse, and the car. I started Bean Horse Car Designs after recognizing a need and opportunity for wider representation in everyday illustrations. At the time, I was looking to fill my home with images of all kinds of women and uncommon animals, and it was harder to find what I wanted than I expected.
I’m a former Denver Zoo volunteer and longtime animal nerd. I was that kid who stood at zoo exhibits and rattled off facts to strangers before they could even read the signs. I would get super bummed when my favorite obscure animals were never in the gift shop. If I ever created merch, it was going to have the uncommon animals on it. And here I am, mantis shrimp abound!
My goals are to make folks feel seen and valued, make underappreciated animals magical, and hopefully get you to crack a smile, even if it’s just with a silly pun. You’ll find colorful illustrations, silly puns, uplifting and validating messages, and sometimes a little sass.”
