Maya Kern is a queer-owned small business based in upstate New York. Here's a little bit about us!
Maya is a fat, queer, autistic artist and the founder and co-owner of Maya Kern LLC. Originally from Texas, she started out in 2012 selling her work on Etsy and at small conventions while working freelance and attending MCAD. Maya is in charge of art direction, product design, social media/advertising/marketing, newsletters, finances and a lot of boring paperwork stuff. In product photos, she is the plus size model. In her spare time, Maya likes to write romance novels, play DnD, snuggle with her cat Ophelia and go hiking with her two dogs, Annie and Rodeo. Maya and Devin got married in 2017, after which Ariel successfully bamboozled them into moving themselves (and the business) to upstate NY.
Devin is a queer, autistic troublemaker with ADHD. They are an IRL goblin and the co-owner and business manager of Maya Kern LLC. They joined part time in 2015 and full time in 2017 after marrying Maya. Devin is in charge of over all strategic management of the business, order fulfillment, and big decision vibe checks. In product photos, Devin is the straight size model. Devin is obsessed with Fire Emblem and would specifically like to say that FE: Fates is a good game and everyone who disagrees is a coward. They insisted on including this. Devin co-parents Annie and Rodeo and also has the world's clingiest tuxedo cat, Vira.
Lindsy a queer crafter with ADHD and she is literally the world's sweetest person and the first ever employee of Maya Kern LLC. She joined in 2021 when we were desperately overwhelmed by a truly unprecedented amount of skirt preorders. Lindsy handles photography, videography, quality checking, inventory, order fulfillment, and provides everyone with the clear-eyed common sense of someone who hasn't been poisoned by spending too much time on the internet. During her free time, she likes to volunteer at our local maker space and pick up a variety of crafts/skills, including painting, needle punching, sewing, cooking and nail art.
Ariel is a queer, Jewish mother of one (Ollin) and dog mom of two (Totoro and Pippin) and our only true extrovert. She joined in 2022 after the internet did a reverse Thanos Snap™ to our business. Ariel and Devin met at MCTC in 2013 and instantly bonded over being agents of chaos. Ariel handles customer support, additional strategic development and organization, quality checking, inventory, order fulfillment, and fun. In product photos, she is the midsize model. Ariel is dyslexic and is also the only member of our team willing to deal with a store chat function, so if you use that please be kind. Ariel is a giant nerd and in her spare time she likes to play DnD and video games, write sci-fi, draw, go fencing, throw axes, and do standup comedy.
Ash is a queer creator with ADHD and is mother to the world's most handsome dog, Quentin. She spent a decade collecting three degrees she never uses and one that she does (MFA). She joined us at the end of 2022 when our escalating issues with our original factory required us to seek a new one. Since then, Ash has become instrumental to our team. If there is anything that needs doing, you can bet she’s got her hands in it. Ash handles factory communication, product development (including creating and grading all our sewing patterns), directing photography, web development, scheduling, photo editing, and strategic organization. She enjoys painting, sewing, ceramics, writing and woodworking. She spends much of her free time reinventing food due to her absolutely heinous allergies.