Portrait of CEO Alex smiling outdoors in a yellow suit

San Diego web design studio crafting prismatic naratives through spiritual creativity

Founder Alex standing on stairs looking off to the distance at BalboaPark wearing a yellow dress

How It All Started

Changing the World Since 2015

Hi, I’m Alex, the founder and lead designer of Arcoíris Design Studio. I am a multi-passionate woman who runs a San Diego web design agency. I am deeply knowledgeable and possess talents in lots of different modalities. Running Arcoíris Design Studio allows me to fully embody my talents by using and continuously discovering more about art, brand strategy, website design, and intuition.

As a business owner, I’ve also developed a burning desire to change the world. But, like many of us, I was conditioned for most of my life to push that desire down and live a more conventional existence.

I studied biology at UCSD, even though I knew early on I didn’t want to pursue it as a career (being a research scientist is not as glamorous as I thought in high school.) My dad even wanted me to join the Air Force–which I also definitely didn’t want to do! I always knew that I was destined to pave my own path, although it a while to figure out exactly how.

Uncovering My Path

My path led me to my local yoga studio, where the practice changed my life. It was such a profound experience I decided to pursue yoga teacher training, where I decided to become a catalyst for change and lean into my passions. I left my job, threw away my degree (not really—but you get what I mean), and began tuning into my intuition.

Full body portrait of Alex in a yellow dress and a Guatemalan rainbow jacket

Most importantly, this awakening helped me discover design as a career path. I went from hand-coding profiles on MySpace back when I was a teenager to managing the backend of a WordPress website for my local yoga studio. I was so inspired by this chain of events that I ultimately decided to go back to school for San Diego web design and got a certificate in Web Development & Design. I wanted to take my love for coding to the next level and design websites for all kinds of businesses.

Thus, the Arcoíris Design Studio, a San Diego web design agency, was born.

My purpose as an intuitive designer is to be a catalyst of change for visionary and free spirited entrepreneurs. I use imagination and creativity to help them to visually embody the most authentic version of themselves. That way, each brand I work with can create a positive impact on the world around them and make it a better place!

Alex pulling a card from The Desert Oracle Deck

Hi, I’m Alex

Discovering My Practice as a Design Alchemist

I started to connect spirituality with design while I was getting my design certificate. During yoga teacher training I was introduced to oracle decks for the first time and was immediately enamored with the practice of pulling cards. I found them to be such a thoughtful and practical tool for self-inquiry and quickly incorporated them into my self-care practice.

Then in December 2016, I discovered the idea for a deck of my own. I went to Joshua Tree, CA for the first time, during a meteor shower and full moon. The energy while I was there was so potent and powerful. I became absorbed by it and downloaded the idea to design my own oracle deck. I was unsure about the idea at first, but then, on my drive home through the desert, I saw a symbol out in the middle of a cholla field. It was at that moment I knew the symbol was a sign to create my own deck. After that experience, I immediately set out to create The Desert Oracle Deck.

I’ve been connecting my intuition to my design practice ever since.

Buy the Deck

San Diego web design agency owner Alex laying on a blanket writing in her journal

A Brand Inspired By Culture & Color

Arco iris means rainbow in Spanish.

I am Guatemalan and the first language I learned in life was Spanish. I love weaving in my culture in the way I represent herself in my business. This context allows my business to really shine.

Color is so important to my business that my brand is named after the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow, Iris. She is a goddess of color, messages and transformation. Through divine connection she has become the patron saint of my business.

When it comes to my magic as a designer, color is where I really stands out. I am not really a neutrals kind of gal. I work best when incorporating color into the branding I create with clients.

Plus, color is such an important part of my brand that I designed an entire oracle deck inspired by the beauty of Joshua Tree, CA and the magic of color.

So, that is why color is the central theme of the Arcoíris Design Studio because it is the core of my unique gifts and skills.

My Mission & Values

Diversity & Inclusion

I am committed to creating an inclusive, accessible and ethical design studio for all. As an ally of marginalized communities—LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and AAPI communities to name a few—I want to ensure that my design studio feels like a safe space for members of these communities to interact with. I am committed to providing these communities my services in an ethical and inclusive way. Furthermore, I am dedicated to continual learning to ensure I am doing the very best I can to dismantle the effects of colonialism and cultural appropriation in the design industry.

Ethical Pricing

I believe in ethical pricing structures in my business. This means that I work to ensure that I price my services in a way that honors my time and commitment to the project as well as taking into account the needs of my clients. Because of this, I offer sliding scale payment structures and custom pricing on my premium offerings—think custom projects—as a way to ensure I can work with all kinds of clients. If you still have questions about my pricing, don’t be shy. Feel free to reach out anytime.

Sustainability Commitment

The biggest threat to our species at this time is climate change. From donating to environmental causes to implementing more sustainable practices in my business (for example, I ship The Desert Oracle Deck in eco-friendly packaging) I am deeply committed to doing the work necessary to ensure the longevity of our planet for future generations. Nevertheless, I realize that the burden of the climate crisis falls on large corporations, not individuals. For this reason, a large portion of my donations goes toward climate initiatives that are focused on community knowledge building and advocacy.

The Arcoíris Design Studio acknowledges that we reside on the unceded land of the Kumeyaay Nation, who are the traditional custodians of the land commonly known as San Diego, CA. We recognize their enduring relationship to the land and their continuing cultural, spiritual customs and practices. We pay our deepest respects to all elders past, present, and emerging through yearly donations to indigenous-focused organizations in San Diego.