Paulina Otero (‘20 Fiber)
Inspired by the colors, textures, and forms of her childhood in Cancun, Mexico, Paulina Otero (‘20 Fiber) creates statement jewelry that feels both playful and deeply personal. What began as a pandemic-era creative outlet has grown into a thriving accessories brand rooted in wearable art, community, and bold design.
Recently celebrating six years in business, Paulina Otero (‘20 Fiber) creates bold statement pieces that blur the line between jewelry and wearable art. While the acrylics, metals, and plush fabrics catch the eye, what really brings them to life is the artist behind the designs.
Paulina’s journey to KCAI began while attending an arts boarding school in California. Initially focused on staying on the West Coast, her perspective shifted after a portfolio review with KCAI admissions counselor Russell Shoemaker (‘09 Painting). After visiting Kansas City, she quickly realized KCAI offered the close-knit creative environment she was looking for.
Originally enrolling in painting, she found herself drawn to fiber during foundations when she studied under KCAI alumna Rena Wood (‘06 Fiber), who taught her to crochet, knit, and weave. While fiber expanded her conceptual horizons, jewelry offered a sense of creative freedom.
“With my fiber art, it felt very conceptual, and it felt like everything had to have a meaning or a purpose,” Paulina recalls. “But with my jewelry, it was more about aesthetics and function…it felt very free-form.”
Jewelry offered a way to engage directly with people through objects that were functional, accessible, and deeply personal. Making jewelry also held deep sentimental value, reminding her of evenings spent crafting pieces with her mother, who owned a jewelry business. By the time her end-of-semester review rolled around, her instructors frequently noted that her work was strongest when scaled down, showcasing an incredible attention to detail.
“With my fiber art, it felt very conceptual, and it felt like everything had to have a meaning or a purpose. But with my jewelry, it was more about aesthetics and function…it felt very free-form.”
Turning Constraint Into Momentum
Like many artists graduating in 2020, Paulina entered a world suddenly defined by lockdowns and uncertainty. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, she treated the moment not as a setback, but as an opportunity to build. She launched an Etsy shop and began pouring her energy into creating pieces that were accessible and ready to wear.
“I feel like if I were able to travel home freely [to Mexico] during COVID, I wouldn’t be as focused as I am right now,” Paulina notes. “COVID pushed me to be so laser-focused on my business, fixing things, changing, and readjusting…just being consistent and grinding to build the foundation of my business.”
From Maker to Community Builder
Her brand’s aesthetic grew from her early experiments with tufted art and mobile sculptures. A commission from the Charlotte Street Foundation, tasking her to create a site-specific installation, helped her define a distinct visual language inspired by Mexican modern architecture, nature, and traditional textiles. It was then that the lightbulb went off: why not scale it down into wearable jewelry?
But transforming artistic ideas into a sustainable business required far more than strong design instincts alone. While her designs are playful, Paulina is candid about the realities of running a business. She emphasized that behind every successful product drop is constant problem-solving, financial pressure, administrative work,and emotional resilience.
As her business evolved post-pandemic, Paulina realized that simply posting products online was no longer enough. Customers wanted connection, interaction, and community. In response, she began hosting in-person workshops, creating opportunities for people to engage directly with both the work and the artist behind it.
That mindset has become central to how she approaches both creativity and entrepreneurship.
“You have to be your motivator because if you don’t show up, how are you going to succeed?” Paulina explains. “Just showing up, you put your energy out there, and the universe rewards you in ways that you might not see in the moment.”
Statement Pieces for Everyone
Today, her creative process is a refined balance of artistic vision and functional design. Her evolving design language has also opened doors for larger institutional collaborations. This is best shown by her recent collaboration with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Tasked with creating pieces inspired by Alphonse Mucha Art Nouveau exhibition, Paulina dove into the prototyping phase, her favorite part of the process.
She dissected Mucha’s famous "whiplash" lines and floral motifs, digitally sketching them into functional hairpins and claw clips. Working back and forth with international manufacturers, she navigated the process of turning a digital concept into a physical product fit for the Nelson’s museum store.
"I feel like at this point I am open to doing all kinds of merging and collaborations, though of course I have my core styles that are part of the brand identity," she reflects. "The brand has evolved to have a variety of things…always statement, always colorful and bold…so we end up having something for everyone. I love that it's not like a gallery where it feels unattainable…with jewelry, everyone has a different style, but they can still find something."
Find Your Scarf
When asked what advice she has for KCAI students looking to turn their studio practice into a profitable business, Paulina’s guidance is realistic. She references advice from a fellow KCAI fiber alumna, Debra Smith (‘93 Fiber), who told students to “find your scarf”. In other words, find a reproducible and accessible product that can sustain your practice while you continue building your larger artistic vision. For Paulina, jewelry is her scarf.
As she looks toward the future, Paulina’s vision is expansive. She hopes to travel internationally to visit her manufacturers in person, unlocking new material possibilities. She is also open to expanding her design language beyond jewelry, dreaming of designing handbags, homewares, and sunglasses.
Whatever medium she explores next, one thing is certain: Paulina Otero knows how to adapt, evolve, and build a creative practice on her own terms.