Curious is led by Emily Holmes.

My Story

I’m a designer, facilitator, and visual artist.
I help people navigate complexity by changing how they see.

I’ve spent years helping organizations use design thinking to navigate complex challenges and make better decisions. Along the way, I started to notice something:

The most effective teams weren’t just following a process. They were able to observe closely, recognize patterns, interpret what they were seeing, and stay open long enough for better ideas to emerge.

Those are the same skills I develop through art.

Curious was born from that realization.

Experience

I’ve spent over a decade working in design strategy, research, and facilitation, partnering with organizations to align teams and move complex work forward.

My work includes collaborations with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, NASA, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and the Living Wage Institute.

I’ve also worked closely with Judy Chicago and a network of leading cultural institutions to support the development of a multi-institutional research portal, helping stakeholders align around scope, priorities, and future direction.

I am a trained facilitator and instructor with the LUMA Institute and have designed and led workshops, research initiatives, and strategic engagements across a wide range of sectors.

Creative Practice

Alongside my consulting work, I maintain an active studio practice. My work spans mixed media, stained glass, and visual exploration, and has been sold through galleries and retail partners around the world.

Earlier in my career, I founded and ran a stained glass company whose work was carried in more than 500 galleries internationally.

This ongoing creative practice is not separate from my professional work. It’s where I continue to develop the ways of seeing that inform everything I do.

What I Believe

• Curiosity is a skill you can develop
• Uncertainty is something to work with, not avoid
• Creativity isn’t limited to artists
• Better questions lead to better outcomes

What Makes Curious Different

Curious brings together two worlds that are often kept separate: structured, strategic thinking and open-ended creative exploration.

In practice, that means developing the ability to see patterns, make connections, and explore ideas without rushing to answers… then translating those insights into clear, actionable direction.

The result is work that is both imaginative and grounded.

Curious?

Let’s create something thoughtful, clear, and meaningful together.