written by Hayden Seder
Even if you’re never heard her name, you’ve surely seen the work of graphic designer Cara Shumate, whose digital fingerprints are all over the Wood River Valley. From Tim’s Electric to the Board Bin, Johnny G’s, Gather Yoga, and so much more, her branding and designs have helped many of the area’s most beloved businesses rebrand in the last few years, calling upon Cara’s unique blend of extensive design experience and just overall radness, which translate into branding and designs that businesses young and old covet.
Before moving to Sun Valley in 2009, Cara spent nearly ten years in Tahoe snowboarding and waiting tables before realizing she needed a change. After visiting Sun Valley for 48 Straight, the now-defunct multiday ski and music event, she met someone from Smith Optics who mentioned a potential internship. During that weekend, the community resonated with her, and she eventually made the move. Though the internship didn’t work out, she would eventually work for Smith Optics down the road—but not before working at several restaurants, then Sun Valley Magazine and Scott Sports. “It was not linear, but it worked, and it solidified my roots here.”
How She Got Her Start
The youngest child of five, Cara was always attracted to creative outlets, finding her earliest one through the mother of a childhood friend who would take them to art stores and lead them in art projects. “Making things was always part of my world.”
Her first foray into the creative side of outdoor adventure sports was at fourteen, when she got her first job at a board shop in Santa Cruz in the ’90s. “I was instantly hooked on the culture, the people, the freedom, and especially the graphics on snowboards, skateboards, stickers, and apparel. That was the moment I knew I wanted to create those graphics myself.”
She went on to study graphic design at the California College of the Art in San Francisco, spending her free time snowboarding in Tahoe on days off before eventually moving there after college.
After her relocation to Sun Valley in 2009, she worked as a graphic designer for Sun Valley Magazine, then at Smith Optics for six years, starting as a graphic designer and working her way up to art director. When Smith announced their relocation to Portland, Oregon, her and her husband, artist and gallerist Rudi Broschofsky, followed suit. Though she enjoyed the learning opportunity the job at Smith afforded her, Cara and Rudi didn’t adapt to the city lifestyle, and after four years of creative growth, decided to return to the mountains of Sun Valley.
After their return, and with no job lined up, Cara began working freelance, eventually starting her graphic design firm All Time Graphics.
CS Design to All Time Graphics Design Studio
Since 2019, Cara has been running her own design studio, offering a full range of creative services, including branding, art direction, illustration, and graphic design. She works one on one with local small businesses and a handful of larger clients, working to execute a client’s vision or provide guidance and communicating that business’s values visually.
Cara’s bold branding can be seen in numerous businesses and events in the Wood River Valley, including the 2025 Boulder Mountain Tour, Wild Rye, Sturtevant’s, Silver Creek Outfitters, SV Custom Builders, Visit Sun Valley, the Baldy Banked Slalom, Chum’s, and the Sun Valley Film Festival. Many of her designs are a nod to Idaho’s western culture, with some company’s brands looking like actual cattle brands and others incorporating cowboy culture, like the cowboy hat on a bicycle for Wild Rye or the bike chain lasso around Sturtevants’ logo. Others have subtle or cheeky elements, like the Johnny G’s logo that references the cover of Jaws with a shark and the word “subs.”
Living in the Wood River Valley
When not working on branding and design through her studio, Cara is often helping her husband Rudi with his work. “I genuinely love making things, whether that is a merch idea, a full home renovation, or even cooking a great meal. There is nothing better than creating something from nothing.” She’s currently working a few nights a week at Enoteca, which helps keep her connected to the community and gives her a break from sitting at the computer all day. Obviously her love of the outdoors was a major draw to living in the area, so she spends as much time outside hiking, biking, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and touring as possible. Her and Rudi live mid-Valley with their two Boston terriers, who can often be found tearing it up on the trail.
Check out Cara’s work at carashumate.com or on Instagram @cara_shumate.
