Karissa Walker Méndez
CFW
Karissa Walker Méndez is a furniture maker and graphic designer originally from Guatemala. With over a decade of experience in graphic design and creative direction, she brings a strong design perspective and an interest in material, form, and function to her approach to furniture making.
Before working primarily in wood, Karissa explored mixed-media making through community-based projects, including co-founding a recycling centre in Guatemala, where she worked with recycled plastic. This experience shaped her interest in material reuse, process, and the stories that objects can carry.
A 2025 graduate of the Centre for Fine Woodworking’s Furniture Makers’ Programme, Karissa’s practice is drawn to clean lines, balance, and harmony in functional objects. Her approach is grounded in care, patience, and attention to detail, with a particular interest in traditional joinery and furniture designed to be lived with, appreciated, and passed on.
Want to see more of Karissa’s work?
Follow her on Instagram @walkermendezmaker for a closer look at her furniture, making process and latest projects.
