My Story

Meet the Maker

Dawn | Owner/Designer

I’m Dawn. A wife and dog mom. Born and raised in Idaho, I now live in the beautiful foothills of Arizona with my family. My husband and I enjoy working on home projects together and spending time with our little furballs. In my spare time you can catch me volunteering, watching true crime or going on long walks.

I’ve been creating art for as long as I can remember. I always loved drawing on my sketch pad and painting murals. That eventually evolved into digital work, where I create on my iPad and use Illustrator to develop my designs. I now bring them to life with tools like my laser and UV printer, turning ideas into finished physical pieces.

About the Studio

Modern Cactus started in 2019 because I wanted to make fun, unique pieces that make people say, “Oh my gosh, I love this!”

My first setup was a Glowforge in my spare bedroom, where I made logo signs for small businesses. Today, my studio is home to a Thunder Laser, LogoJet UV printer, Bambu 3D printer, heat press, and sticker printer. I also paint and draw here, creating artwork digitally or by hand and bringing those designs to life as finished products.

I also designed the entire studio space myself, from the floorplan to the surrounding landscaping. Then my husband and I got to work building it from the ground up, right here in our backyard.

I love having a space of my own where I can get out of the house, let my creativity shine, and actually enjoy going to work. And having my own little secret lounge across the hall definitely doesn’t hurt 😉