You’ve probably seen Ciara Spurling’s work before—even if you didn’t know it was hers. The logo of your favourite boutique, the beautifully branded café you always visit, the effortlessly cool sweatshirt someone was wearing at the farmers’ market.
Spurling’s designs are everywhere—recognizable, intentional, and deeply embedded in the communities they serve.
As the founder of Third Rodeo Creative, Spurling built a design studio that goes beyond aesthetics. Her work doesn’t just look good; it tells a story, connects people, and makes businesses feel like home.
“I think one of the best parts of what I do is seeing how excited people get about their brand when they finally see it come to life,” she says. “I’ve had clients tell me they feel like they can reach new opportunities because of what we’ve built together. That’s the most rewarding part.”
But getting here wasn’t linear. Spurling never set out to be a designer. In fact, for years, she didn’t even consider art a viable career.
Before Third Rodeo, Spurling was still figuring things out. She grew up in Simcoe County, spent time travelling through Europe, and worked with horses—a lifelong passion of hers.
“Animals are definitely my other passion,” she says. “But it was while I was in Berlin that I realized people could actually make a living through art. That was a totally new concept for me.”
That realization led her back home, where she enrolled in Georgian College for design.
“I had always loved illustration and art, but I never thought of it as something I could do full-time,” she says. “Going into design felt like a structured way to make it work.”
While school gave her the technical skills, Spurling quickly realized she had no interest in the traditional corporate design world.
“There was always this ad in the newspaper for Napoleon Barbecues looking for a designer, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, if I graduate and work there, my whole life is over,’” she laughs. “I couldn’t wrap my head around it.”
So instead, she started freelancing—taking on small branding projects while working other jobs.
“I was doing all this work, but not really enjoying it,” she says. “I always had passion projects on the go, but I had other jobs paying the bills.”
That changed when she worked with Forgather Floral in Barrie.
“I did their branding, and a couple of years later, their website. And after that, everything else just followed,” she says. “I was like, ‘Okay, I like doing this.’”
By 2020, Spurling had built a steady client base, and Third Rodeo Creative was officially born.
“I always felt like I wanted to be seen as more than just a freelancer,” she says. “Naming my business made it feel real, like I wasn’t just a designer—I had a legitimate design studio.”
The name itself is a nod to her horse girl roots and her love for balance and intentional branding.
“I’ve always been a horse girl,” she laughs. “And I liked the phrase ‘not my first rodeo.’ Plus, ‘Third Rodeo’ just felt balanced. ‘Third’ and ‘Rodeo’ are the same number of characters. I love things that feel visually even.”
Spurling’s approach to design is deeply intentional. She doesn’t just create logos—she builds brands with purpose.
“I always imagined myself doing illustration work, but small business branding took over,” she says. “And I loved applying communication to design—helping someone shape their brand and tell their story.”
Her process has evolved over the years.
“I used to send out, like, an eight-page deck,” she says. “Now, my decks are 30 pages. There’s so much strategy involved—it’s not just about making something pretty. It’s about understanding the whole identity of a business.”
Most of her clients come through word of mouth—which speaks to the kind of relationships she builds.
“I work with some really special people who are passionate about their communities,” she says. “When someone needs design work, they’re always like, ‘Go to Ciara.’”
One of the most rewarding parts of her work? Seeing her designs out in the world.
“I was driving the other day, and I saw a guy pumping gas wearing one of my designs on a sweater,” she says. “I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s wild.’”
A major turning point came when she worked with Blueberry Moon, a boutique in Ontario.
“Heather [the owner] unleashed something in me creatively,” she says. “We did branding, but also apparel, and it was my first time designing for a physical space. Seeing it all come together was really special.”
For all the highs, there are challenges—especially when your business depends on your creative energy.
“You can’t force creativity,” she says. “I have a clause in my welcome guide that says, ‘Why is my project taking longer than you said?’ It’s because sometimes the ideas just aren’t there. I’m a very analog person—I need time to sketch things out, take walks, and let ideas marinate.”
She’s learned to structure her days around her natural creative rhythms.
“I’m a 9-to-5 person,” she says. “Monday to Friday, past five o’clock, I don’t want to do anything. I take walks at lunch every day—it resets me.”
She’s also started outsourcing certain tasks, like copywriting, to free up time for the work she truly loves.
“That was one part of my business where I was like, ‘Okay, I don’t have the capacity for this anymore. Let’s hire someone else.’”
As for the future of Third Rodeo, Spurling isn’t necessarily looking to scale into a full agency.
“I’m way too protective over my clients,” she admits. “It’s a big investment for them, and I don’t want to hand off work to someone who won’t get it right.”
But she does see herself offering mentorship down the line.
“I wish I had more support when I was starting out,” she says. “I’d love to offer something—but I haven’t figured out the right way yet.”
For now, she’s focused on taking on bigger, more immersive projects and working with brands that align with her values.
“My dream clients are people who want to make the world a better place,” she says. “I’d love to work with a café, a brewery, or a chocolate brand. Those brands have a built-in community, and that’s where design really shines—it tells a story, creates an experience, and connects people.”
And that’s what Third Rodeo Creative is all about—design that’s thoughtful, strategic, and deeply personal.
Written by Maddie Johnson
