Golden Time with TigerLily’s Varick Rosete

By Anthony Vagnoni & Chandler Atton

On his LinkedIn bio, Varick Rosete refers to himself as an “illustrator, inspirator, risk-taker, motivator and positivitator.” That last one got us. Positivitator? We totally get it.

As Chief Design Officer and Principal at the Jacksonville, FL-based creative and production studio TigerLily, Varick has applied his flair for design and illustration to a wide range of clients, causes and interests. An acknowledged leader of the local design community, he has continued to lead his own studio, Varick Rosete Studio, since 2009, and previously served in various roles with local ad agencies and design shops.

He’s also an entrepreneur: he launched a collaborative co-working space that could serve as a hub for designers, artists and creatives, and also launched a crowdfunded festival designed to support local creators and other entrepreneurs. In addition, he created his own Filipino-based clothing line, a pursuit that not only produced some dazzlingly cool threads but also underscored his commitment to infusing cultural diversity into all of his creative endeavors.

Varick joined TigerLily in 2012 and was named Chief Design Officer and Principal last year. We caught up with him recently to find out how he likes to spend his Golden Time. 

Where do you live? And how long have you lived there? What do you like best about where you live? 

Varick: I live in Atlantic Beach, Florida, and it’s been home for most of my life. I was actually born in San Diego, but with my dad in the Navy, we moved around a bit before landing here in AB around 1980, and I’ve been rooted ever since.

What do I love most about it? The water, hands down. The beach has always been a constant source of inspiration and calm for me. Just knowing I’m close to the ocean brings me peace. The vibe here is incredibly laid-back; the people are kind, and everything – from the schools to the coffee shops – is within walking or biking distance. It’s a small, chill town that’s easy to love.

You can say Jacksonville, too. Atlantic Beach is technically in Jacksonville, FL, but most of my time is here in AB.

How’d you get into the business? How long have you been in your current role? 

Varick: I’ve always known I wanted to create for a living. Since I was a kid, I was constantly drawing – on paper, on desks (which got me in trouble), anywhere I could. Art was my way of expressing myself, and by the time I was in school, I knew that if I could make a career out of it, I’d be happy.

I did well academically, but my heart was always in the art room. In college, I transitioned from fine art to graphic design, and graduated top of my class with a BFA. From there, I jumped into agency life – first at a small studio where I learned the ropes, then at a larger firm where I refined my design and leadership skills.

Around the time I was considering going back to school for animation, some friends were launching a web company, and I joined them instead. That move opened the door to digital, UX, and interactive work. Eventually, though, I felt the pull to get back to drawing and storytelling. I went solo, focusing on brand design and illustration.

That’s when TigerLily reached out. They said, “We heard you want to try animation – want to give it a shot?” I jumped in, and I’ve been with them, and grown with them, ever since.

How often do you end up working on the weekend? How much time do you spend on work-related stuff from Friday night to Sunday night?

Varick: It really depends, because a lot of what I do doesn’t feel like work – especially when it’s something I’m excited about. Sometimes, it’s just letting ideas roll around in my head, and then I’ll sketch something quickly just to get it out.That alone can turn into a couple of hours on a weekend without me even realizing it.

On average, I’d say I spend anywhere from two hours to a full weekend on work-related things. The full-weekend sprints aren’t my favorite, but sometimes they’re necessary to hit deadlines or make something great. On top of my role at TigerLily, I also do freelance design and illustration, and I help run a retail concept shop with my wife, so ideas are constantly flowing, and I’m always jotting things down. Just check my Apple Notes – it's wild. Like, I’m taking a few hours to answer these questions right now. This is work, right?

What’s your favorite weekend decompression activity? How often do you get to pursue it?

Varick: I love slowing things down on the weekends. Sometimes that means reading a few pages from a good book or getting outside to work in the yard. Yard work might sound like a chore, but for me it’s meditative—a quiet, earthy way to recharge while making things look nice.

Lately, with summer here, it feels like I’m out there almost every weekend. But more than anything, I love spending time with my daughter. She’s seven and is currently obsessed with fashion design. Any time I can keep her off devices and tap into her imagination is a win. Helping her stay creative and curious – that’s the best kind of weekend for me.

It’s a three-day weekend. How do you spend that bonus day?

Varick: Getting away for a quick trip is always ideal – just a change of scenery to reset. But if we’re staying local, I try to unplug a bit; less screen time, more outside time. I used to be deep into video games, but ever since getting married and having a kid, I’d much rather spend that bonus day with my family. Whether we’re out doing something fun or just hanging around doing nothing together, that time truly is golden.

How much time do you spend on your phone/tablet/laptop on a typical weekend? 

Varick: Great question. I’d like to say not much—maybe an hour or two total over the weekend.

I’ll usually scroll through social media in the morning or evening, but even that’s become more of a habit than something I actively enjoy. I used to be more engaged, but now it feels a bit too programmed. These days, I mostly use it as an archive, to capture and document moments in time. 

I still check in on Duolingo (j'essaie d'apprendre le français!), and while I used to sketch a lot on my tablet, I’ve been making an intentional shift back to my sketchbook. There’s something about drawing on paper – being raw, making mistakes, and working through ideas without the undo button – that just feels like something I need to get back to.

What have you been watching lately? How do you keep up on all the streaming content out there? 

Varick: Since “Andor” wrapped, I’ve definitely been in a bit of a viewing lull. Lately, I’ve been watching more with my daughter; she’s surprisingly into cooking shows, so we just finished “Baking Impossible.” It’s this wild series where a baker teams up with an engineer to build fully edible creations that actually function, like a working drawbridge or a mechanical fashion outfit you can eat. Totally bizarre, but super fun to watch with her.

As for keeping up with all the streaming content… I don’t. I figure it’ll still be there when I’m ready. I’m not in a rush to be first, or to consume everything right away. For example, I just finished “Arcane,” which came out forever ago, and it completely blew me away – visually stunning with a powerful, emotional story. I like watching things when I have the time and headspace to really appreciate them.

What do you listen to? What’s on your playlist? 

Varick: I love this question. It’s summer in Florida, but lately I’ve been mentally escaping to the Italian Riviera – light breezy tunes that make the heat feel a little more romantic, like there’s an ocean breeze instead of just Florida humidity.

My playlist shifts depending on my mood or the time of day. On Sundays, it’s usually reggae. Mornings often start with New Orleans jazz or Parisian café vibes. I’ll have a chill house DJ set playing on the TV in one room while I’m working in another – it sets the tone without being distracting.

Honestly, I listen to a little bit of everything. Variety is the spice of life. I’ve got a massive Starred playlist I’ll shuffle through that swings from jazz to classical, heavy metal to city pop, and even nature sounds. I had to give my daughter her own music account because she was totally wrecking my algorithm – there was a stretch where my “Top Songs” playlist was all Disney. And hey, I love “Encanto” as much as the next person, but not 24/7. Some recent repeat tracks for me include “Feels Like 74” by Jungle (a longtime favorite), “Helpless” by Derik Fein and “Don’t Wait Up” by Midnight Generation. It's always evolving—but that’s the fun of it.

Best weekend live experience of the past year? What made it special? 

Varick: There were a few standout moments this past year, but one experience really hit on every level.

For my 50th birthday, my wife surprised me with a trip to London to see the Jacksonville Jaguars play at Wembley Stadium. Before that, we spent a few days in Paris (a city I absolutely love), and then took the Eurostar train over to London. There’s something magical about trains—the simplicity and the feeling of movement between worlds. Stepping off the train and walking into the streets of London was unforgettable.

The whole weekend was packed with experiences. The Jags won, which made the game at Wembley even better. But the moment that really stayed with me happened during lunch at sketch London, in the Gallery Room. The place was surreal – like stepping into an art piece. We’d just gotten our drinks and started into the tea sandwiches when a trio of women dressed in Victorian-era fashion took the stage beside us. They started playing modern pop hits on string instruments, and something about that moment – the music, the setting, my wife sitting across from me – just overwhelmed me. I started tearing up. My wife asked, “Are you okay?” and all I could say was, “There’s nothing wrong. I’m just overwhelmed with how lucky I am to be right here, right now.” That one meal somehow captured the emotion of the entire weekend. It was beautiful, immersive, and deeply human. Easily one of the most memorable experiences of the year.

So it’s Sunday night already! How do you get ready for Monday morning? What’s your Sunday night routine? 

Varick: Sunday nights are all about resetting. I try not to think about work; there’s more than enough time during the week to be in that nonstop, high-focus mindset. Weekends are my time to clear the noise and just breathe. It’s exhausting to be “on” all the time, and honestly, it’s neither sustainable nor necessary.

So instead of diving into planning mode, I’ll watch something silly or light, maybe a comfort movie or a fun show, just to decompress. I try to soak in inspiration, whether it’s from music, film, or time with family, so I can start Monday with a clear head and a fresh perspective.