MY STORY

So, first of all, how does one go about pursuing a surface design career?

I'd like to say with grace and gumption, but unfortunately, I can only really claim the latter as true. 😅 There's been a lot of ungraceful flailing about, some (read: a lot of) fear, quite a bit of self-doubt, and loads of confusion on my journey to creative entrepreneurship (and there still is). But I also have approximately a truckload of dogged determination, resourcefulness, and a huge love for what I'm doing. And the best part is, I still haven't achieved some of my biggest goals yet. But that's okay, because my truckload of determination is far from empty, you see.

So, the short answer? With a lot of passion and perseverance. I know it sounds cliché, but without those two things, chances are you won't succeed as a professional artist. 

So, here goes...I majored in studio art in college because I've always loved drawing and had a knack for it, but also, honestly, I had no clue what else to major in. Real talk, I think it's a little unfair to expect eighteen year olds to have any clue what they want to do. You're not prepared for the world at eighteen. You have no idea how much hard work you're going to have to do to get anywhere close to what you imagine your future will look like at that age. That is, if you lived a privileged, somewhat sheltered lower-to-middle class life like I did. 

So, I majored in art, but as many can relate, I graduated (in December of 2013) without knowing what I wanted to do with it professionally. Ultimately, I couldn't justify the expense of art schools so I decided to forgo a master's degree. The thing was, though, I still had (and have) such a strong desire to continue learning and honing my skills, and on top of that, I learned that a degree isn't necessary to work in most art and design industries, so I decided to just...well, try stuff to see if I liked it.

I love character design, so I interned at a video game company for two years doing character art and discovered that I really only like making my own characters. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ At the end of the day, the internship left me feeling completely drained and unwilling to draw anything for myself, and it had nothing to do with the wonderful company that I interned for. I was prepared to give up on pursuing a career that involved drawing altogether because I would have rather had a standard 8-5 than risk turning my favorite hobby into something that felt like work. 

Along the way, though, I found online sources of learning such as Skillshare and Bonnie Christine's Surface Pattern Design Immersion (to name only a couple), and they changed my life. No, really. They did. Online learning helped me hone in on something (i.e. surface design) that I'm really good at, is marketable, and doesn't (always) feel like work to me.

Which is not to say it's not hard work, because oh boy, it is. I spent about four years (2015 - 2019) learning Adobe Illustrator and developing my signature design style to a point where I finally felt confident selling it. And then another year after that of sending out my portfolio to dozens of companies before I signed my first licensing contract. (Let it be known that I did, in fact, cry a lot when I got that offer.)

Since discovering my love of making patterns, the market has become more and more saturated with up-and-coming designers, and that can be pretty intimidating, but I truly believe that there is room for all of us who have determination and drive. It's been a long, slow process for me, but I'm finally making it happen. In May of 2020 I signed my first licensing contract with Riley Blake Designs, and my first fabric collection released in September of 2021!

Because learning from countless others online has had such a huge impact on my life, I’ve been trying to pay it forward by teaching online courses of my own on Skillshare since 2016. It's been so incredibly rewarding, not to mention surprising! In April of 2019, I became a Top Teacher on Skillshare, and I truly never thought I'd get the reception I've gotten. Little old me, not particularly quote-unquote established or well-known in any industry, and yet y'all seem to be interested in what I have to share. Gosh.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here, and I hope you take inspiration from my journey. 

From one often confused, sometimes overwhelmed creative to another, don't give up! Whether it's surface pattern design, editorial illustration, hand-lettering, jewelry, character design, ceramics, or what have you, if you're passionate about it, then you'll put the work in and you'll make it happen. One baby step at a time. I believe in you!

Love,