My Career As A Surface Pattern Designer

Discover how I built a thriving career, landed licensing deals, and created a top-rated course to help others succeed in surface design.

When I think back on my journey to becoming a surface designer, I see an incredible journey of determination and dedication that allowed me to turn my creative work into a sustainable income source. Today, I want to share my personal story of my career as a surface designer. 

Creative Roots

My journey begins with my parents. Thanks to my momma, Maxie, my childhood was infused with creativity. She owned a quaint quilt shop, but her creativity touched everything she did. We spent countless hours learning crafts together, from pottery and painting to photography and baking. Her wisdom, willingness to teach, and gentle guidance shaped my early desires to be creative. While my momma was the creative force, my dad was a versatile entrepreneur, always immersed in a variety of business ventures. He supported and nurtured my early aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur, and together, my parents had a profound influence on my desire to carve out my own path. 

Deciding to be a Fabric Designer (Without Any Skills!)

After attending business school and marrying my high-school sweetheart David, I found myself back in Mom's fabric shop - this time as an employee - managing inventory and meeting with art reps from fabric companies. It was this work that sparked my lightbulb moment!

Someone actually designed this fabric, and they’re earning a living doing it.

I realized then and there that a career in fabric design combined all my passions into one. So, I decided to become a designer, despite knowing absolutely ZERO about it. My very first step was to Google “How to become a fabric designer,”  and that’s when I first learned the proper name for what I wanted to do (surface pattern design) and was introduced to the essential surface design software: Adobe Illustrator. From there, my journey truly began to take shape.

One Thing a Day

With my focus now on becoming a surface pattern designer, I adopted the philosophy of doing one thing every single day that would move me toward my dream. For a significant time, this meant researching (I got very good at Googling), asking questions, and reading books. Most of all, it meant the slow, worthwhile task of teaching myself Adobe Illustrator. After 11 months of consistent daily effort, I made my very first repeating pattern in Illustrator.

Early Work

The next nine months were spent creating as many designs as possible, and this, my friends, is when the magic happened. My signature style began to peek through bit by bit, and my work steadily got better and better. This precious time is when I learned the most about Illustrator - through trial and error, trial and error. I made hundreds of patterns, eventually compiling three pattern collections into my first portfolio.

It Only Takes Ten Seconds of Courage

With a portfolio of my work in my hands, the next step was to put it out into the world - a daunting thought! My early efforts meant cold-calling companies and asking for feedback from art directors and fellow artists. I reminded myself that it only takes ten seconds of courage to start a conversation with an art director. This mantra helped me push through the fear of rejection and put my work in front of potential clients.

First Licensing Deal (2012)

A significant milestone came in 2012 when I secured my first licensing deal. After almost two years of intense self-study and skill development, I attended the International Quilt Market. Nervously presenting my portfolio to various art directors (which wasn’t without some harsh feedback and difficult rejections), I finally met with the company I had dreamt of working with. The art director described my work using the exact words I had hoped for—sophisticated, vintage, feminine, floral, and ethereal. When she offered me a licensing contract on the spot, it was a dream come true. This exact moment solidified my belief that big dreams are possible with dedication and perseverance.

An Income from Art Licensing (2013-2017)

Once my first licensing deal was off the ground, I was more inspired than ever to keep the momentum going. Those first few years, I accumulated about seven or eight different licenses, which significantly grew our household income, eventually allowing me to retire my husband from his 9-5 job. This transition marked a significant shift in our lives, allowing us to achieve a better work-life balance as we both pursued our passions.

Teaching What I Know: The Immersion Course (2018 - Today)

With my career as a surface designer in a steady, sustainable place I felt a strong calling to teach and help others learn what had been so difficult for me to master. Despite having two small children and a growing business, I buckled down, did one thing a day, and created the best work of my life: The Immersion Course. Launching the Surface Design Immersion course in 2018 was one of my proudest achievements. The course launch was a success and has since become one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. Since 2018, I have taught thousands of creatives the art of surface design, Adobe Illustrator, and the business of licensing and creative entrepreneurship.

An Evolving Journey

One of the best perks of being a licensed surface designer is that it can ebb and flow with your life. Though I've continued releasing one fabric collection each year since 2012, I have leaned more into the education side of my business. Currently, I’m bursting with ideas for new licensing opportunities and am working on a new portfolio. Exciting projects are on the horizon, and I can't wait to share the next chapter of this creative journey with you. Stay tuned for what’s coming next!

Ready to dive deeper?

Listen to these top recommended podcast episodes on The Professional Creative Podcast: 

Episode 4: A Map To Success & Dose Of Rejection

Episode 16: Developing Your Signature Style

Episode 115: Think Like a Successful Creative

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