For the past few months, I’ve felt a pull toward something new—an urge to expand my creative practice. That’s what led me to surface pattern design. The idea of seeing my artwork come to life on textiles, wallpapers, and home decor is both exhilarating and a little intimidating. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned as an artist, it’s that the best creative journeys begin with curiosity and a willingness to embrace the learning process. So with this, I signed up with Bonnie Christine's Immersion course.
Why Surface Design?
I’ve always been drawn to patterns in nature—the movement of waves, the delicate dance of birds in flight, the organic repetition of leaves and shells. Until recently, I admired these patterns without really considering that I could create my own. But as I learned more about surface design, I realized it was the perfect intersection of my love for nature, my artistic style, and my desire to create something functional and beautiful.
I want to make art that isn’t just confined to a canvas but something that people can interact with in their daily lives—whether it’s on a dress, a journal cover, or a cozy throw pillow. There’s something magical about the idea of my work becoming part of someone’s home or personal style. Also important to me is expanding my creative outlet and reaching more people.
Learning Adobe Illustrator (and Feeling Overwhelmed!)
Along this new creative journey, I'll also be learning Adobe Illustrator as well. This is exciting and scary for me. The exciting part is learning something new (which I totally embrace.) The scary part is containing my feelings of overwhelm. But I'm reminding myself to take it slow and stay focused on the big goal at the end.
Right now, my process will be sketching by hand and then scanning my drawings into Illustrator to refine and turn them into repeat patterns. I'm still finding my way, but each design teaches me something new.
This journey is humbling. Some days, I feel like I’m making real progress, and other days, I get frustrated because things don’t turn out how I imagined. But I’ve realized that creativity isn’t about getting it “right” on the first try—it’s about showing up, experimenting, and allowing myself the space to grow.
I know I’m only at the beginning of this adventure, but I’m excited to keep exploring and sharing my progress along the way. If you’re also learning surface design or picking up Illustrator for the first time, I’d love to hear about your experience! Let’s support each other and celebrate the small wins.
Are you diving into a new creative skill? What’s been the most rewarding (or frustrating) part of your journey so far? Drop a comment below—I’d love to connect!