What's Your Creative Superpower?

Sumana Mahata

About Sumana: I am a medical student and a science pattern designer! Although very niche I’m in a unique position to make science look beautiful and to be more accurate about things, which my audience appreciates.

Sumana’s Creative Superpower: My creative superpower is connecting with people. As a medical student who is also a designer, my patterns resonate with people in STEM fields who do not see their fields portrayed that often in pattern design, and if so not always accurately. I’ve personally bonded with physicians who have complimented the microbe pattern I used to add pockets to my scrubs and residents who have looked at my scrub cap and asked “..are those MITOCHONDRIA?!” which have prompted more people to admire my patterns. I’ve gotten Spoonflower messages about how someone’s son is an orthopedic hand surgeon, so they used my hand pattern; and how another person was making a gift for their neurosurgeon using one of my brain patterns. In this way, my art helps me to form connections with people and make an impact that I could not imagine until I spent some time in this space.

Sharon Turner

About Sharon: I’m a UK based artist who loves to draw and make patterns. I’m inspired by animals, nature and architecture. I have an eclectic background of biomedical science and interior design which I think has helped me develop my ornate and quirky style.

Sharon’s Superpower: My creative superpower? Most of my art starts with pen and paper, so I think my superpower must be drawing! It’s a way for me to lose myself in my art and is definitely my favourite part of the design process. If something makes you feel good, enables you to express yourself, makes you feel proud AND earns you a living, well that’s pretty awesome. I am super grateful to Spoonflower for giving me the opportunity to do what I love.

Rochelle New

About Rochelle: Hi I’m Rochelle (she/her) of Home Row Fiber Co and I’m an earth-reverent fiber alchemist and purveyor of craftical magic. I use sewing and knitting to share my magic with fellow fiber wizards.

Rochelle’s Superpower: My creative superpower is never running out of inspiration. I rarely experience creative burnout and here’s my secret: You don’t need Pinterest you need permission to rediscover the magic that exists in everything. When I look at seemingly mundane things like my sewing machine I just sit for a minute and think about the electricity that makes it work, the iron parts moving within it, the fact that before my fabric was fabric is was a seed and sunlight and water and cotton. Before science could explain all of these things our ancestors millennia ago experienced all this as magic. Real magic. When you give yourself permission to see the world like that again I promise you will be endlessly inspired! That’s my creative superpower and now it’s yours too.

Tiffany Brown

About Tiffany: Hi I’m Tiffany and I’m a home décor content creator. I specifically love to mix old and new in my projects. I love curating spaces using vintage finds and bold patterns and colors.

Tiffany’s Superpower: I have to say that my creative superpower is my vision or my eyes! I have the “gift” of seeing the beauty in what most find ugly or useless. Being able to see the potential in things such as furniture, decor objects or even homes is something I truly am grateful for.

Erin Kendal

About Erin: I’m an Aussie surface pattern designer living out my creative dreams while wrangling my two kids. I’m a lover of soy lattes, seeing things from more than one perspective, and creating popular designs!

Erin’s Superpower: Hands down, my superpower is ‘grit and determination’. In the context of my creative career, it’s what drives me to reach my goals — and then set new ones… to think strategically and create opportunities out of nothing. This ‘superpower’ pushes me through when I’m faced with challenges, and sees me embrace the growth that comes from hard lessons (because it’s not all love hearts & rainbows around here!) Grit and determination have contributed way more to my business’ success, than if I were relying on my art alone.

Alison Hughes

About Alison: Alison is an enthusiastic garment maker, knitter, software engineer, and co-founder of Beatrice Forms, where she created the world’s first smartphone body scan-based custom dress form.

Alison’s Superpower: My creative super power is being a “domain hopper”. I’ve always been curious about many seemingly unrelated disciplines – whether it be music and art, or science and engineering. I’ve found that some of the most interesting and creative ideas come from taking something from one domain and translating it into another. For example, that’s how we created our business Beatrice Forms, where I took my background in technology and combined it with my love of sewing. In my garment making practice, I take visual and style cues from the music world, like the album art that I’ve collected as a dj. I’m a big believer that everyone is creative – you just need to put together inspiration from the different parts of your life that get you excited!

Charlotta Sjoelin

About Lotta: I’m the Founder of A Lotta Love Inc. a 501 C3 Non Profit organization in North Carolina. Our mission is to alleviate the trauma of homelessness and families affected by domestic violence by creating safe, dignified and emotionally inspiring spaces

Lotta’s Superpower: My creative super power is using design to ease the trauma of families experiencing homelessness and domestic violence. When people enter shelters or crisis centers, they should feel seen, welcomed, and comforted. How those places look & feel matters. Using calming colors, cheery decor, durable & comfortable furniture, and especially comfy new bedding, I make people feel safer and respected. I create “homes away from home” where people can start to heal and look forward to a brighter future. The amazing donations from Spoonflower make my work so much easier and more beautiful.

Lisa Grele Barrie

About Lisa: I am the Executive Director of Raleigh City Farm, a nonprofit urban farm founded in 2011 on a formerly vacant one-acre lot in downtown Raleigh. Our mission is to connect and nourish our community through regenerative agriculture.

Raleigh City Farm’s Superpowers: Our team’s creative superpowers include fundraising, problem solving, humor, dreaming and building a sustainable future alongside our community.

Ava Gardner

About Ava: I am an energetic, creative and talented 10 year old. I enjoy modeling, coloring, dancing and spending quality time with my Dad!

Ava’s Superpower: My creative superpower is coloring. I love taking a blank canvas and adding cool and bright colors to it. My favorites are pastels and ombre. I love coloring because it’s a fun activity and a fun challenge. When I color I feel free and nothing else matters. I enjoy giving my dad my finished work for him to frame. I look forward to creating more art in the future.

Theresa Rizzuto

Theresa has been with Spoonflower since the early days of 2012, and is currently donning her Content Manager hat on the Brand Marketing Team. When she’s not immersed in all-things Spoonflower content, Theresa is also pursuing her Master’s degree at UNC Chapel Hill, and makes time to paint birds, sew her own clothes, and eat pasta as often as possible.