Bug Collector by anda
Meet the Designers
Meet the Designer: Annie Parsons of anniedrawsthings
Pink Lemonade by anniedrawsthings
This week we’re visiting Southwest Virginia to meet illustrator and designer Annie Parsons, known as anniedrawsthings in the Spoonflower Marketplace. Inspired by the farmland and mountains of her quaint town, Annie describes the region as, “full of art and history, and home to a vibrant bluegrass scene.” She goes on to say, “my home also served as the inspiration for my newest collection, Fine Little Country.” And, if the name Annie Parsons sounds familiar, it may be that you’ve had a glimpse of her whimsical watercolors in our Party Pennants DIY tutorial. You’ll want to bookmark that one for later. Right now, we encourage you to settle in and spend some time getting to know our dear friend, Annie. You’ll be glad you did!
My day starts with…
“YouTube videos of the ocean, painting without a plan, and as much quiet as possible.”
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Meet the Designer: Sareka Smith of sarekaunique
Southwest Summer Blue by sarekaunique
This week we’re back for another installment of our Meet the Designer series to introduce Michigan based illustrator and designer Sareka Unique, otherwise known as sarekaunique in the Spoonflower Marketplace. Experiencing Sareka’s art is like exploring a candy-colored dreamscape full of texture, movement and wonder within her perfectly juxtaposed geometric and organic shaped design elements. She has a lot to say about color and offers some excellent tips for choosing the perfect palette, so stick around for a really fun interview!
My day starts with…
“Hitting my snooze button about five times. I’m not a morning person at all and am usually up until about 3 a.m. engulfed in my creative projects. During the week, I work 45-50 hours for a trucking company doing trade compliance and when I come home in the evenings a lot of that time is spent with my family and my dog, Carter. After everyone is tucked away for the night I go into my studio/ bedroom/ living space and turn up the music or put on a podcast to get me in the zone. Sometimes I’m up painting and drawing, or batching Instagram posts, or updating my website and just doing whatever needs to be done until I can’t hold my eyes open anymore. I don’t do this every night or I wouldn’t be able to function at work the next day but the goal of being able to do what I love full-time fuels me and gives me that energy I need on the nights that I am up until 3 a.m.”
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Meet the Designer: Crystal Walen
Mod Triangles Navy Mint Pink by crystal_walen
This week in our Meet the Designer series we’re highlighting one of our community favorites; Crystal Walen of crystal_walen. Over the last seven years, this Southern California-based artist has built a following in the Spoonflower Marketplace for her gorgeous watercolors. Within her shop of over 640 designs, you’ll find geometrics such as chevrons and ikats softened with hand-painted stripes, and roses and cacti composed in dreamy, romantic color palettes. Love that old-world meets new-world aesthetic too? This is one designer you won’t want to miss: her design style is both eternally timeless, yet unequivocally modern. Keep reading for a glimpse into how Crystal has built a successful career around surface pattern design.
When did you get started designing?
“I started designing patterns in high school which prompted me to study textile design in college. I have always been drawn to prints especially in terms of fashion. Growing up thrift shopping with my grandma for clothing and other vintage wares, I was often attracted to rich colors, prints and soft unique textiles.”
Photography by Jes Hoyda at @dotdot_baby | Vintage Blush Floral on Soft Sage by crystal_walen
Crystal working on Sparking Rosé Flora
Meet the Designer: Tina Vey of ottomanbrim
Dots on Tables by ottomanbrim
For this week’s Meet the Designer spotlight, you could say a future in design was in the cards for her. Growing up with a painter/sculptor for a mother and a photographer for a father, Tina Vey knew at a young age that art was the answer for her. Joining us from Amherst, MA after spending most of her adult life in a fast-paced New York City, we can’t wait for you to get a peek into the inspiration behind the artist we’ve come to know and love, ottomanbrim.
My day starts with…
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Meet the Designer: Janine Lecour of lapetitelecour
Peachy-Large Scale by lapetitelecour
This week’s edition of Meet the Designer brings us to the peach-state of Georgia, to meet Savannah College of Art and Design graduate and freelance designer, Janine Lecour of lapetitelecour. You may recognize Janine from our blog post, ‘Black Makers and Creatives You Need to Know‘, and she’s back with a more in depth interview giving us a look inside her creative world. If you’re looking to discover brightly intricate artwork with original flair, you’re in for a treat—Janine’s designs POP with exquisite color that we just can’t take our eyes off of. We can’t wait for you to meet this week’s designer!
My day starts with…
“Coffee, a quick check of any morning emails that I may have, and then I look over what needs to be done for the day. Then I put on some music and start working.”
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Meet the Designer: Michael Uhlenkott of muhlenkott
Halekahiki Glyphs 4c by muhlenkott
For this week’s Meet the Designer series, we’re excited to highlight the tiki-inspired patterns of designer Michael Uhlenkott, otherwise known as muhlenkott in the Spoonflower Marketplace. Michael and his partner reside in Echo Park, a neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles, California, in a 1930s Spanish Revival house that holds a unique secret known only to the tiki-loving locals in his area. Keep reading to see where Michael gains his inspiration, learn more about his design process and even gain a glimpse into what he calls The HaleKahiki.
What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
“An early morning swim workout or a surf, followed by breakfast. Then to work designing or composing music. I am definitely a morning person!”
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Meet the Designer: Michael Zindell
Toucan Pattern 2 by michaelzindell
For the next installment in our Meet the Designer series, we’re chatting with designer extraordinaire Michael Zindell of Salem, Massachusetts, a city he calls vibrant and creative. You may recognize Michael’s work from recent Spoonflower design challenges such as Kilim, where he won first place and Hygge, where he placed second. What you may not know is that Michael has been a product designer for over 15 years, creating thousands of home décor products for companies such as Pier 1, Home Depot, ROSS and Michaels among others. We’re so excited to introduce Michael today and can’t wait to dive right into his engaging interview!
How does your day start?
“I’m usually up by 6 a.m. or earlier. Weather permitting, I take my dog for an hour-long walk through town to the city common and back. Then I come home to make coffee and go right to the computer. Before I start my full-time job, I try to eke out an hour to myself to work on freelance or passion projects, as well as Spoonflower design challenges.”
Meet the Designer: Dinara May
Watercolor Peaches by dinaramay
Today we’re elated to introduce watercolor designer Dinara May (aka dinaramay in the Spoonflower Marketplace) for this week’s Meet the Designer series. Dinara’s home base may be in Moscow, however, she has spent the past year and a half traveling the world on a self-described “amazing journey of personal transformation and self-acceptance.” All the while, Dinara stays true to her unique vision of expressing her art and her human existence through being 100% present in her inward and outwardly exploration. We’re willing to bet you’ll be in your own meditative state by the end of this inspiring interview.
My day starts with:
“Tea and meditation. I don’t get to work until after lunch so my mornings are usually very slow and full of the things I love. I like to treat myself in the morning, it gives me a great boost for the rest of the day.”
Meet the Designer: Jessica Prout of LittleArrowDesign
Modern Moroccan on Navy by littlearrowdesign
Jessica Prout, aka littlearrowdesign, didn’t start out designing, and that’s why we find her story so inspirational. In 2012, she stepped away from a corporate job in engineering to stay at home with her daughter, but soon after realized that while motherhood was an amazing experience, she still needed a creative outlet. So she opened an Etsy shop featuring her handmade bibs, crib sheets, and baby bedding. While searching for ways to make her shop stand out, she discovered Spoonflower. From there, the combination of her love for fabric and her husband’s background as a graphic designer led her to try designing too—with over 6,600 designs in her shop, you could say she found her calling! Get to know this featured designer who hails from Richmond, Virginia in our interview (and video) below.
My day starts with:
“Getting my kids ready for the day and a cup of coffee.”
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