Alumni Success: Katherine Lenius

To tie in with the #100daysofpattern project, we are absolutely thrilled to bring you a whole host of alumni success stories over the next 100 days.

Here we’ve invited our students over the last four years to share some of their designs created on our Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design course, and their stories of what they’ve been up to since they completed our course and where they are now. For all those wanting to know how our courses really make a difference to your career – this is the series to watch.

Today we are delighted to share with you the success of Katherine Lenius an illustrator and surface pattern designer who lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States with her husband and three children.

When did your interest in design first start and how did that come about?

I always loved making art as a child and I spent a lot of time drawing and taking art classes. When I was about 12 I wanted to be a graphic designer but when I went to college I ended up following a different path and got a degree in theater and English. Much later, when I was in my thirties and taking care of my three children full-time, I realized I had never found a career I was truly passionate about. At the time I really loved sewing and was infatuated with beautiful fabric designs so I started drawing again and learning how to make patterns. When I first started I didn’t even really know what kind of work I wanted to do. I fell in love pretty fast and decided I wanted to pursue design as a career.

What steps did you take to get to where you are now as a designer?

Because I was a little older and had three kids to take care of it wasn’t practical for me to go back and get a degree in design so I started looking into what I could learn on my own. The amount of resources available now is really staggering. I started taking some online classes, I took a series of short graphic design courses at a community college to learn the Adobe programs, and I found The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design. I was a runner-up for the MIID Print & Pattern Scholarship in 2014 and subsequently took Modules 1-3. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities the online art and design community has given me. I never could have done any of this without that supportive group of teachers, designers, and artists. In August 2014 I opened my Etsy shop and started doing anything I could to get my work out for people to see. It’s never too late to start doing what you love!

How would you describe your style?

I like to think of my style as warm and approachable but also fresh and modern. My art is homegrown and rooted in the past but has a contemporary sensibility. I also feel like the more work I do the more my style is emerging and evolving. In a way we’re getting to know each other.

What kind of designer do you want to be known as?

I’d like to be known as a designer in a similar way to how I’d like to be known as a person. I strive to be a solid designer who works smart. I’m someone who works hard, is generous, and creates recognizable and beautiful work that brings joy to people. I’d like to be known for a certain level of sophistication but with a good dose of fun and warmth.

What are you working on currently?

One of my big goals for next year is to get more licensing opportunities so I’m really trying to expand my portfolio and make as much new work as possible. I’d like to always be working on a new illustration or pattern for different markets. I’ve spent the last few years learning a lot and now it’s time to put all of those skills into practice. I have a tendency to be too cautious when it comes to moving forward so I’m also challenging myself to contact companies I’d like to work with and get my work out into the world.

What advice would you give emerging designers wanting to build their portfolios?

My advice would be the same thing I’m constantly telling myself: do the work. Like many artists and designers I often get anxious about finding my style or get discouraged about my work not being “good enough” but the only thing I can do is keep making art. I also think it’s important to try new approaches or techniques and never stop learning. The more I do the more confident I get and the more I refine my perspective as a designer. When I share that work with others I also get a better idea of what really resonates with people.

What would be your dream design gig?

I would love to design a fabric collection because my obsession over beautiful fabric is one of the reasons I got into surface pattern design. I also have a soft spot for the children’s market and products for the home.

Looking ahead what are your major goals for the next couple of years?

I’d love to first get more experience in licensing and then I want to exhibit at a trade show (like Surtex). I’m also considering expanding my own product line. I’ve had a few inquiries about selling my products in shops so I’m planning for that as well.

If you were a pattern what kind of a pattern would you be and why?

I’d definitely be a floral of some kind. I love to garden, I love flowers, and they’re my favorite pattern to design!

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Katherine Lenius is an illustrator and surface pattern designer who lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States with her husband and three children. She grew up drawing on any surface she could find, including the walls. After pursuing other paths she returned to her love of art and now creates surface patterns and illustrations designed for commercial use. She dreams of seeing her art adorn household products, stationery, and fabric. Katherine loves bringing joyful art into everyday life. Her work usually begins as a pencil sketch, sometimes incorporating ink, watercolor or hand lettering, and the final piece is finished digitally. She’s inspired by everyday objects, children’s picture books, vintage linens and fabrics, nature, and her garden. Katherine also sells art prints, stationery, and tea towels in her Etsy shop and has fabric designs available on Spoonflower.com.

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The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design is the definitive guide to becoming a surface pattern design professional.If you have ever dreamed of seeing your designs on stationery, homewares, fabric or other products, this series of interactive online courses is for you! Thriving surface pattern designer Rachael Taylor will guide you along this exciting path from developing your signature style, to putting a collection together, and from protecting your work to monetising your designs. With a rich combination of design inspiration, practical advice, demonstrations, creative exercises, resources and interviews with leading industry practitioners, this is the go-to guide for anyone wanting to develop their design skills and break into the industry. Our next classes begin February 1, 2016 – we hope to be able to welcome you to class!