Alumni Success: Adriana Bergstrom (aka Adriprints)

Today we are delighted to share with you the success of Adriana Bergstrom (aka Adriprints) who will be debuting at Surtex this upcoming May 2016 with her art collective, Finch & Foxglove.

Do you remember the first piece of work you ever sold? What was it and who did you sell it to? How did you feel?

Yes, I remember it well. I sold a print to the Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. He bought my work at a student sale!

Can you describe the evolution of your business?

(It’s a long story, you’ve been warned!)

I went from scenic artist and printmaker to teacher. Then I studied Industrial Design thinking it would help me get back into the creative industries. The economic recession made it really tough to find a job in the U.S. so we looked abroad. My husband accepted an offer in Germany, we eloped, and moved abroad!

Once in Munich, in order to learn German and to make friends, I joined the local knitting group. That started me on the path to designing knitwear and hand-knitting patterns. When I wasn’t knitting, I would develop fonts and typographic families. That led to doing logos and illustrations for knitting industry people and magazines. Then I went in-house and began working as an illustrator for an ad agency, and everything changed. I worked in all these different styles — whatever my art director wanted from me I’d create work in that style. It was similar to being a scenic artist in that you re-create the work of the designer. When I was done working in-house, I felt I had lost a sense of my own unique voice.

After having my son, I really wanted to focus on finding my own artistic voice again. There’s something about having a child that really makes you want to be best version of yourself. So after my maternity leave, I reconnected to the artist’s community in Munich where someone recommended the ABSPD courses. Then I found myself enrolled in the MATS courses too, and here I am re-launching my illustration career!

What has been the most important lesson you have learnt along the way?

Don’t wait for the “perfect time” to do what you always dreamed of doing. There’s never a more perfect time than the present.

We’d love to hear a bit about your process. Where do your designs begin, and how to you develop them through to the finished product? (i.e. how much is done by hand, how much on the computer etc?)

My work is a combination of traditional and digital methods. I begin by sketching usually in marker or paint or graphite. I use my sketchbook to plan out illustrations and layout. I do my foundation sketching and illustration on loose sheets or tear-out sheets so I can scan them easier. I then jump back and forth between Illustrator and Photoshop adding color and texture.

At each major growth point of your business how do you make yourself take the big leap? (Please share a little about your decision making process, how you deal with fear etc)

I try not to psyche myself out. I try to balance my impulses (which are really strong!!) with logic and organization. And, I think for me the hardest part is not fear, but rather pushing my brain out of negative trains of thought.

Please share a little about how your brand look and feel has developed over time.

At the start, I used to work solely in vector or solely by traditional methods. It’s great that I’m now able to integrate more of my hand-painted work into my digital work and vice-versa. I love that my more recent work has real-world textures that have been added to the mix.

What kind of team do you have around you to support you and your business?

I’ve got a really great husband who has supported me and encouraged me to continue the pursuit of my dreams. And, luckily he has a stable income to support us when there’s a low month in commission work or royalties.

How has the industry changed since you started?

Artists can connect to each other so much easier than when I started. I think if I had encountered such a supportive community like MIID and the ABSPD courses way back when, it would have saved me a LOT of time and possibly heartache in the beginning. I learned so much in “fits and starts” and by trial and error. Not the easiest method by any means.

What makes you excited about your business now?

I’m excited that I can connect to clients all over the world so easily. I think it’s great that you can also connect directly to customers too. It wasn’t always like that. I love that social media platforms like Instagram and Periscope let me share my process so directly with people who are interested!

What is your creative space like?

I’ve got two desks. One is the dry desk where my computer sits along with my scanner and loosely gathered piles of illustrations. The other desk is the cutting / painting / wet media desk. I’ve got cork boards and random stuff hanging about, a shelf full of fabric and yarn…

Which of your products is your favourite?

That’s really tough. I sell in various markets like digital fonts and digital downloadable patterns. I’d say I still love my old-fashioned hand-pulled prints the best. I have got to get that whole archive uploaded onto my store so others can enjoy them. I’d have to say that my etchings are my favorite.

What advice would you give to an emerging designer looking to follow a similar path to you?

I don’t know if I can recommend my path since it has been so winding! I would say to follow your curiosity. If something is really pulling at you deep, and just begging to come out of your head whether it be cooking, painting, or even a solution for a design problem… whatever it is that fuels your curiosity, go for it.

What is the big dream for you as a designer and your business?

I want to see my work in stores, on fabric, in people’s homes, on walls, etc. I could go on. I just want to run into my work when I’m not looking for it. And, I’ll be at Surtex Booth #543 with my art collective in May 2016 to try and make it happen!

Adriana Hernandez-Bergstrom grew up in South Florida. She went to the University of Miami, graduated with honors, and received a double Bachelors of Fine Arts – in Theatre (Scenic/Costume Design) and in Printmaking. In 2008, she completed a Masters of Industrial Design at the Rhode Island School of Design. And it was at RISD where she renewed her passion for printmaking, design, and all things creative. She lived in Munich, Germany for 7 years where she worked as an in-house and freelance illustrator, knitwear designer, and fair-isle knitting teacher. These days, she’s back stateside working from a Southern California cottage where she lives with her husband and toddler among the thin palm trees and friendly faces. She’ll be debuting at Surtex this upcoming May 2016 with her art collective, Finch & Foxglove.

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 March 21, 2016 – we hope to be able to welcome you to class!