Surtex, the only show in North America solely devoted to selling and licensing original art and design for all types of products, is almost here! Each year we bring you a series of Surtex previews and we are extremely proud of many of “The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design” e-course students who have featured and continue to feature at the show.
We are delighted to share with you previews of the talented designers showing at Surtex on the Make it in Design blog – enjoy!
Designers Name: Courtney Beth Keller How are you preparing for the show? I am a part of the Finch & Foxglove collective, and we’ve been delegating tasks among the eight of us to plan and share our banners, books and prints. I also have been doing the #foliofocus challenge online where we have a weekly portfolio topic, so I can fill in areas of my portfolio I may need more work in, such as holiday artwork. Show stand no.: #543
About you as a designer:
I studied Printmaking, photography, painting and mixed media at the Kansas City Art Institute, but for twenty years after college, my art was always on the sidelines as a side project as I worked in commercial printing and design, both graphic and web. While living in Austin TX, I had a booth at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar where I showed and sold my handmade linen and hemp screenprinted bags.
After going freelance and finding most of my clients were in the graphic design and web realm, I began an Art/Print Exchange among friends, where we would each create a print edition with enough for each member plus one for yourself. So on each equinox and solstice, we held a print exchange, and sent a copy of our print to each person in the collective, and also received an edition for ourselves – it was a grand little experiment and really rejuvenated my need to create.
It was during those exchanges when one of my alum classmates from KCAI who has worked at Hallmark for years was one of the finalists in Lilla Rogers’ Global Talent Search.
This was the first I learned of Lilla’s courses, and I immediately signed up for Bootcamp. Well, that was it; I realized I had clarified for myself my career path, and that while I continue to enjoy my web design and graphic work, I have a real passion for designing patterns, illustration and decor. I have now taken the Home Decor and A/B classes, and am heading to Surtex next month with a full book of collections and patterns. There is so much to learn and explore; I am incredibly inspired and thrilled to be where I am. I hope to license my existing work and collaborate with clients to create fabulous new designs!
Are you doing any other shows in 2016?
So far, I’ve only been planning for Surtex, but I’m considering Blueprint either summer or fall as a possible goal.
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