Today our designer interview is with Scotland based designer Adrienne Kerr who recently graduated from The Ultimate Portfolio Builder. Below we find out more about Adrienne, her experiences and plans for the future.
When did your interest in design first start and how did that come about?
My interest in design first started at school and although I grew up amongst the textile industry in the Scottish borders with many members of my family working in the textile mills this was something I turned my back on at a young age. Instead I took the overnight bus to London and headed to Maidstone College of Art at the age of 18 with my dreams of studying graphic design. My first job when I graduated was working as a designer in a small studio off High Street Kensingston. I remained in graphic design for twenty years working as a self employed designer.
What steps did you take to get to where you are now as a designer?
Many, many steps, although sometimes you don’t realise it at the time as it can be veiled under so many layers. Up until the recession I had been running my own stationery company designing bespoke stationer for events and weddings and I was running a small retail business importing paper and stationery goods from the States and Europe and I had to close the shop down as in Scotland the recession hit hard and fast and with the exchange rate dropping literally overnight my overheads were just killing the business even although I had built up a lovely business with a supportive customer base. But actually this was the catalyst for my change of direction and although it was a painful one it re-engaged my love of design and I started re-learning programmes, started drawing again and discovered that the digital age had changed the face of the design environment enormously. I designed a range of silk scarves and worked on my portfolio to apply for a Masters in Fashion and Textiles from Heriot Watt University and I was lucky enough to get support from Creative Scotland by gaining a bursary for my masters project letterforms and textiles.
How would you describe your style?
I think my style is very graphic because of my graphic design background, I love a hand drawn element but then the challenge to digitise them. I look to artists as well as designers from different disciples for inspiration. I feel my style has surfaced during the Ultimate Portfolio Building Course, I have tried to be myself and allow that to happen natural as that way I can be true to myself.
What kind of designer do you want to be known as?
I would like to be a designer who is know for working very hard to achieve my success and a designer who has never given up on making that happen when times have been tough and it would have been easier to have just given up. I would like to be the kind of designer who inspires any age of designer from young to old to continue to enjoy, nurture and pursue their talent and dreams even although at times is seems so hard to achieve.
What are you working on currently?
I am working on some ideas for children’s fabrics based on old crafted wooden toys but in a fresh pastel colour palette which is my first time working with pale soft pretty colours!
What advice would you give emerging designers wanting to build their portfolios?
I would definitely say bite the bullet and sign up for the Ultimate Portfolio Builder if you think the time is right to push through all your fears and doubts about being good enough. Its a great investment in your future and its only by dipping your toes in the water, doing, taking part and getting feed back which will help you progress into your ultimate goals. Its definitely worth the investment. Go for it!!
What would be your dream design gig?
So many dream design gigs out there but my ultimate is to work as a successful freelance designer for a multi national company, I actually think that the supermarkets are really starting to do a good job at the moment and creating some lovely surface pattern work. I would also love to see my fabrics at premiere vision in Paris, I would be on cloud nine then.
Looking ahead what are your major goals for the next couple of years?
To make all of the above happen and to be able to enjoy being part of the surface pattern community and to make a good income from it.
If you were a pattern what kind of a pattern would you be and why?
Easy, I would have to be a Scottish tartan, versatile, sustainable, enduring and with a gorgeous colour palette.
What was the most important lesson you took away from UPB?
The most important lesson that I learned from The Ultimate Portfolio Builder was not to be afraid to put yourself out there, make lots of work and get it seen. Don’t be afraid to take part and comment on things as by doing that you gain confidence in your own ability. Keep a balanced and realistic focus but never give up your dream. Its very liberating actually. It has freed me of my own fear of being judged as its such a supportive community.
What difference did it make to have a supportive community of fellow students and how important do you think that will be going forward?
It has made such an amazing difference to have the support of the online community and the fact that it is an international one too. I will be looking out for my fellow Portfolio builder peers as they are an amazing bunch of people and the team at MIID are the best in the business with so much support is quite overwhelming just how good they are.
Please tell us about your experience of the live briefs and student work reviews.
My experience of the live briefs is that it really makes you focus, I have always been used to working to deadlines so that has never been a problem but actually the clock is ticking and time does run out and I know that my pieces might have been a bit stronger and more cohesive so I’m striving to make collections which have more scale and cohesiveness. I also learned from listening to all the feed back which was given to the other students in the group as above all you can learn from the work reviews given to others also. There was no negative feedback in any case it was all in a positive way to make you the best designer you can hope to be. The biggest thing I learned was to dream big and I am.
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My name is Adrienne Kerr and I am a graphic, textile and surface pattern designer based in Scotland.
When my eldest son applied to go to university in London I also decided to go back also to re-train. I had been working as a graphic designer for 20 years and was keen to go back to learn about textile design. I was accepted by Heriot Watt University to study for a Masters in Fashion & Textiles and the rest they say is history! I am now pursuing my ultimate dream of becoming a freelance surface pattern designer. The Ultimate Portfolio Builder has helped me focus to make that happen and its happening.
https://www.adriennekerr.co.uk
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Amazed by what you see above from our talented students? Join our next class of The Ultimate Portfolio Builder which starts September 21st 2015.
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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 September 21, 2015 – we hope to be able to welcome you to class!
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