We are so proud of our Make Art That Sells Alumni, that we are pleased to continue a series of spotlight interviews showcasing their successes and artwork. We also ask them to share how the MATS courses have helped them learn and grow. You can see more Alumni Success stories here
Today, we have an interview with Grace Noël. Grace has taken MATS A&B and Bootcamp
Tell us a little about how you got started in art and design
I had a chuckle when I realized that all of my most vivid memories relate to surface patterns–my favourite yellow and blue calico shirt from my toddler years, the clouds my mom painted on the ceiling of our play room, the confetti-print sheets in my grandparents’ spare bedroom, and so on. I am an artist by nature, a fashion designer by hobby, and an interior decorator by trade, so it makes complete sense that surface pattern design is the perfect combination of my creative interests.
Lilla always says “People buy your joy.” What brings you joy?’
I adore that Lilla says “People buy your joy” because it’s so true! Nature and vintage items bring me joy and are my main inspirations. You can often find me ensconced in flowers, barefoot, drawing on my clipboard, and don’t be surprised if I turn up at your local flea market. Making everything beautiful and making people’s days also brings me joy!
Which is your favorite market(s) to design for and why?
Bolt fabric is my ultimate favourite because of its versatility. It can be purchased in a fabric store by a creative consumer and turned into a myriad of delightful crafts. Or, on a larger scale, it could be purchased by a company and manufactured into sofas and pillows and dresses and shoes. Or, in addition to fabric, the collection of designs could even be used for scrapbooking paper and other such coordinate-based markets. Actually, fabric is the reason why I am in this industry in the first place. When I began sewing as a kid I was always dreaming up fabrics in my mind that I was, of course, not able to find in the stores. Then I discovered Spoonflower in 2012 and became a designer on there. I hit the ground running and entered pretty much every weekly design challenge for over 2 years, and have had some successes from that! By that point I was a surface pattern design sponge, soaking in every little bit of information about how to turn that into my career! My love for fabric has grown into something multifaceted and incredibly exciting.
What are you working on currently?
I recently designed a quilting fabric collection, With Glowing Hearts, for Moda Fabrics and Trend-Tex Fabrics in celebration of Canada’s 150th Anniversary this year. So, currently I’m preparing for some speaking engagements about the collection and my journey in design. I’m also working on pitching to a bunch of companies to license with.
What are some of the key things you have learned from the MATS experience?
It has been a relief to learn to stay true to my style. I have developed my skills in the variety of mediums I use and figured out more efficient ways to work with that variety. I have also learned to make icons so that each one is unique and beautifully designed, and learned to always blow the client away by giving them loads of detail and imagery to discover within each piece. My style is usually quite lush, so that last point is especially encouraging.
How have the classes helped your artwork evolve /grow?
I absolutely love illustrating quotes and such, because I am a fan of literature and write poems. With all the practice from MATS lettering feels so natural to me now. Because I was trying to do something different and challenging with each new assignment, I had moments where I drew or painted something and just couldn’t take my eyes off it. I kept staring at it, thinking, “Apparently that just came out of my fingertips?!” That is incredibly artistically satisfying.
Any aha moments during MATS you would like to share?
Yes! I realized that, I guess since I have been designing on Spoonflower for 5 years now, my brain has been rewired to automatically think in technical repeat, which meant I had to focus more when creating a placement graphic. I’m drawn to creating mixed media art, which is evident in the fact that my style usually has many layers and textures. I realized, though, that I tend to use whatever medium works, and as many as needed. So if watercolour conveys the splashy mood I’m going for, then hey, that’s what I’ll use. Or if plain old pencil brings out all the details, then pencil it shall be. Or if marker gives me the control I need to blend colours, I haul out my colourful stash. Often the answer is all of the above.
What are your key successes since taking a MATS class?
The MATS courses have given me a solid look at my style of art and a better idea of how to go about pitching to companies, as well as the range of markets and companies there are to choose from. I’m a recent MATS graduate, so right now I’m organizing my work to send out–here’s hoping for some licensing successes!
How would you describe taking a MATS class to a fellow artist looking to develop their art
MATS is a creatively valuable experience that stretches your art into multiple markets through practice briefs and gives you insight on how to have a career in the art and design industry.
What is your dream gig for your artwork?
Well, I have a running joke with my family that my designs will be plastered all over Kleenex boxes someday, so that would be pretty nifty. That said, my dream gigs are to have fabric, scrapbooking, home décor, and women’s fashion collections, and do lots of lettering as well. I’d love to work with companies such as Cloud9 Fabrics, Riley Blake Designs, K&Company, DEMDACO, and Modcloth. Oh, and I would be delighted to work with companies here in Canada, too!
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Graduates of our courses have gone on to win work from clients such as Hallmark, Robert Kaufman Fabrics, Oopsy Daisy, Uppercase Magazine, West Elm, Midwest CBK, and more. It is industry learning that works in the real world. Find out more HERE and start today!
