SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Kristen Green

Kristen is both a registered nurse and a midwife from the United States, who spent many years caring for women and families, helping bring hundreds of babies into the world. She spent much of her career working in a small community hospital on the Navajo Nation, where resources were often limited and the work could be both deeply rewarding and incredibly demanding.

When the pandemic arrived, the challenges grew even greater as her patients became more sick and everyday necessities became scarce. During that time, art became a way to process the emotional weight of her work and find moments of peace at the end of long days.

What began as a creative outlet gradually grew into something much bigger, and earlier this year she made the decision to begin building a new creative career, one where she hopes to bring comfort to people in a different way.
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"One lesson I learned through my time as a midwife is how to emotionally hold space for others. What I now want to do is physically create spaces that similarly feel safe, reflective, and comforting. I dream of seeing my designs on home décor and creating work that brings meaning, beauty, and a sense of connection into everyday life."

Ana Urréjola

Ana is originally from Guatemala, but until recently she spent eight years living in a monastery in Mexico, dedicating her life to missionary work and serving others. Then life took an unexpected turn. She met the man who would become her husband, got married and moved to Germany to begin a completely new chapter. Leaving behind everything that had been familiar wasn't easy.

While adjusting to a new country, a new language and a very different life, she also faced a season of financial uncertainty. It was during that time that she discovered surface pattern design.

What began as a creative outlet quickly became much more than that. It gave her the stability she needed as she rediscovered her creativity, rebuilt her confidence and began to imagine a new future for herself.

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"Surface pattern design has given me so much already. I have learned about consistency, patience, resilience, and following my heart. I would LOVE to make a living from my art, keep expanding as a designer, and see my designs out in the world. I would love to create my own collections of backpacks, bags, and accessories, and fill my life with beautiful things."

Noémi Siska

Noémi grew up in Hungary and now lives in Belgium. She has three diplomas in classical music and spent many years studying to become a professional cellist. Music shaped her life, but finding stable work in the industry proved much more difficult than she had hoped. For a while, she took on various jobs outside the creative world to support herself, but she says those years were emotionally challenging because she felt disconnected from what she really wanted to do.

Drawing had always been another passion of hers, and over the past three years she's gradually built a new path through surface pattern design. She's poured countless hours into learning on her own and is now working towards a creative career where she can combine her love of drawing with the discipline, patience, and dedication that music has given her.
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"I really dream of building a creative career collaborating with brands in the fashion and paper goods industries. My biggest aspiration would be to see an entire collection of patterns displayed in a brand's showroom, created from my own designs. Through experience, I have realised that working in a field that does not feel aligned with me is very difficult emotionally. Creating is where I feel most myself."

Javiera Rebolledo

Javiera is a Chilean designer and visual artist who now lives in the United States. Before moving overseas, she spent ten years working in the print industry, taking on everything from design work to management.

When she moved to the U.S., life changed dramatically. She was raising two young daughters, adjusting to a new country, and spending several years waiting for her residency to be approved. It was a difficult season filled with uncertainty, but it also gave her something she hadn't had in a very long time: the chance to create art simply for the joy of it, without clients, deadlines, or production schedules. During that time she discovered surface pattern design and realized it brought together everything she loved; art, design, print, history, and storytelling.

Today she's developing her first collections and building Granatta Studio, where all of those different parts of her creative life finally come together.
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"I envision Granatta Studio becoming known for blending surface pattern design and packaging in an artful way. I want to create patterns inspired by historical styles while developing my own voice as a designer. I also dream of building a business through licensing, commissions, and collaborations with brands, and one day creating a collaborative studio where artists and designers can work, create, and learn together."

Ana Paula Fernandez

Ana Paula is an artist and graphic designer from Monterrey, Mexico, who spent ten years working in branding and agency design before finding a new direction in surface pattern design. 

Last year, she started Hotel Fernández, her own paper goods brand, where she creates wrapping paper from original patterns. Some of those patterns began with something very personal: a collection of paper cutouts that belonged to her late grandmother and were once used in her decoupage work. Turning them into patterns became Ana Paula's way of giving her grandmother's artwork a new life. Since then, she's created more than 30 patterns, learning mostly through experimentation and whatever resources she could find. Her first allover patterns were even built manually, element by element, before she discovered there were easier ways to create them.

She's made real progress on her own, but has reached a point where she feels that self-teaching can only take her so far. She wants the stronger foundation and structure that will help her understand what she doesn't yet know, bring everything she's learned together, and take the next step as a designer.
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"My dream is to create pattern collections for wallpaper and textiles, and to see my work become part of people's homes and everyday lives. I also want to help bring surface pattern design more into the conversation in Mexico and show the possibilities it can offer designers here."

Emily Bower

Emily is an artist and surface pattern designer from the UK who found her way into pattern design during one of the most difficult periods of her life. In late 2018, she became seriously ill after a medical procedure went wrong, leaving her mostly confined to bed for 18 months and unable to continue working. During the same period, she also lost her mother and found herself having to rebuild a life that suddenly looked very different from before. Creativity became an important part of that process. She started with simple cross-stitch while lying down, and later bought an iPad that she mounted above her bed so she could draw and begin teaching herself surface pattern design.

Over the years that followed, Emily continued learning and creating whenever she was able, and eventually opening her own Spoonflower shop. Recently, someone ordered 19 rolls of wallpaper in one of her designs, a moment that reminded her that the work she had slowly built through all those years could have a place in other people's homes.

She now wants to bring more structure and direction to everything she has learned, develop stronger collections and take her work from something she has built largely on her own into a professional creative career.
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"My big dream is to work professionally as a surface pattern designer and illustrator. I would love to see my work licensed across wallpaper, textiles, homeware and other products, and build a strong portfolio with a recognisable style. My goal is to create a sustainable creative business with multiple income streams, while building a way of working that I can manage around my energy levels."

Monica Pălincaș

Meet Monica, a visual artist from Romania with a background in design and a lifelong passion for creativity. After years of selling digital art online, she paused her work to care for her young daughter, an experience that deepened her desire to build a more stable, creative life through surface pattern design. Living in a small town with limited opportunities, Monica has pursued self-directed learning and already created around 100 patterns. Her determination to grow professionally, support her family, and follow her artistic calling is both courageous and inspiring.

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"I want to learn more about pattern types and historical styles, to broaden my horizon and create collections with purpose. I dream of building a meaningful creative career that gives me confidence, allows me to provide for my daughter and shows her that it's possible to live a joyful life doing what you love."

Belinda Osgood 

Belinda is a full-time creative from New Zealand who recently added surface pattern design to her artistic path. She has a background in journaling, YouTube and art, and is self-taught in both design and Adobe Illustrator. Despite chronic health issues and financial limitations, Belinda works daily to improve her skills and dreams of creating income through meaningful design. Her dedication, perseverance, and hunger to grow as a designer shine through every step of her journey.

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"My goal is to license my designs and create beautiful, meaningful patterns for paper products, especially washi tape, which I absolutely love. I'm focused on refining my style, building a cohesive portfolio, and developing patterns that look professional and feel true to who I am. I’m excited to keep growing and shape a creative career that allows me to contribute to our household while doing something I genuinely love."

Paula Tailbo

Meet Paula, an interior designer from Brazil who rediscovered her passion for drawing and pattern design during the pandemic. After years of freelancing and working as a magazine editor, she committed to building a creative career rooted in joy and meaning.

Through daily self-study and exploration, she has created collections and launched her own brand, Las Karminas, turning her art into products. Despite limited access to mentorship and formal training, Paula continues to grow her skills with dedication and heart.

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"My goal is to create surface patterns for everyday products, things that bring beauty into daily life, like stationery, accessories, home goods and bags. I want my designs to feel joyful, poetic, and useful at the same time. I dream of seeing my patterns applied to meaningful, well-crafted items that people use and love."

Natalia Krieger 

Natalia is an Argentinian art director and visual artist with a background in film and advertising. For over 15 years, she’s built visual worlds through set design and has recently shifted her focus to surface pattern design. Through her project Nat Krieger Wildpapers, she creates wallpaper and textile collections inspired by nature and Latin American identity. 

Despite economic challenges and limited local resources, Natalia continues to grow her skills independently, driven by a deep commitment to building a sustainable and expressive design practice.

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"My goal is to create a distinctive body of work that combines storytelling, nature, and cultural identity through surface pattern design. I aspire to build a sustainable design studio where I can develop collections for wallpapers, textiles, and home decor that bring meaning, beauty, and a sense of connection to spaces. I’m especially interested in designing immersive patterns that feel timeless and emotionally resonant, pieces that carry a story, not just decoration."

Zhanna Chychkova  

Zhanna is a graphic designer and illustrator from Dnipro, Ukraine. After losing her job at the start of the war, she began rebuilding her creative life from scratch, teaching herself surface pattern design and creating vector art for stock platforms. In the face of constant stress and uncertainty, pattern design has become a source of calm and direction.

Zhanna now dreams of developing her skills further, finding her unique voice, and turning her passion into a fulfilling creative career.

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"My dream is to create beautiful patterns that go beyond simple repeats, designs that tell a story and carry emotion. I want to learn how to build more complex layouts, mix technique with inspiration and bring more personality into my work. I'm also searching for my own unique style, something that feels truly mine. Pattern design brings me happiness and focus, and I hope to grow step by step into a professional designer doing what I love."

Laura Holmes

Meet Laura, a UK-based artist who rediscovered her creative voice through surface pattern design after chronic illness forced her to leave her first career path. With a background in fine art and a passion for both hand painting and digital tools, Laura has found healing and purpose through her growing pattern practice.

Despite physical and financial challenges, she is committed to building a sustainable creative future, one that aligns with her strengths, supports her health, and allows her to keep learning and creating from home.

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"I want to grow my portfolio and begin selling my patterns digitally, with the goal of becoming a freelance designer, or working with a company one day. I’m especially drawn to creating more in-depth, expressive patterns that combine both hand-painted and digital techniques. Surface pattern design gives me energy and purpose and I’m excited to keep improving, connect with others and create work that reflects my voice and vision."

Elizabeth Giraldo-Botero 

Elizabeth is Colombian living in the UK, with a passion for illustration and history, and a dream to make a living combining them both. With limited options in her home country she went to study at the University of Glasgow to complete a masters degree in Dress and Textile Histories, with an undergrad in Fashion Design.

Her dedication to pursuing her dream is inspiring. Before moving to the UK she spent two years learning the language and is now working 3 jobs to finance her student loans.

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“I want to work in a UK company as a pattern designer, learn about the European textile industry and how companies work here in comparison to Latin American markets in which I have experience. I want to gain as much experience as possible to then make the big move into becoming a freelance illustrator in the not-so-far future.“

Dani Redeye

This is Dani, an inspiring indigenous artist from the Seneca Nation, south of Buffalo, NY.

As a first-generation college graduate in Visual Art & New Media, Dani has overcome poverty and family addiction and this has made her dedicated to breaking the cycle of trauma and addiction in her family.

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“I want to start my own business and create products that bring color and texture into the world. I want this to be my full-time career so I can experience freedom from the 9-5 work week structure and build my life the way I want it, something I've always dreamed of, and that my father dreamed of for me.

Ialso would like to build my ability to create for a higher purpose. To be able to also teach and inspire others to find their creative passions and be able to help them carve out their own paths to the freedom that comes from a creative career.”

Germaine Campos 

Meet Germaine, an English teacher from the Philippines who has embarked on an incredible self-learning journey in pattern design over the past two years. Germaine's dream is to transition into a full-time career as a designer, creating beautiful prints through hand-painted art.

Despite being an artist at heart, Germaine's living circumstances previously hindered the pursuit of this passion seriously as a career.

Driven by a love for design and storytelling, Germaine has taught herself the basics of pattern creation using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator through social media and online resources.

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“My immediate goal is to create a portfolio of watercolor and gouache pattern designs that showcase the rural beauty of the little coastal area where I live where life is slow but full of heart.”

Vanda Môcová

Meet Vanda, a recent graduate from the University of Liberec in the Czech Republic. While supporting herself through part-time work, Vanda completed her Bachelor's degree in Textile Technologies and Patternmaking, with a focus on jacquard woven fabrics.

Despite financial challenges and the lack of local educational opportunities in surface design, Vanda's determination to advance her craft and her artistic resilience are truly inspiring.

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“My biggest dream is to work as a jacquard woven fabrics designer, but I would also enjoy designing printed fabrics and wrapping papers. Or designing premium handkerchiefs for the company where I had my internship.”

Julie Vickery  

Meet Julie, a passionate artist and former florist from the UK. After balancing family life and pursuing a BA in Illustration, Julie realized her true calling was in surface pattern design. Despite financial constraints and personal commitments, she has self-taught Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, continually refining her skills.

Her determination to transition from illustration to pattern design, fueled by over 20 years of creative ideas, is truly inspiring.

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"My goal is to create beautiful patterns that lift people's spirits and bring joy to their daily lives. I want my designs to stand out as unique, cohesive collections based on nature and historical patterns, bringing our wonderful outside world into our homes."

Luisa Rodriguez

Luisa is a full-time mom from Bogota, Colombia, now residing in Belfast, UK. With degrees in Industrial Design from The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Toy Design from FIT in New York City, Luisa has channeled her passion for creativity, childhood, and nature into creating illustrations, posters, and greeting cards. Despite financial and personal challenges, she has dedicated the past year to learning about patterns through free online courses and workshops, striving to turn her artistic vision into reality.

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"I envision creating vibrant, engaging patterns that not only appeal to children but also carry a message of nature and wildlife preservation. This scholarship is more than a learning opportunity; it is a chance to transform my lifelong passion for nature-inspired design into a meaningful career, contributing positively to children's fashion and textiles."

Nafisa Vajihie

Nafisa is a single mom from a quaint town in India. She is currently supporting her family as a freelance graphic designer but is dedicated to turn pattern design into a flourishing career.

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“4 years ago I started googling how designs on products are created and discovered that it’s called surface pattern design. I started searching for how and where to learn to create patterns myself. But as I live in a town where you can’t find resources easily, so my biggest challenge has been finding the right guidance to learn what I need, but thanks to Internet it’s been possible and there’s not a single day in my life since last 3 years that I haven’t done any research or studied about pattern design.

I dream of creating Damask and floral patterns for home decor and make this world beautiful and make an income so that me and my daughter can live a happy and peaceful life.”

Isaiah Ochi

Isaiah is a graduate from the University of Benin, Nigeria. The high unemployment rate in his country has made him dream of owning a design studio to pursue his own passion for surface pattern, as well as teaching and creating work opportunities.

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“I have had this passion for surface pattern designs for years now, I even majored in textile design hoping to gain more knowledge, but unfortunately there was no course related to surface pattern design. I had to practice on my own which has led to so many trial and errors.

I’ve been sharing the knowledge I do have to others that are aspiring towards surface pattern designs where I live. At first I didn’t think I could be bold and confident to explain it, but I was able to break it down to the simplest form.”

Fatima Taylor

Fatima is a self-taught watercolor artist and aspiring surface pattern designer, living in Canada. She started painting as a way of managing stress and anxiety as a single mom. Now she dreams of designing fabrics that reflect nature's beauty and promote sustainability.

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“I’ve always dreamed about working with something I love and that gives back to the world, or helps it be a better place for all of us. After moving to Canada with my family last year, I stumbled upon pattern design which ignited a passion in me that I couldn’t ignore, so I started studying Illustrator and pattern making.

I want to design fabric that helps people express themselves and communicate their style and their story, that’s also affordable. In my designs I want to reflect nature and the importance of protecting our earth and its creatures, choosing fabric that is sustainable and good lasting quality.”