Where my love for design started…

The desire to design and make things has been within me for as long as I can remember. Yes, I was the kid that really loved creating posters for the school fete, or birthday cards and party invites for friends and family. A school teacher suggested I could have a career in graphic design and to a 10 year-old me, this was soo exciting. So I did! After receiving a BA (Hons) in Art and Design, I worked in various design studios until I took the leap to work for myself. 

Having thrived as a freelance designer since then, I design mainly for charity or arts associations where I’ve gained knowledge of different communities, numerous ways of communicating and helped fundraise and increase public awareness of many causes.

In recent years I’ve expanded on graphic design to include illustration and surface pattern. I did this after receiving numerous illustration commissions for children’s libraries, combined with designing and facilitating creative workshops for an award winning Arts Venue that gave me the confidence and experience to do this.

…where I’m at

I now combine my passion of traditional hand craft skills - like screen printing, paper cutting and block printing - with 20 years working as a digital graphic designer.

With my graphic design practice, I’m immersing myself in illustration, surface pattern and collection making - and loving it! See my ARTWORK page for more examples.

Collaborations, commissions and clients

I enjoy and appreciate the shared nature of a collaboration or commission and have had the pleasure of working with clients like Alzheimer’s Society, Ottobock Healthcare, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, East Sussex County Council, Engage, Culture Shift, The Lullaby Trust, John Lewis Partnership, Towner Art Gallery, National Autistic Society, and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy. I’ve also been fortunate to collaborate with artists of different disciplines where learning and creating have worked side by side.

How I can help you

When it comes to surface pattern, if you’re looking for collections for both the young and young at heart, that capture the magic of nature with a contemporary vibe, then step right in.

You’ll meet abstract characters, relive childhood adventures and see stories from earthly elements come to life. Art and folk history is explored with a playful spirit and patterns within my collections are designed to crossover and share magic. To excite and ignite imaginations. To uplift and inspire warmth, hope and joy.

My surface pattern designs and characters have been thoughtfully created with years of print based experience so that their transition to their new home onto textiles, stationery, gift wrap, home decor, quilts and homeware will be seamless.

To get in touch

I’d love to help decorate this world using some good pattern; with uplifting, warming and inspiring messages, shapes and abstract characters.

If you’re a potential client who would like to talk about collabs, commissions or licensing my work and to see my full pdf portfolio for licensing, please email me at iamkatewhiteman@gmail.com