We recently connected with Betsy Mitten and have shared our conversation below.

Betsy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve always loved art and sharing what I know, I didn’t have any plans to pursue art or teaching as a career. I have learned through a combination of education, work experience, experimentation, plenty of trial and error and anything but a straight line! While my work has evolved over the years, there has always been a thread of teaching, art, and nature. (See below for more detail)

Looking back, understanding that I would need to learn from many sources would have speeded things up. Taking design classes, even if it was at a different college in addition to the fine art classes at the Art Institute would have been helpful. I’m also a big believer in having a mentor and working for a fabric design business, rather than opening my own studio while still at the Art Institute, would have been a great way to learn more quickly. I’m not sure if there were any in Chicago at the time, but I didn’t fully explore all of the opportunities. I would encourage my younger self to do more research and ask more questions. A great mentor, peer group and community always accelerate learning! I’m also a huge reader and I didn’t develop that habit until my early thirties.

The number one skill that has been most essential over the years is to keep moving forward. If something doesn’t work out, I try to find the lesson, learn from the experience, look at options, and change direction when necessary.

For Digital Surface Pattern Design and Online Teaching the Essential Skills: Practicing and improving my art skills by maintaining a drawing practice, experimenting and learning new techniques are all important. Surface pattern design all begins with the art. I also build in creativity breaks so I’m constantly filling my well with being outside in nature, visiting museums, and travel.

Technology: I do some of my work in Procreate on the iPad and I design my patterns in Adobe Illustrator, so that is essential for me. Surface Pattern Designers also work in Photoshop and Affinity. I have a VA who handles my website and helps me with other tech. My newsletter platform is on Flodesk. While not essential, I’m currently learning InDesign to create a portfolio and Adobe Premiere for editing.

My classes are recorded on an iPhone 14 or DSLR. I’ve learned to work with a audio, a teleprompter, lighting, editing programs, and managing a YouTube Account.

Skills or perspectives that have been most essential are the ability to show up consistently and do my best work by the due date, to embrace change and make learning a habit. I read, take classes, listen to podcasts, experiment and practice. Being a good listener, emphathy, and appreciating other’s perspectives and celebrating other’s wins has also been important to my success.

Obstacles along the way have included time contraints, family responsibilities, learning new technology and all of the ups and downs of life. Having some decades behind me I’m able to look back and see that these are seasons that felt difficult at the time but eventually, with effort over time improved.

Learning the Craft in Detail: (I’m sure you’ll want to edit, but here’s the story)

After finishing a degree from a large University and working in business for several years, I had the opportunity to study textiles and fibers at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I opened my own textile studio while I was a student and created hand-dyed and printed textiles. It became clear that hand-dying fabric was not a sustainable business.

It was discouraging to close down my first studio, but I have always enjoyed informally sharing what I know. I began offering classes that integrated art techniques and nature at the Chicago museums, Park Districts, and even fabric stores! I loved it, but soon realized I would have more opportunities if I had more education. I returned to school and earned a M.Ed. and a Montessori Elementary Teaching Diploma and taught for many years.I had the opportunity to work at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Visitor Services one summer. I enjoyed the environment so much that I eventually transitioned to working there throughout the year. That led to designing and implementing art, nature and science public programs at the Chicago Botanic Garden, other Chicago area museums, and public and private schools.

In 2020 I saw a post online for Immersion, a Surface Pattern Design, by Bonnie Christine. I signed up for the course and began to fulfill my long held dream of designing fabric patterns. It was very challenging, but I was able to learn Adobe Illustrator and begin to design my own patterns. Through this same community I had the opportunity to teach an online class, Easy Botany for Artists, and discovered I loved teaching online, too!

One of the amazing things about life today is the access we have to information and online learning because of the internet. I had the opportunity to learn Adobe Illustrator in March of 2020, something I’d never been able to do in the past. It was the course format, the peer group, and the other mentorship that has made such a huge difference for me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m an educator and a surface pattern designer. Surface pattern designers create the patterns and art for fabric and product such as tableware, stationary and paper, table linens, rugs, and bedding. My brand is all about the joy of nature and learning. I offer whimsical nature based fabrics and products and online easy art tutorials through my YouTube channel and newsletter. I am excited that I am currently working on my first course for Skillshare, an online teaching platform. It’s amazing to me when I look back and realize I’ve come full circle!

Clients love my products for the color palette and the connection to nature. My collections feature well loved natural areas such as the ocean, the lake, flowers and gardens, and the desert. What sets me apart is my understanding of nature learned through education and work at the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Morton Arboretum, my study and research as a Field Museum Education Ambassador, and my sense of color from years mixing my own dyes.

My students enjoy my calm and encouraging manner and my belief that everyone is creative. I love making information accessible and helping students develop their style and find their creative spark! I believe my ability to break information down into bite sized steps, connect to students wherever they are, and weave in stories from nature is what sets me apart.

I’m most proud of my ability to listen carefully and help clients solve their problems, whether it’s selecting a fabric or a student learning a new art technique. I love collaborating in both design and education. In turn, I am a lifelong learner and always working to improve to better serve students and clients.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is that there is always something interesting to do, to learn, to practice, and to explore. I love the sense of community I’ve found in the teaching and surface pattern design community. As my mentor, Bonnie Christine says,”There is room for you.” I am never bored and I wake up excited for each day and the opportunities ahead of me.

The most rewarding aspect of teaching is helping students discover, connect to, and expand their creativity. I love making information accessible and breaking complex ideas into bite sized pieces. Everyone is creative, but not everyone has had opportunities to explore their creativity. Seeing that spark when someone creates something that I didn’t realize they could do, or tries something new and sees the possibilities in their own work is such a great feeling. I’m all about encouraging my students to work in their own style or work toward developing it. I love introducing my students to new techniques and processes they may not be familiar with or even tips to make something they already know easier.

My fabric designs are whimsical, nature based patterns. I love seeing my clients connect to the imagery and colors. For example, one of my most popular designs, shorebirds, depicts egrets, gulls, and small birds commonly seen on the edge of the water. The calming light indigo color, lapping ocean waves and birds, reminds clients of happy times spent at the ocean.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Ira Glass Essay: The Gap

The following books have been very helpful: James Clear: Atomic Habits, Everything is Figuroutable by Marie Forleo, The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan, Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt, Mind Your Mindset by Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller, High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard.

Art/Creativity
Lisa Congdon Find Your Artistic Voice, Austin Kleon’s series: Steal like and Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Podcasts: Bonnie Christine: The Creative Professional, Brendon Burchard: Motivation Podcast, Amy Porterfield: Marketing with

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.betsymitten.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betsymittenstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betsymittenstudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK0IQkmRaiiopf5kPUrqDew
• Other: Spoonflower Fabric Shop: https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/betsy_mitten

Image Credits
Kiersten Selby Rosehill Road Photography

Hafsa Hasan Photography