We recently connected with Lauren Weber and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Funny story, a few months ago, my parents were cleaning out boxes from my elementary school days. They came across a journal where we needed to respond to questions. The teacher asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I responded, “I want to be a designer.”

I had always been drawn to sketching, painting, sewing, and problem-solving. I dreamed of living a creative life as an events planner, or maybe a florist, or even professional quilter – but I also wanted to make sure my career was secure.

My friends have told me that they could never envision me working at a desk job. I’ve tried it, and the fulfillment just wasn’t there. I think deep down, I’ve always been drawn to a creative path.

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 Lauren Weber, the artist behind Garden Girl Studio. I grew up on a hobby farm in upstate New York, where my surroundings continuously inspired me. I’m a plant lover at heart! If I’m not creating in my design studio, you can probably find me hanging out near a garden. I’ve been quilting and making artwork for as long as I can remember. I made my first quilt when I was 8 years old, and it earned a ribbon in the New York State Fair competing against adult quilters. Even at a young age, I quickly learned all of the “quilting rules.” Then I went on to break them and make them my own. Can you tell I was a future art quilter in the making?
A few years later, my art quilts, drawings, and artwork helped me build a portfolio that I used to apply to Cornell University’s landscape architecture program. Landscape architecture seemed like the perfect blend of design, creativity, and my love of plants. After studying landscape architecture for two years, I switched gears and began studying plant sciences, with a concentration in horticulture. If I could learn more about plants, I knew I’d be able to build stronger landscape designs. Learning and understanding how processes work have always been at the heart of my creative pursuits.
Upon graduation, I interned with Disney’s horticulture team in Orlando – talk about a magical summer! Then, I spent the next 7 years working at a mom-and-pop garden center and flower shop close to home in New York. I quickly picked up how to arrange flowers and design works of floral art. I also spent time growing, designing, marketing ˗ you name it, I probably wore the hat at one time or another! I can even remember a day when I was helping to pour a concrete slab in the morning, setting up wedding flowers in the afternoon. I found my most fulfilling work when consulting with families who needed flower arrangements for special moments in their lives. Some requests were unconventional, and needed to be engineered for the occasion. I thrived in finding a way to bring my client’s vision to life, and to make their moments extra special.
In 2020, life threw a curveball, and I was forced to pivot. I loved my job as a floral designer, but my body was struggling to recover from an “unknown respiratory virus.” I was able to sit up and move slowly, but I didn’t have the physical stamina I needed to return to my floral job full time. Feeling stressed and uncertain, I started brainstorming ways I could secure income until I got my feet back under me. Embracing my artistic roots, I dove into my knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator that I had picked up in my landscape architecture program and began designing surface patterns.
These days, I’m back on my feet and designing fabric collections on Spoonflower. I take inspiration from my garden and adventures to create cheerful fiber art, surface designs, and illustrations. You can find my artwork on fabric, wrapping paper, mugs, home decor and more! I also design embroidery kits using my illustrations and teach local workshops. Seeing new customers try (and totally rock) hand-embroidery for the first time makes my heart so happy! I also teach classes on Skillshare, including how to illustrate with fabric and thread, and of course a class all about finding inspiration from seasonal container gardening. I was even honored this past year to have a quilt featured in the Winter 2023 edition of Art Quilting Studio Magazine. My goal this year is to pitch my artwork to an agent, so I can see my work on even more products!

This journey has been one of the most challenging pivots I’ve ever made, but it’s been so very rewarding. Growth has been slow, but steady. I’ve found my strengths and leaned in, really paying attention to what’s working and what’s not. I think ultimately showing up consistently, pivoting when necessary, and a lot of learning along the way has helped me build a business that I can be proud of.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2020, life threw a curveball, and I was forced to pivot. I loved my job as a floral designer, but my body was struggling to recover from an “unknown respiratory virus.” I was able to sit up and move slowly, but I didn’t have the stamina I needed to return to my floral job full time. Feeling stressed and uncertain, I started brainstorming ways I could secure income until I got my feet back under me. Embracing my artistic roots, I dove into my knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator that I had picked up in my landscape architecture program. I discovered Bonnie Christine on Skillshare, who taught a course about creating patterns that could be printed on products such as fabric, paper, and home décor. I knew with the mental energy I had, I could create surface designs. I soon learned that there was a whole world of licensing artwork that could be printed on products. The idea that I could create a stable career from my artwork, has been life-changing. I felt hope and inspiration!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I love the idea of time freedom – building my own hours, finding time to balance family and life. I think it can be easy to be swept up in the hustle and bustle. I am personally super prone to hustle-culture and burn out. I work hard, and forget to rest. By creating my own business and my own systems, I can build in time for rest and time for life’s hiccups without the pressure of a corporate hammer. I used to feel so guilty for requesting time off, taking sick days, missing family gatherings because I had to work a shift. Now I can build a schedule that works for me and my family. That freedom drives me to work hard and to make this business a success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gardengirlstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gardengirlstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GardenGirlStudio/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gardengirlstudio
• Other: Spoonflower (fabric, wallpaper & home décor): https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/garden_girl_studio

Image Credits
Lauren Weber