Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Olga Somers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Olga 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.

Since childhood, I’ve been a creative person. However, my rational and analytical side won every time I had to make a major life decision. I chose to go into nursing because of the job stability, my interest in biology and anatomy, and the humanitarian aspect of the field.

I’ve been a registered nurse since 2011, specializing in cardiac intervention and interventional radiology. To be fair, I love my job, it fulfills me and humbles me. I’ve met so many beautiful people and have created lifelong bonds with them.

Unfortunately, the last 14 years of my life in healthcare have taken a toll on my body, my mental health and my enjoyment of life outside work. Surviving the Covid19 pandemic as a frontline worker was an experience like no other, and shortly after I turned to drawing and illustrating as a creative outlet to help me disconnect, ground me, and let the carefree part of me play. It’s been such a refreshing change.

Now I’m catching up on years of artistic expression that’s been sitting dormant in me for all of this time. Sometime last year I realized I can be putting my art on everyday items and seeing it out in the wild, not just my iPad gallery. The possibilities were endless and it gave me a giddy feeling, making me excited to get up in the morning and continue working on a project or brainstorm my next one. That’s when I knew my identity was more than just my nursing career, there was so much more to life than a job. Before I could think about it too long and let doubt take over, I registered my business and Somertime Designs was officially born!

Olga , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Yes of course. Hi, I’m Olga Somers, owner of Somertime Designs. I’m a proud West coast Canadian with a passion for travel and aversion to mediocrity. At some point, I decided to make my nursing career more exciting and started travelling with my job. As a travel nurse I got to see and experience so many places around the world, taking mental photos and making memories along the way.

I use those memories as inspiration to my art today. Art can be very powerful and evoke a range of emotions. I choose my art to transport the viewer to a relaxing, sunny, carefree, enjoyable place. Using very thoughtful and intentional colour palettes, my favourite things to illustrate are women, friendships, travel, vacations, plants and small everyday details that bring joy. One of my collections, called “Buddies” is an ode to women and girls and their special bond to their beloved pets. My goal is to capture as many special relatable moments as possible, be it a lazy Sunday morning or a long overdue girls’ trip.

I am currently working on a few projects, all very distinct but equally exciting. One of them is designing a book cover for a local writer with a fascinating story. This summer I will begin a custom wallpaper project and I am also launching a calendar and a set of postcards which highlight the national flower of each destination.

I have a little personal goal to let my art career and nursing career come full circle, and design a line of illustrations and patterns used on medical attire and equipment. I’m talking scrub caps, compression socks, scrubs, lead aprons, etc. Although my work isn’t limited to medical-adjacent fields, it would be such a personal accomplishment to see both of my worlds collide.

While I’m working towards that, I am connecting with anyone who finds my work relatable, enjoyable and fun. It is an absolute dream to see my art on a range of products – from custom pieces to licensing deals. The best part is connecting with others and seeing what brings people joy and try to capture those moments.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

My biggest lesson is not to attach a job to my identity. So often still, when I talk about myself, I start with “I am a nurse”, which I had to learn to rephrase. Nursing is something that I do and it’s been a huge part of my life, however it does not define me. Along with nursing, I am an artist, a wife, a dog mom, a real estate investor, an educator, an avid traveller, and a million other things. As I am winding down my career in healthcare, I am opening doors to so many other life experiences and I still need to remind myself sometimes that we are all a collection of ideas, skills, passions, and talents that are much bigger than the 9-5 jobs that we hold.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

After so many years of working in highly-stressful environments full of life or death situations, the time of closing that chapter is fast approaching. It is a bittersweet feeling and I have spent a lot of time considering what my next chapter will look like. I don’t know what exactly it will turn into but I know my creative career is just starting to bloom and I am so excited to follow that thread for as long as it lets me. I know it comes with its own set of complexities but I am embracing the change and accepting the challenge.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.somertimedesigns.com
• Instagram: @somertimedesigns
• Other: RedBubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/SomertimeDesign/shop

  email: [email protected]