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I’m a freelance textile, surface designer, illustrator, author and artist based in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, and I love what I do! I have a degree in textile design but have always painted and sketched even from a little girl.
I started my freelance business when my then, current employer wouldn’t consider me going part-time after the birth of my second child. I was really disappointed and knew we still needed two salaries coming in, so I reached out to one of their direct competitors whilst on maternity leave. There was no job advertised, but as they were only situated just 10 minutes down the road from me, I contacted the MD via letter and he invited me in for an interview. Delighted, I got offered the p/t job I wanted!
This allowed me to then set up my freelance business but with the safety net of still having an additional salary coming in. This was back in 2013. So, I was juggling two small children, a part-time job and setting up my own freelance design business. No pressure!
I create designs using CAD and hand-drawn elements and water colour and I like mixing all three together in my work at times. I’d say my style is vibrant, bold, energetic and definitely colourful, all of which reflect me. I love the variety that working freelance gives you – the eclectic mix of products I’ve worked on over the years has included luggage, bedding, gift wrapping, ladies fashion, pet bandanas, cushions and more and I just love it! Every new client, every new design brief is exciting and makes my job as a freelance artist just wonderful. Long may it continue!
What style of art do you feel most comfortable in?
Pattern design. I seem to just see patterns in everything! I like to create elements around a theme and then create a pattern and collection from that.
What themes or topics spark (what you feel to be) your best work?
You know it really depends on my mood. Sometimes a clear direction, clear theme to work with is what’s needed and I just create elements and patterns from that. But them other times I doodle, sketching something loosely based on flowers or valentines and create slightly more abstract elements around that theme and put them into patterns.
Is there a project you are most proud of?
A new valentines collection that currently being proposed to a fabric studio for quilting. I just can’t wait to see this on sale!
How do you work? Digitally? On paper? AI/iPad with AI or sketchpad?
I consider myself a multi-media designer and artist. I CAD design and illustrate, hand sketch elements that I then scan in and colour digitally but then I also paint in watercolour. I love it when I get to mix all these of these mediums in my work whether it’s a piece of art or a pattern.
How much of your work actually makes it to publication?
Under my own brand, not that many. I’ve had a few licensing deals over the years some of which are sold under my brand but mostly I sell designs of my own or work on my clients briefs and these go into production under their brand. I’m lucky that my clients are amazing and allow me to share this on social media so people can see that my designs do go into production.
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Darya Karenski is a professional textile designer and painter based in the Boston area, Massachusetts. She is a highly versatile artist who creates both traditional and digital designs. While her favorite medium is watercolor painting, she has tapped into every possible kind of fabric design creation and greatly enjoys the multitude of all the topics and media. She enjoys including less-explored motifs and non-traditional colors in her artwork as well as playing with classics.
