Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Graben.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I always enjoyed art as a kid. I also always really loved prints and wanted to create my own. During high school I started dual-enrollment at my local community college and I studied Graphic Design where I learned Illustrator and Photoshop for the first time and started making digital art. A while after I had graduated I saw a TikTok of a tutorial on how to make a repeat pattern in Adobe Illustrator and I immediately followed it and made a bunch. I was posting them everywhere online and really quickly got a freelance gig to make some prints for kids and junior girls clothing. After that I ended up going to Sydney, Australia to intern for a Print Studio where I learned a lot more about how textile prints. Then I began full-time working as a Textile Print Designer in New York City and created many prints for home decor and apparel that have sold in national retailers. I recently came to Savannah to further my studies and complete a Masters Degree at Savannah College of Art and Design.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I definitely had some struggles along the way. I had gotten pretty lucky and had landed a freelance project to make some prints for a pretty big company really soon after I had started making prints but after that I had probably 10 months straight of me trying to get more freelance work and trying to sell my prints before I finally sold a couple. I’ve had many failed interview attempts for jobs, and I think it’s still a struggle of knowing what will and what will not sell.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create artwork for products. I mainly create repeating patterns. I think what I am most known for is fun conversational prints, but I do try to make a lot of florals too. I think I stand out by having a hand-made art style and having a whimsical juvenile feel to the work.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you want to work with me my website is courtneygrabendesign.com and my instagram is @courtneygrabendesigns
Contact Info:
- Website: https://courtneygrabendesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneygrabendesigns/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-graben-b1a170128/
