Meet Julianne Haness | Freelance Surface Pattern Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julianne Haness and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julianne, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
As an artist, the single most important decision I’ve made to help my business is to put myself and my artwork out there. I primarily use Instagram and direct emails to potential clients. Sometimes it’s difficult to set your work free in the world, but I’ve learned that even if it isn’t perfect and even if your skills are not at the level you want them to be, it’s better to put it out there, than to keep it to yourself. I’ve landed most of my clients just by posting my artwork online, and I rarely feel like it’s perfect.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
An artist all my life, I dabbled in oil paintings, had a small mural business in college and spent years creating hyper realistic charcoal portraits of celebrities in my downtime. But I found my passion in pattern design a few years ago when quarantine forced everyone to find a new hobby. Something about combining the creative aspect with a very organized and intentional layout really spoke to my Capricorn soul. So I dove into pattern design, spending a year studying techniques and practicing my designs before embarking into a freelance career. I enjoy creating busy, maximalist patterns that are a bit pretty but can also be a bit weird. The goal is to create something every day so you can regularly find me in the early morning hours drawing away on my iPad, next to my trusty cup of coffee, while my family sleeps in. My kids are my greatest inspiration so you can thank them for the excessive insect and bird designs.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Am I a Disney adult? I see accounts on Instagram and immediately know I’m not at their level… but would I take a friend to Disneyland? Absolutely. In fact, a few years ago my cousin was visiting California for the first time and I took her to Disneyland. We squeezed in all the best activities into a mere 6 hours because she had a plane to catch. Some might recommend the bigger rides, but you’ll catch me on the weird quirky rides like Jungle Cruise and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, while following around my kids at every whim.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I can’t recommend Pitch Your Portfolio by Shannon McNab enough! As an artist, I was always confident in my skill but not at all confident in getting my work out there. Shannon’s course broke down all the steps getting your artwork licensed in a way that made it feel less like a mountain and more like several speed bumps. I especially appreciated the advice on how to format your work and compose a pitch email.

Website: https://www.jmariecreates.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmarie.creates

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmariecreates/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuburbanArtsyMom

Image Credits
1- source image: Bluewater Sweden, unsplash

2- Image source by Toa Heftiba (Unsplash) Created by Aline Bea

3- source image: Minh Pham, unsplash

4- source image: Liana Mikah, unsplash