Surface design : Carolina Abarca

Carolina Abarca once had a career as a research scientist. After shifting countries several times in a few years with her husband and young family, she decided that being involved in research was problematic. “Every time we moved it was more difficult to advance my career and look after my family at the same time.” It was time to move on to something else.

But what?

 

 

Originally from Chile, but moving through various countries including Germany and Belgium over the past 15 years, and now finally making their home in Barcelona, Carolina first became interested in patterns when a friend asked her to join a local quilting group. “I fell in love with the technique and even more with the fabrics! I started to paint some of the fabric designs using stencils and stamps and I found myself wanting to create more and more complicated designs. So I think it was around October 2013 that I decided to teach myself how to use software to create patterns, and a month later I opened an account in Spoonflower and so it started. I am not sure exactly where this is going to go but one thing I know for sure is that I love what I am doing.” (If that 8 month time frame is anything to go by, then I’d reckon she’s definitely heading somewhere big!)

Despite the cultural and geographical shifts, I can’t help but think of Spanish tiles when I look at many of Carolina’s designs – perhaps there’s some kind of subliminal influence from her current surroundings. For me, it’s the kaleidoscopic and grid-based damasks – they’re classic and fresh in subdued tones of coral, grey and blue.

 

 

“As a child I was often exposed to crafts and my mum is a great knitter, sewer and crocheter. In fact I wore cardigans knitted by her until I went to university and still have a few in my wardrobe! Although she never succeeded in teaching me how to knit or sew when I was young I have been surprised how creative skills have come naturally to me. Years later when I bought a sewing machine I was using it as if my mum had shown me yesterday.

 

It was as if my creative side had been asleep all those years and suddenly woke up.

 

I also remember how much I enjoyed arts and crafts at the school as a child and remember some projects like wood carving, or string nail art and sisal plants hangers.”

 

 

Although she admires several designers, such as Orla Kiely, Stig Lindberg and Sanna Annukka, she admits that “My inspiration comes from a variety of places, from anything and everywhere. But I have to say that a great source of ideas is playing with my children as they often look at the world in unexpected ways.”

 

 

Her technique usually starts with a hand drawn sketch of her idea. “I scan it into the computer and start developing it. Sometimes I dive straight into the computer and use a digital drawing tablet (which I love!). When creating a design I spend time searching for the right colours and build up palettes of my favourites. I strongly believe that the right colour palette can turn a good design into a great design.”

 

 

 

 

Her best advice? “I like to keep in mind what Ken Robinson says in his TED talk about education: “If you are not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” “