Today we’d like to introduce you to Adera Brown.
Hi Adera, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a self-taught artist and I’ve painted 100s of canvases, the interior of houses and even a couple of murals but I have found my passion in creating pattern prints. Art is definitely my passion but fashion is a very close second and I wanted to find a way to combine the two. I started a t-shirt business and I did what everyone else was doing and just placed various paintings on shirts. They were selling pretty well but it still wasn’t enough for me… one night I was staring at my son’s pajamas and I thought, “Someone had to draw these dinosaurs on there, I can do that.” So, I started looking up how to get my artwork on fabric and discovered the world of surface pattern design and things just went from there.
I have built a collection of over 250 different designs and I sell them as digital files to other companies. I grew my social media following by printing my seamless patterns on fabric and then I turned them into something I can wear, I am on a mission is to create artwork for every outfit and I hope to work with a multitude of other fashion brands. I am in the works of creating my own luxury, women’s fashion line with all of my original artwork made on custom designs.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I started to figure this whole thing out my husband suffered a work-related injury and it eventually led to back surgery. He wasn’t able to drive so I would take him to all his post-op appointments, while sitting in the car waiting, I watched videos on digital art and learned to draw on Procreate. Before I had an iPad I would doodle on my phone, only using my finger. I made my very first seamless pattern sitting in the parking lot of one of those doctors’ offices. The injury/surgery brought a lot of restrictions throughout his recovery so I had to do a lot more as a homemaker. Even though I was driving everywhere, running all of the errands, and taking care of our 3-year-old I still had the aspiration to create this business. My artwork has always been a therapeutic pass time and has truly helped me get through each and every obstacle in life.
As any entrepreneur knows, starting a new business and for me, a new art journey it can take a lot of your time. I could and would spend hours drawing and creating different things but I had to learn time management and balance. I am proud to say that even as various obstacles come in my personal life, I am able to manage it all and sometimes use those situations as inspiration for another pattern piece.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a self-taught Artist; Surface Pattern Designer and I sew a little bit. I create digital artwork in the form of seamless patterns to be printed on fabric or placed on various products. I am most known for my abstract designs and use of bold colors.
Vibrancy definitely inspires my artwork and the designs that I create are like nothing that I have seen in stores and I’m sure that’s what sets me apart. I refrain from using the traditional motifs such as florals, stripes, or plaids. I want everyone to feel alive, colorful & wild when they see or wear my art. As well as, more comfortable in wearing colorful clothing in crazy prints because we don’t see that much of that anymore. If you had to put my style of work in a category, I believe it would be something like eclectic-modern abstract.
I am proud of the community I have built via social media, even though it may be small to some, I never would have thought over 35 thousand people would be interested in the art that I create. I have also been interviewed for a podcast, radio show and was featured as a “Black Woman Artist You Should Know” in a couple blogs, one of which being on Spoonflower; a marketplace in the textile industry.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I am always learning different things and I found a lot of resources surrounding this topic online, so do your research and follow classes on Skillshare. I would also would have to say, be patient. It’s very difficult sometimes especially now where we have so many social media personalities speaking about “how to make millions in 6 months”. I believe that is very attainable but not for everyone in that time frame. Allow your art to grow and change with you and remember why you create what you create. Your style and your perspective on life through art is needed so don’t compare yourself to others, ride your own wave and stay on your path.
Contact Info:
- Email: adera@aderabrown.com
- Website: www.aderabrown.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aderabrowndesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aderabrowndesign/
Image Credits
Eric Brown
