There are artists who influence your style, and then there are artists who influence the way you think. William Morris is both for me. In this post I want to introduce you to the designer behind some of the most iconic botanical patterns in art history — and share why his philosophy, written over 150 years ago, feels more relevant to me today than ever. This one goes a little deeper than flowers and builds on my previous thoughts about, “Why I Draw.”

This past year, something changed.

I'd been drawing quietly in my free time for about four years up to this point. Creating art was always something I enjoyed, and now that the kids were getting older, I had more time to play with my colored pencils.

But this year I committed to making it real. I spent many years working for others, and the idea of finally turning those skills into something of my own had been quietly growing for years. I wanted to use my graphic design skills, my background in digital marketing, my love of drawing and channel it into something more.