Please be a part of us in celebrating this month’s highlight floor designer, Tracy Beagen. We all know you’ll discover her story inspiring!
Please introduce your self.
Initially from NJ, however at the moment dwelling in CA. As a army partner, we’ve moved so much, even to a different nation. I’ve discovered to essentially love the place you might be, benefit from the setting adjustments and that household/buddies are all the pieces. That is coming from the lady who hated change and by no means noticed herself transferring and thought she would work in NYC for the remainder of her life!
I’ve 3 lovely little women who’re my all the pieces. They do make working a bit of tougher, however I additionally recognize that this time gained’t final ceaselessly. Earlier than we all know it they may all be in class after which I’m going to want they had been dwelling once more 🙂
I’ve a number of artistic and creative individuals in my life. I grew up being creative and did oil work after I was youthful. I used to be all the time coloring, drawing, or doing a little form of craft after I was child, after which continued as I bought older.
As soon as I used to be in highschool, I made a decision I wished this to be my profession. Initially considering I wished to do inside design, I utilized and bought into my #1 faculty, however as soon as there, determined inside design was not for me and stumbled upon floor sample design. It encompassed all the pieces I liked: coloring/portray, drawing, and patterns. I’m so glad I modified my thoughts!
Inform us a bit of bit about your design journey.
I graduated from Syracuse College in 2010 with a level in Wonderful Arts, majoring in Floor Sample Design. I used to be employed as an assistant bedding designer in NYC proper out of faculty.
For a couple of years, I labored for a corporation that was a licensor to many various manufacturers. After a yr I used to be promoted to designer and labored on manufacturers like Laura Ashley, Tommy Bahama, and Nautica. I discovered a lot concerning the textile trade and manufacturing. I liked working with the factories abroad as effectively.
Throughout my time right here I met my now husband. As a consequence of him being within the army, as soon as we bought engaged/married, I moved to be with him, which introduced me to CA. After a couple of years and a few odd-end jobs, I made a decision to get again to designing my very own patterns. I had probably not completed that since school (after I was a bedding designer we purchased all of the paintings!).
I took some on-line programs, and designed, designed, designed. It has taken me a couple of years however I’ve lastly discovered my model and I’m so pleased with how far I’ve come. I’m at the moment doing a trial run with an agent, who has offered a lot of my designs to massive corporations. It’s been a fantastic factor for me as my time is extraordinarily restricted with a 5, 3, and 1-year-old and a husband who has a really inconsistent schedule (and is commonly away!).
Do you have got a favourite portfolio design or shopper collaboration?
I created this folk-like floral sample years in the past. I re-did it up to now 2 years or so, and my agent offered it final yr to TJX! I used to design for a design studio that primarily offered paintings within the dwelling trade. It ended up not being the very best match for me, so that they gave me again the appropriate to any designs that had not offered. I ended up fully re-doing this one specific design and I’m so glad I did!
What or who’re you impressed by?
I’m impressed by my 3 daughters and the ever-changing environments we reside in. Now we have lived in a couple of totally different states, and one other nation, all totally different. My paintings usually feels very female, candy, and nature-inspired.
Do you have got assets you’d prefer to suggest?
I LOVE my iPad. I’ve the air and it was an absolute sport changer for me. Getting to attract and add particulars, simply by no means flowed as effectively for me with my Wacom pill and the desktop. I really like the texture of a pencil in my hand and getting to essentially zoom in and create/coloration. It modified the way in which I labored and in an excellent means. I additionally love how transportable it’s, a lot nicer than a laptop computer! I nonetheless do all my design creating and ending on my desktop. Illustrator is my jam 🙂
I really like Uppercase Journal. A lot inspiration. I’m additionally now impressed by all of the embroidery designers on the market!
I’ve taken so many programs… Make it In Design, your Pitch Your Portfolio and Clever Pricing lessons — PYP modified all the pieces for me as I by no means felt extra organized and targeted since taking that class!
Additionally, InDesign your Portfolio with Genna Blackburn (I now not really feel international to InDesign), and at the moment a member of Stacie Bloomfield’s Artistic Powerhouse Neighborhood. Victoria Johnson additionally has nice programs! I’ve taken two of hers….Discover Florals and Create Christmas. Your 3×3 challenges are my absolute favourite!
What do you love to do outdoors of floor design?
On the finish of 2021, my husband purchased me an embroidery package for Christmas. It was all the time one thing I wished to take up however by no means felt like I had the time. I had simply had our third child lady, and man did that embroidery fill my artistic coronary heart up!
It gave me one thing artistic to do when I didn’t need to take a look at a display. I took a while off after I had our child however I used to be nonetheless in a position to be artistic doing the embroidery and I’ve been doing them ever since! I’ve grown within the artwork of embroidery too! I’d like to create and make my very own designs some day. For now, I take pleasure in shopping for different individuals’s lovely patterns after which embroidering them 🙂
Along with that I’m a full-time stay-at-home mother. I get up early to get some work in and each every now and then I get some work completed within the afternoon too.
I really like staying and being lively as effectively! It’s a big a part of my life. I grew up enjoying sports activities, even enjoying on the D1 degree in school and so it’s important for me.
I began attending barre lessons about 7 or 8 years in the past and was hooked. Earlier than I had youngsters, I truly grew to become a barre teacher! I liked it and it was my saving grace throughout certainly one of my husband’s deployments. Whereas I now not educate, I do nonetheless attend lessons. Greatest exercise!
Once you look again at your design journey to date, what are you most pleased with?
My development. I felt very misplaced after I left all the pieces in NYC, and moved to a state I had by no means been to and the place there was no direct profession path. It has been a gradual journey, and whereas I used to get upset when I didn’t get time to create, I’ve discovered to lean into the place I’m now.
We’ve created a household since I left my company job, and it isn’t going to be good.
I’m proud that I by no means gave up. That I saved studying, exploring, and rising. I’ve a number of concepts and objectives forward, and I hope/plan to get there someday. However taking it one step at a time, and simply soaking in the place I at the moment am in life now.
In the event you might supply recommendation to different designers who’re struggling, what would that be?
Simply maintain going. This isn’t one thing that occurs in a single day.
Get off social media. It may possibly make you are feeling so defeated and it might probably look like everyone seems to be having success however you. Nothing incorrect with cheering individuals on/congratulating them, however it might probably really feel very defeating.
Bear in mind, all of us begin someplace, and everyone seems to be in a distinct stage of life as you. Deal with you, and simply maintain going.
The place can we discover you?
Web site: www.tracylucydesigns.com
Instagram: @tracylucy_designs
LinkedIn: Tracy Beagen