A Floral-ish Pattern I Still Kinda Love
This is one of the first pieces I ever made with the intention of turning it into a print. I didn’t have a story behind it or a deeper meaning in mind—I just liked the abstract floral style and wanted to try out this colour palette. That was enough of a reason at the time—and honestly, it still is.
I’ve tried this pattern in several different colours, but this version has always been my favourite. There’s something about the orange, peach, navy and purple that just works. It’s bold, playful, and has a bit of a retro feel. When I finished it, I remember thinking, “Yeah, that would look lush on a wall.”
The Colour Palette I Can’t Let Go Of
I wish I could remember where I found this colour palette—maybe Pinterest? A packaging design project from college? I have a feeling it popped up while I was working on something inspired by Baugasm, the vibrant, abstract style by designer Vasjen Katro.
There was something about the bold contrast of orange, lilac, peach and navy that I couldn’t stop thinking about. So I started playing around with them, and these shapes just kind of… happened.
They’re not obviously floral, but they’re not totally abstract either. Just weird little blobby blooms that could just as easily be amoebas or cartoon stars or vaguely flower-ish biscuits. And that’s exactly why I like them.
Not Everything Needs a Message
I’ve always found it difficult to explain the meaning behind abstract artwork. I know some people are really good at that—digging deep into symbolism and metaphor—but for me, it’s more instinctive. I like colourful things. I like making shapes. Sometimes I don’t even know why I like something until I’ve lived with it for a while.
A while back, someone commented on one of my abstract pieces and called it “soulless.” That’s stuck with me more than I’d like to admit. I think because I’d never really considered whether art needed a “soul” before. I just liked making it.
But that comment has planted a seed, and I’ve been thinking lately about how I might explore that more intentionally going forward—maybe by creating pieces inspired by memories or places that meant something to me. I’m not sure if that will show up in the final artwork, or if it’ll just be something I know in the background. Either way, it’s something I’m curious about. But this piece wasn’t made with any of that in mind. This one was just for fun.
From Pattern to Print
Originally, I imagined this as a pattern for products in my RedBubble shop—maybe wrapping paper or a phone case. But the more I looked at it, the more I realised it could stand alone as a print—something joyful and vibrant to brighten a wall.
This was one of my earlier experiments with creating digital artwork with a product in mind. I didn’t overthink the composition or the symbolism. I just wanted to make something fun, and sometimes, that’s enough.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Even though my creative direction might shift in the future, I still like this piece for what it is. It’s not part of a series, and it’s not my most detailed or ambitious work. But I liked making it, and I still enjoy looking at it now. That counts for something.
And that’s the thing about sharing work online: sometimes it’s the simple stuff, the stuff without a big explanation, that still deserves to be seen.
