Karen Mainenti has one of those jobs many of us crafty people dream about- she designs for Martha Stewart Living’s holiday department.  Her delightfully patterned textiles and accessories have been instrumental in keeping the season fresh for over ten years, evading the tired clichés this particular season can be known for.  In addition to today’s Q+A, we’re delighted to welcome Mainenti on-board as Pattern Pulp’s newest contributor.   We’re excited to see what she comes up with as well as expand our content offerings.  Check out today’s interview for insight into how a nontraditional path paired with talent and determination can lead to creative (and professional) success.

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PP:  You sound like an exceptionally crafty person, when did you first discover your talent and how has it evolved over your career?

KM: I was always a creative kid who loved cutting, pasting and crafting.  My mother taught me how to sew and embroider, and I would spend countless afternoons decorating cookies, latch-hooking, and cutting apart wallpaper swatch books.  Art class was always my favorite, but when it was time for me to go to college my parents thought it would be more practical to attend a liberal arts college.  For years I felt that I was at a disadvantage because I hadn’t attended art school, but things started to change for me once I stopped worrying about following a traditional linear path and instead allowed myself to pursue my diverse interests.  I started by creating collages, quilts, embroideries—some of which I exhibited in group gallery shows in New York.  After that I became interested in design, and taught myself Illustrator and Photoshop, which ultimately led to my current job as a designer at Martha Stewart Living.  In my free time I’m focused on making things purely for myself. I’ve created a website that reflects my sensibility as a designer and which features a selection of my work. Most recently I’ve established Candyfig, an online shop where I sell my creations of those things that strike my fancy.

PP: What’s your favorite part of the design process and how often do you find yourself collaborating with other designers?

KM: I like the concepting stage where I begin to see my collection of reference materials and ideas grow into something viable, even if I’m not exactly sure what the outcome will be. Is it cheating to say that I also enjoy seeing the finished product?  I often like to work in series, where each design contributes to a larger idea; seeing the successful completion of a component fuels me to keep working towards the larger goal.

I don’t find myself collaborating with other designers that often.  I tend to work on my own. Sometimes I worry if I discuss an idea too much I will lose the drive to actually bring that idea to life.  I usually share my work with my husband for feedback.  He’s a writer rather than a visual artist, but his input gives me perspective on my work and makes me consider the choices I’ve made during its creation.

PP:  What’s it like designing for the holidays all year round?  How do you incorporate commercial trends into such a boundary-specific category?

KM: I’ve always been fascinated by the icons associated with the holidays.  As a little girl, I would decorate the door to my room for each holiday with posters and drawings.  So working on designing Christmas products at Martha Stewart Living is right up my alley.  While I’ve known coworkers who are burnt out by the time the “real” Christmas comes around, I still look forward to celebrating it each year—if you can believe it!

While designing holiday can be challenging, it’s not as limiting as one might think.  There are the standard icons customers expect (what would the season be without Santas and snowmen?), but each year I work to introduce innovations in color, materials, and techniques.  Christmas products are also a relatively inexpensive decorating solution for the home, so surprisingly some of the best performing products are those that pick up on color and pattern trends from home décor and fashion, rather than the traditional reds and greens that we think of as the mainstays of the season.

PP:  When is the last time you took a professional/creative risk?

KM: Since I work within tight parameters and timelines during the day, the risk for me comes when I develop my own creative work.  My latest designs were inspired by watching football this past season and becoming interested in the different team logos.  At some point in the process I had to quiet the voice in my head that kept questioning why making designs inspired by football team logos would be a good idea.  Developing my own work always takes a leap of faith to say that, yes, my interest and intent make it an idea worth pursuing.

PP: Do you have a daily routine for news/blog/information consumption?  What are your favorite publications?

KM: Emails are delivered to my inbox daily from Design*Sponge and Paper Crave. I also check in with what my coworkers have posted on our department blog.  In addition, I read the New York Times and The New Yorker.  I would say that I use online consumption to stay abreast of what is happening in the market, but I generally find my inspiration in random places.  An article in the New Yorker can spur an idea as easily as watching a football game or walking down the street.  I tend to find that if I look online too much my mind becomes cluttered.