The Layered Fruit pattern in my Still Life collection is the result of a lot of learning and experimentation, and it also tells the story behind the brand itself. I was taking a lot of courses through Skillshare last year on pattern and surface design for textiles. One of the courses was on how to make a layered pattern, which I chose to do with this pattern, and another course was on creating a pattern collection, which is actually how the seed of the House of Caswell idea was planted.

I’ve always loved a plaid. I like the way it can read as preppy or grungy, sweet or tough, depending on the styling and context. I had to include a versatile plaid in House of Caswell’s first pattern collection for that reason. Some people (like me) don’t want to feel like the same person day in and day out for our entire lives, and a plaid is always there for us, ready to be styled like whatever person we’re choosing to be next.

There are two main inspirations for the dot print. The first one is strawberry seeds. For anyone familiar with my background, you’ll know that most of the art and design work I did for Berried Alive was fruit themed. And that’s why the first collection for House of Caswell is fruit themed as well, because I think it’s important to keep who we’ve been in mind as we discover who we’ll be next.

This pastel painting titled Still Life is the inspiration behind the first House of Caswell collection. It tells the story of where I came from, and no matter where I go from here my past will always be part of me.

I have been a lifelong lover of color. I spent countless hours as a child listing every color name I found in my crayon box, from colorway listings in catalogs, and all the makeup colors used in fashion magazines. I filled whole notebooks with nothing but lists of color names. Colors are so important.

Every artist’s work tends to be a little bit autobiographical, and I each piece I create tells a story from my life. The story behind this particular pattern is that I was a psychology major in college.

I wanted to make a pattern that was equal parts retro and futuristic, and that’s how the House of Caswell pattern (and later the logo) was born.