Our chat with Betsy Petersen

Our chat with Betsy Petersen

We pretty much love everything about Betsy Petersen & if you have not yet seen her work, head over to insta and check her out! An inspiring artist, creating a perfect combination of art that both kids and adults love, Betsy designs products and original artwork that someone can enjoy for a lifetime. So, when she was keen to work with us on a special summer capsule collaboration we were beyond excited. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm an illustrator and pattern designer. I work with companies to design custom patterns for their clothing lines, illustrations for magazines, as well as branding and logo design. Anything that lets me combine playful design with a simple and beautiful aesthetic! 

What inspired your love of art?
I've always loved colors, design, and making things. When I was younger, I'd spend every Sunday afternoon with all my paper and art supplies sprawled across my room making whatever I felt like. 

You have worked with some incredible brands what are some of the highlights?
Working with Papyrus to make greeting cards is so much fun! Every time my kids go into a Target store, they always search the greeting card section to find a card I designed. Another fun moment was sitting on a park bench, when I saw a little girl I've never met before wearing a pattern I designed for Alice & Ames. It's so much fun to see things I made out in the wild!

What does an average day look like for you?
I wake up at 6:00 am and go right into my office to work - before checking my phone or getting ready for the day. At 8:00, my kids wake up, we drop off my son at school and my daughter and I head out for an adventure, the gym, or stay home for a tea party. Then I work for a little bit - finishing up projects from the morning or sending emails while my daughter reads or draws next to me in my office. At 3:30, we jog to go pick up my son from school, sometimes stopping by the river to play on the way home. My husband (who is also my son's school principal) comes home from work and we cook dinner together. After putting the kids to bed, I usually work for a few hours depending on the timeline for the projects I'm working with, then I try desperately to get to bed before 10:30 pm! 

Mum work / life balance – what does it look like for you?
Mum work / life balance - the most illusive dream! I struggle almost daily between the feelings of wanting to do more with my career and also wanting to slow down and enjoy this stage of my kids' childhood. I think for me, work/life balance looks like giving myself grace for times that I work harder at one than the other. 

What does self – care look like for you
For me, self-care is leaving the kitchen to be cleaned tomorrow! It's allowing myself time to go to the gym during the day and occasionally make art just for myself, even if no one else will ever see it. Self-care for me is sitting in bed reading books to my 4 year old at 10 am, even when there are a million other things I could be doing. 

What / who inspires you
I am inspired by anything made with true craftsmanship. When I see something that required detail and care and creativity, I fall in love -- even if it is an old steel mail box from the 1950s or a jar of local honey with a thoughtful logo! 

We absolutely love the Cherry print you created for us, what was the inspiration behind this?
There's something so playful and fun about fruit on clothes. My entire mission as an artist, especially with textiles, is creating something that is fun for kids and aesthetically pleasing for parents. I love finding the balance between playful and beautiful. 

Whats the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is working with brands to create something beautiful! I love getting the chance to design things, but the most fun part is seeing what companies do with the things I've designed. I love to see my work on little clothes, branding, towels, prints, and more! 

What is your favourite piece from the Summer collection?
By far my favorite is the Mia Cherry Playsuit! It has smocking, frills, and cross back straps - I'm pretty sure any little kid would become more angelic once they put on that outfit. :) 
View the Cherry Collection created in collaboration with Suzy Eskander & Betsy here
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