How I got into Surface Pattern Design

A little about me: I was born in Rotorua, in the heart of the Waiariki—Hot Springs of the Gods—and now live in the bush near the Waitomo Caves in Te Rohe Pōtae, the King Country.

Creativity has always been how I express myself, process stress, and connect inward. For the past five years, it has also been my primary form of hauora, supporting both my physical and mental health.

After three years of misdiagnosis, I was finally diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis in 2021—a strange relief. The following year brought further challenges with fibromyalgia and trigeminal neuralgia, conditions with no cure, only long-term medical management. Amid this, creative practice became my main source of pain relief. Painting, drawing, and making reduced my stress and pain so significantly that flare-ups dropped from weekly to monthly, helping me move toward more sustainable wellbeing.

Then came a breast cancer diagnosis following a bi-annual mammogram. Diagnosed in September 2024, I had surgery in December, radiation in February 2025, and now face five years of cancer medication. While it may sound heavy, I’ve come through feeling more alive than ever. I still experience flare-ups, but I recover my energy more quickly. Living with a creative partner in a quiet home surrounded by native bush adds to this healing—an environment rich in creativity and wairua.

Over these years, I stepped back from some of my passion projects—multimedia painting, large-scale design, creative advisory work, and Uhi Tā moko using handmade tools. Instead, I found a new digital creative pathway that challenged my skills and opened a future-focused direction. For the past two years, I’ve been learning surface pattern design, combining my love of drawing with expanding technical skills and endless creative possibilities.

I’ve reached the point where I need to start marketing myself and this new creative direction. I’ve refreshed my website to include surface pattern design, and this blog is the next step. Self-promotion doesn’t come easily to me, and I never planned to write a blog or create video content. However, writing feels grounding and helps me reconnect with why I was drawn to this creative artform.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more about my patterns, their inspiration, and the stories behind each theme.

Ngā mihi mahana – many warm thanks
Henriata