Please join us in celebrating this month’s spotlight surface designer, Silvia Clara Ríos. We know you’ll find her story inspiring!
Please introduce yourself.
I am Silvia Clara, I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and 7 years ago I decided to move to Miramar, a beautiful and quiet coastal city.
Being in my ’50s I can see things from another point of view, watching my children and my two little grandchildren grow up is one of the things I value the most; as well as traveling with my husband and getting to know new cultures.
I have always loved everything related to creativity, I have dabbled in various techniques, from knitting, drawing, painting, bridal bouquets, modeling, sewing, and a few other things.
Tell us a little bit about your design journey.
At the age of 40, I decided to start college and study Graphic Design. One of the most satisfying decisions of my life was surrounding myself with passionate young people who infected me with a love for design.
From then on I did different projects from logo design, branding, and stationery, but in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, I discovered the 3X3 Design Challenge (a great idea of Shannon McNab) and everything changed. From that moment on I couldn’t stop designing patterns!!!!
Do you have a favorite portfolio design or client collaboration?
I have two favorite designs, one is “Flowers in India.” I traveled to India twice and being able to study some of their designs and give them a personal touch, was very satisfying for me.
The other design I love is “Ginger snow globes”, I feel I achieved a very nice balance in the composition.
What or who are you inspired by?
I find it difficult to know what things inspire me because I feel an inordinate curiosity for everything… every idea in my head makes me investigate and I end up loving a new theme, a new flower, a new color…
Do you have resources you’d like to recommend?
I love working with Adobe Illustrator, and little by little I was learning and enjoying Adobe Photoshop. But in the last few months, I started working with Procreate and I think that will be a great love for me.
Skillshare helped me a lot on my way, I was able to learn from excellent teachers, such as Shannon McNab, Elizabeth Silver, Brooke Glaser, Bärbel Dressler, and Cat Coquillette.
What do you like to do outside of surface design?
I love listening to music, studying languages, traveling… especially traveling to different places.
When you look back at your design journey so far, what are you most proud of?
My journey in pattern design is short, but I believe that in a year and a half I was able to grow in design, proportion, color, and style. I feel like I’m just starting out and have a lot to discover yet.
Where can we find you?
Website: bysilviaclara.myportfolio.com
Instagram: @bysilviaclara
Behance: @bysilviaclara
