Meet Lynette Reed

When Lynette Reed decided to pursue art licensing, she didn’t have a surface pattern design portfolio, and she’d never used Adobe Illustrator. But at 61 years old, she was ready to learn.

With a background in painting and product development, Lynette had a strong creative foundation. What she needed was a clear path to turn her artwork into a portfolio she could pitch. She joined Surface Design Immersion, learned Illustrator from scratch, and began building her first collections and portfolio presentation as she moved through the course.

She didn’t wait until everything felt perfect. Instead, she started sharing her work, applied the tools she was learning, and began having conversations with real clients. That portfolio opened the doors to multiple licensing opportunities, including collaborations with TJMaxx, a luxury Italian furnishings brand, and even designs under review for Nina Ricci Paris. She’s now creating licensed collections across kitchen textiles, pillows, and home decor, while continuing her fine art practice and gallery shows in Europe.

Lynette’s story is a beautiful example of how art licensing success begins with one clear step forward. If you're new to surface pattern design and wondering what it takes to get started, her journey offers both encouragement and real, practical creative career tips.

I hope Lynette’s story inspires your own. You can explore more stories of surface pattern licensing from Immersion graduates here.