Ams is a passionate advocate and creative soul living in the UK. With a career dedicated to human rights, she has worked extensively with survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking, aligning her efforts with her values of service, advocacy, and empowerment.

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As the primary carer for her elderly mother, Ams has developed a deep appreciation for flexibility and balance in her career. While her work in human rights has been deeply rewarding, she is now ready to pivot toward a new chapter that fully embraces her creative skills and passions.

Through the Immersion Course, Ams is eager to channel her lifelong love for art, writing, and DIY projects into a sustainable career as a surface pattern designer. She envisions a future where her creativity brings both fulfillment and financial freedom, enabling her to support her family and inspire others to pursue meaningful, purpose-driven lives.

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“I dream of building a career that integrates creativity, flexibility, and purpose, allowing me to share my work with the world while continuing to make a positive difference.”

Anna is a Ukrainian mother and aspiring artist who relocated to the UK with her daughter three years ago, fleeing the war in her homeland. These years have been the most challenging of her life, yet they have reignited her childhood dream of becoming a designer.

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With degrees in English and Business, Anna has built a career as a Personal Assistant, Interpreter, Sales Account Manager, and Recruiter. However, her true passion lies in creative design, home décor, and textiles. A two-year course in apparel design and sewing during her school years inspired a lifelong love of creating home textiles and outfits—a source of energy and inspiration during difficult times.

“My daughter started school this year, and I am eager to bring positive change into my personal development and career to make her feel proud of me and to demonstrate to her that dreams can come true if we believe.”

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Through the Immersion Course, Anna hopes to elevate her skills and start a new, fulfilling career as a surface pattern designer. She envisions this as a path to greater confidence and independence, allowing her to provide a brighter future for her family while proving that creativity and perseverance can overcome even the greatest challenges.

April is a widow, mother, and grandmother from Georgia, who discovered her passion for art during a time of deep personal loss. After losing her husband, a pastor, in a tragic automobile accident in 2015, April turned to Bible journaling for comfort and soon began creating scripture art, opening an Etsy shop at the encouragement of her daughters.

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While she found fulfillment in her shop for several years, April eventually closed it to focus on watercolor painting and entering her work in juried exhibits. Now approaching her 62nd birthday, she is eager to take the next step in her artistic journey by transforming her scripture and watercolor art into products.

“I would love the opportunity to create a side hustle that would eventually become supplemental income or more as I am approaching my retirement years. I want to spend the rest of my life doing what I love and having the freedom to travel and spend time with my daughters and their families, including my 8 grandchildren.”

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Through the Immersion Course, April hopes to bring her dream to life, creating a career that combines her faith, creativity, and passion for art. She envisions this next chapter as an opportunity to find purpose, financial freedom, and the joy of sharing her work with others.

Janet is a resilient artist and aspiring surface pattern designer from Canada whose journey has been marked by challenges and perseverance. During her last semester of art school, she discovered a passion for textile screen printing and pattern development, dreaming of one day creating her own brand.

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However, the 2008 recession derailed her plans, leading to job loss and homelessness. Despite these setbacks, Janet rebuilt her life, pursuing further education and finding new ways to adapt. Along the way, she was diagnosed with Autism. After taking on menial jobs, she is now ready to follow her true passion.

“I live, eat, and sleep art and creative pursuits, and still have an entrepreneurial spark, despite my life experiences.”

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Janet sees the Immersion Course as the key to finally pursuing her dream of a career in surface pattern design. With the creative and business skills she’ll gain, she is determined to transform her passion into a fulfilling and sustainable future, proving that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.

Madeline is a working mother and designer in Utah striving to balance life and providing for her family.

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Her business, Madswick, creates PDF sewing patterns for at-home sewists. Madeline dreams of diversifying her offerings to include fabric collections that inspire creativity and elevate the sewing experience. 

"I have a very clear vision for the prints I would like to make and have dozens of motifs ready to be made into patterns. I just need help getting started. As a young mom, I don't have the time or bandwidth to teach this to myself right now." 

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Madeline sees the Immersion Course as a transformative opportunity to gain the skills and tools she needs to turn her vision into reality. She hopes it will empower her to create financial freedom for her family and leave a legacy of beauty and impact for future generations. 

With a deep connection to her community and a commitment to giving back, Madeline plans to donate a portion of her future profits to carcinoid cancer research and support. Through Immersion, she believes she can thrive as an artist and build a business that contributes meaningfully to the design world and beyond.

Ten years ago, Wendy found the strength to leave an abusive marriage and is now a single mother raising and home-educating her two children while navigating life on income support. Despite immense challenges, including supporting a child in university and facing limited opportunities as she ages into the workforce, Wendy has remained determined to create a better future for her family.

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Her youngest child, Mia, has been a source of inspiration, sparking Wendy’s reconnection with her long-buried creative roots. Together, they’ve spent the past year dreaming about a future in surface pattern design.

While financial challenges have limited their progress, Wendy and Mia are ready to take the next step together by enrolling in the Immersion Course.

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They dream of transforming their doodles and marks into beautiful designs that resonate across generations. “We’ve long been frustrated that we can’t find patterns that speak to our respective ages, styles, and interests. Although we have different ideas and styles, we hope to support each other along this creative journey.”

For Wendy, this isn’t just about building a career but also reclaiming her creative spirit and showing her children that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Taking the Immersion Course will be a transformative step toward launching a sustainable creative business and building a brighter future for her family.

Art has been Anita’s lifelong passion and creative outlet, a source of joy she has shared with others across the globe.

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During six years as a missionary in Tanzania, she left her artistic mark through murals at a local school and has continued to create customized works for friends and family. For Anita, creating art has always felt as natural as breathing.

A couple of years ago, Anita began experiencing pain in her right hand and wrist. What initially seemed like carpal tunnel was ultimately diagnosed as ALS. Despite the challenges of this disease, Anita is determined to use her remaining time to leave a legacy of beauty and hope for her family and others.

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“Our income is almost nonexistent, and I would love to ease our financial burden a little with my art. I also want to provide a percentage of anything I sell to help others suffering with ALS. It’s a rascal of a disease, and I would love to be a small contributor to help those working to find a cure.”

With the full support of her family, including her husband, Sean, who is her dedicated caregiver, and their daughter, Anita dreams of turning her body of work into a sustainable source of income. She sees the Immersion Course as a transformative opportunity to hone her skills, bring her artistic vision to life, and create a meaningful legacy.

For Ingeborg, creativity has always been a lifeline—offering solace, joy, and hope during life’s toughest moments. Over the past eight years, she has faced the challenges of chronic illness, PTSD from complex trauma, and social anxiety. Despite these obstacles, Ingeborg has worked tirelessly to create stability and a sense of normalcy in her life.

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Now, Ingeborg is ready to take her passion for surface pattern design to the next level. Having learned the basics through Bonnie Christine’s free resources, she dreams of building a sustainable art business that provides financial independence while accommodating her health needs. “Bonnie’s teaching style resonates with me deeply. She explains even complex ideas so clearly, and I’m excited to learn how to create cohesive, market-ready collections and gain the business skills to confidently present my work to clients.”

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Ingeborg hopes to use the skills gained in the Immersion Course to create a stable foundation for herself and, eventually, to give back to others. “Art has been my lifeline during difficult times, and I dream of offering art therapy-inspired courses to help others heal and grow. Combining my love for art with my personal experiences feels like a natural next step in my creative journey.”

“Living with chronic illness and PTSD hasn’t been easy, but art has always been my way forward. This scholarship represents a life-changing opportunity—not just to establish a career but to pave the way for a future where I can use my creativity to help others.”

Ebony is a self-taught illustrator and founder of Announce Divinely, where she creates inclusive greeting cards designed to inspire joy and celebration. She believes that everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the world around them.

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As an illustrator, she is passionate about creating artwork that provides Black girls and women with the opportunity to purchase products that look like them.

Enrolling in the Immersion Course is a vital step in Ebony’s journey to pair her passion with the technical and professional skills necessary to bring this vision to life. Inspired by Bonnie Christine’s expertise, experience, and teaching, Ebony is eager to take her career goals to the next level.

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“This course would equip me with the tools and knowledge to make a meaningful impact through my art." With her heart set on creating representation through her work, she is committed to using the Immersion Course as a springboard to achieve her dream.

Prisca is a digital illustrator and surface designer from Italy with a deep passion for creating joyful designs for children and the young at heart. Over the past year, she has transitioned to this field, but the self-taught journey has been slow and challenging, often leading to delays in both artistic and financial growth.

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While her boyfriend supports her emotionally and financially, Prisca longs for the independence and freedom that comes with achieving her professional goals.

Immersion represents a structured path to help Prisca overcome these hurdles, particularly through learning Adobe Illustrator—something she has always found intimidating. With the guidance of a supportive community, she hopes to not only conquer technical challenges but also build connections with like-minded creatives.

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“I’ve been hesitant to dive into Illustrator, but Immersion offers the tools and the support system I need to tackle this challenge.”

For Prisca, Immersion is more than just a chance to improve her design skills. It’s a pivotal moment to transform her passion into a thriving business, one that brings joy to others and contributes to her growth as a designer and creative entrepreneur.

Ayubapreye is a wife, mother, and artist, running an online textile design business in Nigeria.

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Describing herself as the intersection between creativity, impact, and entrepreneurship, The Immersion Course will make her transition from the traditional method of pattern design (Adire and Batik) to a digital and sustainable method a reality. With a life goal of combining what she loves doing with making an impact on the people around her and the planet, she is excited at the opportunity to take part in Immersion.

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“My desire to strive for a sustainable and earth-friendly approach would require I learn the digital method of pattern design. With this knowledge, I will infuse our textile art designs alongside our unique cultural elements to create pattern designs not just on fabrics but now on limitless surface media.”