In every Issue of Flow, we ask three creatives: what are you up to? This time we spoke to Elizabeth Olwen, a surface pattern designer who lives in Toronto, Canada and is currently in Lisbon.
You are currently living in Lisbon. Why is that?
“I am on a six-month creative sabbatical. I did something similar seven years ago in Berlin when I gave myself three months off from my work as a graphic designer to just get up every day and see what I wanted to do, creatively.
It was very inspiring, and I instantly started to work on patterns. And now, my work is evolving again. I love my work, but I am trying to look at it with fresh eyes and figure out where I want to go from here.”
What kind of changes have you made?
“I’ve started going to a coworking space every day, which is a big change for me. I always liked the freedom of working from home, being able to do a little bit here and there. I didn’t think I wanted to give up that freedom. But, in fact, I think I was craving this type of structure—I have more balance between my private life and work, and have been so much more productive and focused.
I try to do all of my creative work in the morning and only a limited amount of time on my admin at the end of the day. In the evenings, I have time to wander around my new neighborhood. It’s hard to say what the biggest change is: moving to a new environment or all the changes I’ve made within myself.”
- Find out more about Elizabeth Olwen and other creatives in Issue 25.
- To see more of her work, you can visit Elizabeth’s website.
Text Jeanette Jonker Photography Elizabeth Olwen
