Nothing Was Wasted: The Journey to Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer
At UCL after graduation ceremony 2001
In the year 2000, I arrived in the UK as a newly married woman with an acceptance letter from University College London to study Biochemical Engineering. I remember the mixture of excitement and uncertainty. Before anything could begin, I needed to pass my IELTS exam.
It was not easy.
Yet something in me adapted quickly. After taking an English course, I passed the exam and began my Master’s degree. A year later, I completed my thesis with distinction.
At that time, success looked very clear. Study hard. Achieve well. Move forward.
Life, however, had its own rhythm.
Because of my husband’s work, we moved often. In Glasgow I worked in a biotech company. It aligned perfectly with my degree. It made sense. But after a year and a half, we moved again — this time to Middlesbrough.
While applying for jobs there, I enrolled in an art course and a computer skills course at college. I did not know it then, but that decision lit a spark.
Growing up in Iran, art was never treated as important in school. It was the subject that did not matter. Grades were given easily, often without seriousness. And yet, even within that environment, I cared deeply. I finished every assignment with detail. When my sister had an art project, I volunteered to do it for her. Something inside me was always drawn to creating.
Serologicals Ltd in Scotland 2002
In Middlesbrough, I learned to draw with pencil, chalk and acrylics. When we later moved to Cardiff, I joined an oil painting group. In Liverpool, I explored quick sketching, coloured pencil work and pastel paintings.
In 2012, while working for a children’s charity, I offered to design posters using Microsoft Publisher. It was basic, but I loved it. That experience motivated me to take a Photoshop course at college. Discovering Adobe Photoshop felt like finding a bridge between two parts of myself — the structured, analytical side and the creative, expressive side.
Years later, in 2023, I came across a course called Immersion. It promised to teach Adobe Illustrator thoroughly and to guide students into the world of surface pattern design. I enrolled. What I found was more than technical knowledge. I learned how to build collections, design repeating patterns, and understand licensing. I completed the course over two consecutive years, deepening my skills and confidence.
Each place added another layer.
Each move shaped me in ways I did not fully understand at the time.
Science had trained my mind.
Art was awakening my heart.
Looking back, I see that nothing was wasted.
Not the IELTS struggle.
Not the thesis.
Not the biotech job.
Not the moves from city to city.
Everything was preparing me.
Sometimes we think success is a straight line. In truth, it is often a quiet unfolding. We come into this world, build our lives, and follow paths that seem logical. Yet beneath the surface, something deeper is guiding us.
For me, that quiet voice was creativity.
This blog is a space where I want to share that journey — the shifts, the doubts, the learning, the courage it takes to begin again, and the joy of discovering what truly feels like home.
If you are in a season of change, perhaps this is your reminder:
Nothing you have done is wasted.
The seeds may simply be preparing to bloom. 🌿