70’s Revival Collection
70’s Floral Exploration
I associate the 1970s—the decade before I was born—with sweet nostalgia and music from another time. I remember listening to Simon and Garfunkel in the back seat of the car while my mom drove and my sister rode on the passenger side.
Colors and imagery from this era help me reminisce about all the hours spent with my mother, sister, grandmother, and aunts while treasure-hunting at thrift shops, cooking in retro kitchens, gardening, playing Scrabble, and candidly talking.
A few years ago, groovy-style florals started flooding my social media feeds. Prints from designers and makers appeared in all shades of brown—many of which looked identical to my aunt's original kitchen wallpaper (scroll to the bottom to see that 70’s original wallpaper). These themes gained appeal and eventually topped the sales charts on sites like Spoonflower and Society6.
Despite my tender memories and fond associations with the 1970s, the revival of these motifs didn't speak to me as a designer. I had committed to being authentic and cohesive in my artwork but now felt caught in an internal battle. Was this trend passing through or here for the foreseeable future? Should I go mainstream or remain niche? As an artist who focuses mainly on flowers as subjects, how could I not find a way to relate to the abundance of floral patterns from this decade? I was at a loss.
Reading articles on the nuances of the 1970s revival helped me understand the rising marketplace trend, and I came across attributes of these themes that appealed to me. The era's fluid geometrics resonated, as did its simple daisy shapes in brown, purple, and warm amber tones. I love the dark, moody, grounded earth tones mentioned in the articles, and these colors have played into my more structured home decor designs.
Back in 2019, I had a renewed interest in small-scale floral patterns, known as ditsy prints, inspired by fabrics that originated in the 1960s. A color variation I did on my Darlene Ditsy Floral print led to a retro effect in all the best ways. At the time, I couldn’t have predicted how well this design would continue to do in the marketplace.
In looking for opportunities to relate to this trend, it dawned on me that my love of earlier vintage and retro designs might be a way to connect with 70s themes. I was most drawn to the linear outlined florals. Delicate and clear, these outlines on vintage florals could also appear uniform and mechanical. I kept experimenting and decided on a modification to soften the line work while updating shades of brown, purple, and amber tones.
I struggled while making this collection. I struggled to make it coherent with my existing body of work because, honestly, it's different. While there is overlap, most of this collection has felt like a stretch. Ultimately, by reconsidering my perspective, I've been able to meet myself where I am in my exploration. I've uncovered new intersections between relevance and authenticity, opening up a natural progression in my work.
Products
This collection will be available through these licensing partners:
‘Unreleased’ Designs
If you are printing overseas, the below designs are available for licensing. They are available on a first come first serve basis or on custom request through Spoonflower. To license any below design, fill out my license form. To buy one on Spoonflower, fill out a custom request.
*Please note the design name and scale in your message, and any modifications such as color.
The Process
I spent months producing many designs. Here are some shots of the collection unfolding. I created florals digitally through Procreate and Adobe Illustrator, which were pretty but too much of a departure from my style. Nothing had felt like the right fit despite the months-long experimentation. A heartfelt conversation with my sister reminded me that I didn't have to do the 70’s trend—which was freeing but I did continue my exploration, through what I knew best: watercolors.
