Gratitude & Textiles
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By Zeida Rothman
Aspiring artists, imagine the thrill of being paid to create original designs, then seeing those designs worn or displayed in stores throughout the world! Zeida Rothman, longtime OPEN EXCHANGE lister, has trained hundreds of graduates in professional fabric design. Find Zeida's listing under Jobs & Careers and Arts & Crafts.
I would like to express my gratitude to OPEN EXCHANGE MAGAZINE for all the support they have provided to the community of textile lovers who found their creative niche as professional designers. Many students that have located the California School of Professional Fabric Design through this magazine are now working full time and freelance designing for companies such as Pottery Barn, Abercrombie and Fitch, Zazoo scarves, Gymboree children's clothing, and Old Navy, to name a few.
Discussions at the school range from reviewing what each new designer was getting paid in their new position, what their job projects are like, and most of all the exhilarated feelings of being employed at what they love to do.
So many times I hear from potential students that graduate from previous art schools expressing that they don't know how to fit into the "real world." Since the commercial industry of textile designing has been around for eons, we train students the specifics of how to earn a living, and enter into this trade.
It doesn't matter how old you are. I've seen new designers enter the industry that are in their mid to late sixties. So age isn't an excuse. If you have a love for textiles, don't let anything stand in your way. Just trying it will reveal the creativity within you. You'll be amazed to see that you can do all the beautiful designs that you see on fabrics in the stores.
As I walk through the aisles of Britex fabrics in San Francisco, I am amazed to see some pretty exquisite designs, colors and textures. From traditional to contemporary prints, from bright bold colors or soft pastels, these designs are geared towards so many different markets.
It's so inspiring to see endless creativity that goes into textiles. I can get lost in their extensive beauty. This has been my career for the past 30 plus years, both in New York and California and feel really fortunate to be part of this industry. It's such a joy for me to share this passion with so many students as they enter this creative career.
So, happy 33rd anniversary, OPEN EXCHANGE. Thank you for providing this publication and the countless opportunities it has created for many people.
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