Kari Smith is a freelance surface pattern designer and illustrator based in the United States, with over twenty years of professional experience. She trained at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and built a commercial career spanning in-house graphic design and freelance licensing, including a formative period at American Greetings where she discovered surface pattern through wrapping paper development. Her work spans florals, children's illustration, holiday themes, abstract watercolours, and character-based motifs.

Loose watercolour with a lively, expressive quality-wet-on-wet bleeds and swirling colour movement are characteristic. Subject matter ranges from colourful florals and whimsical children's art to bugs, fruit and vegetables, holiday themes, and abstract watercolour compositions. The portfolio features bright, densely illustrated surface designs with cross-market commercial appeal.

Primary medium: watercolour (loose, wet-on-wet style). Also works with photography combined with illustration. Fully fluent in the digital production pipeline from concept to print-ready file output-she describes genuinely enjoying the technical finishing process. Trend-aware; actively tracks colour, fashion, and home decor cycles.

Documented clients: American Greetings (wrapping paper patterns), Target, Poetry Factory, Pickles n Roses, Minky Couture. Work also available via Society6, Spoonflower, and Etsy. Active across womenswear, kidswear, home decor, and stationery markets. Open to custom illustration projects and licensing inquiries.

Trained at the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, then held various graphic design positions before joining American Greetings in Cleveland. There she developed wrapping paper patterns and rediscovered a passion for painting and illustration. She has since built an independent freelance and licensing practice spanning more than twenty years, working with diverse clients across multiple product categories.

Colourful surface patterns across florals, children's whimsical motifs, seasonal and holiday themes, bugs and critters, fruit and vegetables, and abstract watercolour. The portfolio features vibrant all-over designs with broad commercial versatility across multiple market categories.

Society6, Spoonflower, Etsy - listed