Doodles to Dream Clients: Building a Creative Life with Abi Ink
The story behind Abi Ink began with simple doodles in the later years of high school that slowly grew into something more. That curiosity led to studying apparel design at Auburn, where creativity started to feel like a real career path. After graduating and completing fashion internships in Atlanta, an important realization set in. Corporate fashion didn’t feel like the right fit. A brief experience at a textile startup confirmed it, and what followed was a season of exploration filled with camp counseling, restaurant shifts, nannying, and teaching kids art classes.
Somewhere in the middle of that unexpected chapter, surface design and illustration finally clicked. The art behind patterns on everyday products like notebooks, phone cases, and bedding felt like home. A defining moment came during a casual restaurant conversation when the name “Abi Ink” was born. That same night, the domain was purchased and the foundation for a business was laid. Two years later, the brand has grown into a real creative venture, recently landing its first client designing products for a new company.
One of the biggest turning points wasn’t a job offer but a decision to stop chasing traditional roles and fully commit to building something personal. Since then, the biggest milestone has simply been continuing to choose Abi Ink again and again, even through seasons of doubt. Like many entrepreneurs, self-doubt and uncertainty have been real challenges, but learning to move forward anyway without waiting for permission has been key. Instead of waiting for a door to open, the mindset became learning how to build one.
At its core, Abi Ink is deeply personal. The art reflects a playful, energetic spirit, colorful, joyful, and rooted in real life. Auburn played a meaningful role in shaping that path, providing both technical skills and the early spark of entrepreneurship that made building something independent feel possible. Today, running Abi Ink means wearing many hats, from designing collections and freelancing for brands to managing social media and the behind-the-scenes parts of a growing business. While the original plan was to focus on licensing, early freelancing opportunities proved how valuable it can be to stay open and flexible.
Looking ahead, the vision is both simple and expansive: keep creating and keep growing. Short-term goals include landing a licensing contract and bringing on part-time help, while long-term dreams include teaching other creatives how to build their own paths in surface design. Right now, a major milestone is already in motion, designing nine products for the launch of a new brand, with more than 30 patterns and illustrations in progress. It’s meaningful work done in a personal style, on a flexible schedule, from anywhere. A full-circle moment for a journey that started with a few simple doodles.
