Meet Nicole Christianson | Creative Director and Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Christianson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The process of starting my own business began in 2020 during the pandemic. With my job at a San Diego theater costume shop shut down, I suddenly had the time and energy to explore creative pursuits I had long neglected. Like many other people, I was finally able to pause and think about what I wanted my life to look like. While I LOVED my theater job and the beautiful things I got to make, it drained all my creative energy, leaving nothing for myself. The lockdown allowed me to reconnect with my passion for art, something I hadn’t done much of in the 14 years I spent in theater after earning my BFA in fiber arts.
I stumbled upon some online lessons for surface design and was intrigued. I’ve always been drawn to the more practical side of art (e.g., graphic, interior, and fashion design), so making patterns for fabric and wallpaper felt like a good fit. I took a couple of classes, learned a lot, and really enjoyed myself, but when it was time for the theater to reopen, I went back to work. This was a problem. I had gotten a taste of creating for myself and I quickly realized that it was time for a change.
I found a part-time job to bring in some money while I worked on a plan to make my idea of creating art for a living possible. I started simply with tea towels, launched my website a little over a year ago, and haven’t looked back! While I wouldn’t call my business successful yet, I now have the time and energy to follow my curiosity to see where it leads. I’m excited to share my unique perspective with the world!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Nicole Dawn Studio is a one woman show–everything you see is drawn, painted, designed, and sewn by me, Nicole Christianson. I work out of a one bedroom apartment in Pacific Beach that I share with my husband, Caleb, and our spotty shepherd mix, Fitz. My husband also runs his business out of our apartment, so space is tight, but we make it work!
I started simple with tea towels and plan to branch out into wallpaper, other home textiles, and apparel. I’m currently exploring block printing and creating patterns for my Spoonflower shop. (Spoonflower is a print-on-demand company that prints on fabric, wallpaper and various home goods.)
I gravitate to bright, cheerful colors and recognizable themes such as plants, animals and everyday objects. I’m dedicated to creating high-quality items, sourcing materials and printing locally or in the USA whenever possible. My goal is to help people surround themselves with unique, high quality items that make them smile! I am also committed to sustainability–my packaging is made from recycled materials and I recycle my fabric scraps.
My favorite piece that I’ve created so far is my “Midwest Mantis” print inspired by my grandfather’s request for a bug-themed tea towel. It features three mantis species found near his home, along with an assortment of other insects and a background inspired by my trip to Italy. I spent about a year working on it off-and-on and I am thrilled with how it turned out. I plan to make it into an art print in the future.
I struggle with an intense streak of perfectionism that I thought was a blessing, but I’ve discovered that it can stifle my creativity and progress. I’m learning to give myself permission to play and explore instead of expecting a perfect product at the end. With or without my perfectionism, I do love making incredibly detailed art and patterns, and that’s not going to change any time soon. Making patterns seamlessly repeat is very enjoyable. I love making the print large and complicated enough to disguise where the repeat happens.
My tea towels are available on my website, nicoledawnstudio.com, and I share process videos, current projects, and more on Instagram @nicoledawnstudio if you’d like to follow along. You can also find my prints on Spoonflower, where they’re available on fabric, wallpaper, and home goods like pillows and tablecloths.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a good friend were visiting San Diego, I’d recommend staying in one of our walkable beach communities. I am most familiar with Pacific Beach because that’s where I live, but Mission Beach and La Jolla would also be good options. It’s really lovely to enjoy San Diego’s amazing weather while walking to the beach, shopping, or to dinner.
I’d suggest spending plenty of time at the beach, and if the tide is low, checking out the tide pools. Finding an octopus is always a treat! Whichever beach you can walk to is the best, but I do have a soft spot for La Jolla Shores. The water stays shallow for a long way out, making it great for wading, swimming, and snorkeling. The water is often clear and warm in the summer, and during parts of the year you can see leopard sharks! Don’t forget sunscreen and a beach umbrella–the sun here is intense. I forget this every year and manage to get burned. If you have a dog, OB Dog Beach is a blast.
One of my favorite things about San Diego is the food. Almost anywhere you go is really good. My favorite places in Pacific Beach for dinner are Oltre Mare, a family owned Italian joint with the BEST gnocchi, and Costa Brava which has incredible Spanish tapas. My husband loves Pacific Beach Fish Shop for their delicious fish tacos and seafood. For breakfast, Konos offers yummy, inexpensive food, with great ocean views from their little hidden deck. The best breakfast burrito we’ve found is from Taco Surf–the crispy hash browns inside are *chef’s kiss*.
Some of my favorite activities include whale watching with Gone Whale Watching, and evening bike rides on the boardwalk in PB–when it’s cooler and a little less crowded, especially during the week. Balboa Park is beautiful to wander around. The Mingei Museum is my favorite– they focus on folk arts and crafts from all over the world. If you’re into theater, don’t miss seeing a show at The Old Globe–it’s one of the best regional theaters in the country, often premiering shows that go on to Broadway.
If you’re a hiker, my favorite hike is to Eagle Rock. It can be a long hike, but fairly easy with a unique rock formation that looks just like an eagle at the end. If you’re visiting in a camper van and want a free place with a view to relax for the day, Fiesta Island is a great spot.
San Diego is an amazing place. I’ve been here for 10 years now, and I don’t think I’ll ever leave!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband Caleb has been essential to the process of starting my business. He’s been incredibly encouraging and supportive, both emotionally and financially, and has helped me with the non-art aspects of running a business. It’s been fun to start our businesses around the same time–he has a side business of his own called Nano Lab, where he examines the tiniest of things with a scanning electron microscope. It’s pretty entertaining–our apartment is a mix of art supplies on one side and science and lab equipment on the other!
My sister Emily has also been a huge help, giving encouragement and sharing tips from her experience selling her pottery. And, of course, I have to thank everyone who has supported my business by purchasing items—there’s no way I could do it without them!

Website: https://www.nicoledawnstudio.com

Instagram: @nicoledawnstudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleDawnStudio

Other: Spoonflower shop: www.spoonflower.com/profiles/nicoledawnstudio