ERIN L WILSON

hello

I'm Erin Wilson, a Maryland-based stationery and surface pattern designer. After a decade in the industry, I've yet to tire of seeing my products in stores or in the hands of customers celebrating special occasions or decorating their homes.

I'm glad you stopped by. If you're interested in purchasing beautiful stationery for yourself or licensing it for your business, you've come to the right place.

Licensing artists!

Are you an licensing artist who is struggling to organize and track your work? I've been there and I have a great solution. I teach an in-person session that will help you learn to use free software to manage your portfolio professionally and license a greater percentage of your work!

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Can't resist a moody floral.

I adore this company and the women who run it. I'm also desperate to have a way to continue getting these planners. I'm solidly hooked. 😂

@golden.coil #GCxDESIGN25

Oldie but a goodie. I hope you feel every ounce of luck you have. For a home, for food, for peace, for a job, for kindness, for love. There are so many who don’t have the things we take most for granted.
☘️ hug your loved ones and celebrate what being lucky really means!

Last year, I posted about my frustration with art licensing classes that overpromise six-figure incomes. It rang true to many experienced licensing artists. (The post is a floral XOXO from February last year if you want to look at some sage advice!).

The pitch for these classes makes it sound like your income will skyrocket immediately, and that everyone who takes the class will have equal success. The pitch discounts the value of experience. They claim if you’re not willing to pay thousands for the class, you’re not “investing in yourself.”

I want you to know-you don’t need a class to try art licensing.

Here’s the real secret of what you do need (for free! From someone who has been doing it for 11 years!):

1. Time and practice. It is a great job (that part is true!) but it is not a magic job. You have to set aside hours of drawing time. You will see progress year over year. You will probably not make very much good art at the very beginning. Over time, you will create a higher and higher percentage of good, marketable art. Maybe take an art class, learn about composition.

2. Access to an email account. You are a human who knows how to speak with other humans. You can write a pitch email. You do not want to send the same pitch email that thousands of other people are sending. You are not a form. You are YOU! Pitch you.

3. Vocabulary. Get the “Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines.” Learn about the field. Understand what to expect and what is realistic.

4. A network. Attend a trade show, make friends in the field. We’re a friendly bunch. Send a nice DM. Carry yourself professionally and humbly. Seasoned artists have experience, sympathy and wisdom. Many will share all 3 with true friends. I owe a great deal of my success to true friends who have helped me navigate this career. 💚

Drawing and designing is fun and creative and you’ll probably love it. You should try it if it interests you! If you’re interested in learning more, reach out. I can’t promise you instant success (sorry), but I will help where I can.

Licensing friends: what would you add? Share your best tips in the comments!

#artlicensing #licensingartist

Top voted deserves her own moment to shine in the feed. Happy Galentine’s day! I wish I was celebrating since I have so many lovely girl friends in my life, but instead I’m nursing a sick kid and catching up after 1.5 snow days 😂

#galentinesday #galentines #valentine #handlettering

For the one you text immediately.
Which would you send?

I'm using a little snippet of some new artwork here to re-introduce myself to new followers. Kinda long- dare you to read it.

Hi, I’m Erin Wilson. Erin “L” Wilson (I’ll share why the “L” in stories).

I have been working in art licensing for 11 years now & I specialize in stationery and surface pattern design. Holiday work is life, but my favorite category is probably wedding. I love drawing pretty flowers and leaves (please don’t make me draw people).

I’m a self-taught artist with no real training in art! I actually majored in music in college (could have been a band teacher!). Flute & piccolo was my emphasis, but I play the piano and enjoy singing as well. In high school, I wanted to be a math teacher all the way till senior year when I HATED BC Calculus.

Even though I didn’t pursue math, that logical part of my brain still is super in tact. I thrive with order and organization. I struggle with inefficient processes and especially with wasted time in my work (I am sometimes TOO good at wasting time in my life). I teach a class about once a month for artists who want to use a free program called Airtable to better manage their portfolios and I love revisiting my teaching roots.

Another thing I’m passionate about is being kind. Especially on the internet. Especially on the internet in 2025. One of my proudest achievements is not at all design related, though I hosted it on this account. In 2020, right before the election, I hosted a series of conversations about political affiliation using a series of questions for self-reflection. I’m still really proud of the people I met from both parties, the conversations I had, and the way we committed to being rational, peaceful, calm and not ignoring the tough political conversations, but instead, having them civilly. You can find the questions if you scroll far enough back, or you can listen to me explain the series and go through the questions in my highlights (look for “So Play Nice”). While I feel strongly about politics and may occasionally post something about it, you will not find rage-baiting here.

Continued in comments…

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