From Veterinary Medicine to Pattern Design: Federica Volpato’s Creative Journey

Some artists arrive at their creative careers by a winding road, and those are often some of my favorite stories.

Federica Volpato, who goes by Fede, has been drawing since childhood, but her love for living things initially led her in a more scientific direction. She pursued her studies and a career in veterinary medicine before eventually finding her way back to illustration.

Today, Fede creates whimsical watercolor patterns for children’s wallpaper, textiles, and nursery spaces. Her work celebrates childhood, nature, tenderness, and imagination.

I am so delighted to celebrate Fede as one of our Leverage Hometown Heroes.

 Meet Fede Volpato 

Fede, is an Italian pattern designer and illustrator specializing in sweet, gentle watercolor artwork created for children’s spaces.

Inspired by nature and her life with her two children, she creates patterns, illustrations, and visual stories intended to spark imagination and bring a little more beauty and wonder into everyday life.

She focuses on building licensing relationships with brands while also developing her own nursery décor products.

You can explore her work at fedevolpato.com, on Instagram at @fede.volpato.studio, and on Pinterest.

Finding Her Way Back to Art 

Fede describes herself as a creative soul from a very young age. She spent countless hours drawing as a child, but eventually chose a scientific path and pursued a career in veterinary medicine.

After marrying and starting her family, she felt called to return to her creative roots.

During a challenging period in her life, Federica explored several possible creative paths. She tried floral design, pastry making, and graphic design before discovering pattern design through courses on Skillshare.

That was the moment she realized she had found her path.

Fede began creating and sharing her artwork. Gradually, she developed a website and portfolio, reached out to companies, continued studying, and submitted her work to art calls.

Some opportunities resulted in wins. Others did not. Sometimes, even when she did not win an art call, a company offered her a contract for a different design.

She is open about the fact that her creative business is not yet financially sustainable. Still, she says she has never doubted her decision because creating makes her heart genuinely happy.

Creating Art for Children’s Spaces 

Fede’s work is deeply inspired by childhood.

Her mission is to surround children with designs that feel dreamy, playful, beautiful, and timeless. She hopes her illustrations can calm, inspire, encourage learning, and bring a smile to both children and adults.

As her work developed, Fede began focusing more intentionally on the children’s-room market. Her style also became clearer and more reflective of who she is as an artist.

That clarity has helped her create a body of work she genuinely loves.

Growing a Licensing Business 

Fede reached several meaningful milestones during the past year.

She was approached by Loomwell about beginning a licensing collaboration, an opportunity she described as a dream.

She also created her first Christmas collection, something she had wanted to bring to life for a long time. The collection went on to win an art call with CHP.

Over the course of the year, Federica created more than 100 pieces while caring for two young children. She moved her website to Squarespace, reached 500 followers on Instagram, and even began sending voice messages in English, something she says was not easy for her as an Italian speaker.

She also shared plans to relaunch her own nursery décor collection, including wall art and wall vinyl stickers.

Her growing portfolio includes collections such as Emma, Spring Threads, Christmas Morning, and Animal Alphabet.

What Leverage Your Art Changed for Fede

Fede had wanted to take Leverage Your Art, now called Leverage, for a long time.

There were parts of running her pattern design business that still felt unclear, and she believed those unanswered questions were keeping her from making the next leap.

Through the program, she gained greater clarity about how to communicate her work, who she wanted to reach, and how to connect with that audience.

She also learned more about the legal side of the industry and the behind-the-scenes process of selling products.

“It opened doors I didn’t even know existed and provided me with practical, useful tools.”

By following the lessons and implementing what she learned step by step, many parts of the business began to feel easier. That allowed her to focus more freely on creating.

Federica says:

“I know who I am as an artist, who my audience is, and how to reach them.”

The program also gave her something she had not expected: new friendships with people who understood the path she was walking.

Learning to Think Like an Entrepreneur 

One of Fede’s greatest challenges was learning to believe that an art career was possible for her.

She also had to begin seeing herself not only as an artist, but as an entrepreneur.

That meant learning how to sell her work, build relationships with clients, make decisions that protected her business, and help the people around her understand that her dream was both real and achievable.

Balancing her business with her roles as a mother, daughter, wife, and friend remains an ongoing challenge. She is also continuing to develop her social media, watercolor, and pattern-building skills.

Federica is honest that financial sustainability takes time, even after an artist begins securing contracts.

Fede’s Advice for Artists 

Fede's first piece of advice is simple: be patient.

Pattern design is a complex profession with many different skills to learn. Building experience and confidence takes time.

She encourages artists to remain consistent, remembering that small steps still move a business forward. She also recommends asking questions, studying, taking courses when needed, and setting achievable goals.

Just as importantly, artists need to continue making time to create.

She says to celebrate the meaningful moments, especially receiving samples and seeing your artwork come to life on products.

Her strongest advice is to build genuine relationships:

“Being part of a community is invaluable. You need a space where you can ask questions, share challenges, and grow alongside others who truly understand this journey.”

For Fede, despite all the challenges, this is still the best job in the world.

Ready to Take the Next Step With Your Art? 

Fede joined Leverage Your Art because she wanted greater clarity around communicating her work, navigating the business side of the industry, and reaching the right audience.

Leverage helps artists develop the knowledge, tools, and strategy they need to build an intentional business around their creativity. Artists can work through the lessons while applying what they learn to their own artwork, audience, and goals.

Learn more about Leverage and join the waitlist here

Frequently Asked Questions About Leverage

What is Leverage?

Leverage is a business program created by artist and entrepreneur Stacie Bloomfield. It helps artists gain greater clarity around marketing, audience growth, products, licensing, and building income from their creative work.

Who is Leverage for?

Leverage is for artists who want to build a more intentional business around their work. Students may be developing their first collections, pursuing licensing, creating products, growing an audience, or looking for a clearer strategy for an existing creative business.

Do I need to have licensing experience before joining?

No. Artists can enter the program at different stages of their careers. Some are just beginning to explore licensing or products, while others already have experience and want to strengthen their business strategy.

Can I work through Leverage at my own pace?

The program is designed to give artists practical information they can apply to their own businesses. Students may need different amounts of time to understand and implement each lesson.

Does Leverage guarantee licensing contracts or business results?

No specific results are guaranteed. Each artist begins with different artwork, experience, resources, audiences, and goals. Leverage provides education and business tools that students can apply to their individual situations.

About Stacie Bloomfield

Stacie Bloomfield is the founder of Gingiber, a surface pattern design and art licensing brand she built from her dining room table into a multimillion-dollar business with products in 1,400+ brick-and-mortar stores. She has earned $500K+ through art licensing and has taught 5,000+ artists how to build real income from their work.

She is the author of The Artist's Side Hustle (Hay House), a Moda fabric designer, and the host of the Art + Audience podcast. Her programs, including Side Hustle Society, Leverage Your Art, and the Art Licensing Pitch Playbook, help artists at every stage turn their creativity into consistent income.