THE STORY BEHIND THE STUDIO
I’m Ellen Fields — designer, color aficionado and the creative force behind Bohemia Designs.
My work lives at the intersection of global textile traditions, lush botanicals, and the warm, layered aesthetic of a well-traveled life. I design from Mérida, Yucatán where the color, craft, and culture of Mexico infuse everything I make — and from California, where I grew up surrounded by a different kind of natural beauty.
After training with some of the industry's leading surface pattern educators —including Bonnie Christine's Immersion program, Art Business with Ness, and Cat Coq's Collective — I launched Bohemia Designs with a clear vision: to create pattern collections that feel both globally inspired and deeply personal.
With 16 collections and counting, my work spans bold florals, lush botanicals, globally-inspired novelties and everything in between. I design for brands that want their products to tell a story — to feel curated, intentional, and alive with color.
Why Queen Bohemia?
When I decided to commit fully to art, I needed a name that would give me confidence in this new chapter. "Queen" was deliberate — a little bold, a little aspirational, the kind of title you give yourself when you're stepping into something big. "Bohemia" spoke to my nature: a free spirit, a bit of a rebel, someone who came of age in the 60s and 70s and never quite lost that.
But then the name took on a life of its own. I discovered that my father's ancestors came to the United States from Bratislava — a city at the heart of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, neighbors to the Kingdom of Bohemia for centuries. And when I visited Prague, I stumbled into an extraordinary exhibit of monumental paintings by Alphonse Mucha, the Art Nouveau master, chronicling the entire history of Bohemia. Standing there, I felt something click into place. Prague felt like home from the moment I arrived.
So the name I chose for courage turned out to be something closer to destiny.
Long-term collaborators say...
Ellen turns ideas into beautiful reality, always on time — even on impossible deadlines. — Jennifer Lytle, Tierra Yucatan (10+ years)
An extraordinary eye and a rare combination of writing, design, and storytelling skills.— Kurt Wootton, Habla
Efficient, caring, and genuinely invested in every project’s success for over 15 years. — Yury di Pasquale, Yucatan Homes and Lots
Ready for Licensing
Bohemia Designs is available for licensing. If you're a brand, manufacturer, or publisher looking for distinctive surface patterns, I'd love to connect. Let’s bring some Yucatán sunshine and California joy to your next product line.
I also co-designed and published this book of original photographs called Ten Years of Yucatan Living. (The book is not available commercially but I have a few left... if you are interested, contact me!)
To license or purchase artwork from me, or to commission something unique just for you, contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you.