Right before Henry was born, I was commissioned to paint several water colors for Caitlin Wilson Textiles, thanks to a referral by Rachel Grace. My illustration style and what she needed turned out to be a good fit, and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to work with her. Caitlin is an amazingly talented and creative designer.
I had so much fun bringing her lovely pillows and interiors to life in watercolor for her portfolio and website relaunch. I always love a fellow enthusiast of bright and happy colors.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I loved being able to do something that felt "normal" in the early days of motherhood, as I was feeling tied to the sofa while feeding the baby or trying to sleep. It was a bit stressful as well definitely, but it helped me to work faster and plan my time differently. Instead of painting a watercolor in 2 shots, I had to think of what I could accomplish in 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and be flexible as well. As sometimes my mom could hold the baby, and sometimes he needed me, as I am his food source!
This type of working means that I have to leave my studio area in progress sometimes, and avoid the common procrastination trap of thinking everything must be neat and clean before I can start working. Sometimes you just have to get it done, even if it's painting on your bed while watching TV with a cute little boy who just wants to snuggle next to you.
Caitlin could not have been sweeter or more understanding regarding working with a brand new baby, as she's a working mom herself. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet her in person before she relocated to Portland, but I can definitely say she is a sweetheart (via email) and a talented and hard worker who deserves great success.
Enjoy the details of these watercolors. The floral pillow with navy piping was my favorite to paint. Okay, and the bulletin board!