Mo has been painting watercolor since 2012.
It began as wedding gifts, housewarming presents, and home decoration. I painted places for my loved ones so they could bring a little bit of their favorite places with them wherever they called home. And I did it for myself - I’m a cheeseball at heart, and quite honestly, I can feel sentimental about anything. But places feel especially meaningful to me. I’m a super visual person and bringing places outside into my home to remember a feeling it gave me, walks we took, or moments shared with someone means to much to me.
As people asked if I sold my paintings, I said no, I only do this for gifts. But eventually, after being asked so often, I thought to myself, what if I did this as a business instead of just for gifts? And this would not be an honest telling of this tale if we didn’t talk about Our Wilson House’s #1 Fan, Mo’s husband, Josh, who has been championing the idea of this painting business since day 1 and giving me the courage I needed to vulnerably step out into the world and offer my work to people.
So in 2020, as we all were reeling from the pandemic and I took a look at what I valued and how I wanted to spend my time, I opened an Etsy shop and sold a grand total of one painting. And I loved it. One painting in to my fledgling business and I was hooked.
I passed the 250 sales mark two years later and I can say just as genuinely now as then that I love this work. I feel grateful each day for the opportunity to create and make. Not because it’s so easy or always “fun,” but because it means something to me, and I can hear about how it means something to you. I’ve worked with folks grieving the loss of a grandparent and looking for a painting to bring the memories of their loved one close. I’ve worked with neighbors commissioning a painting of a home that burned down for the family whose home was lost. I’ve worked with couples welcoming guests to their wedding venue in such a personal way, and I get excited knowing I get to be a part of someone’s wedding in that way. And I’ve gotten to see my prints in your homes and spaces and I cannot tell you how honored that makes me feel.
Thank you for being here, for reading this, and for reaching out to me. When I say I love hearing from you, I mean that with all of my heart.
Love,
Mo
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Watercolor Painting
as so much more
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Watercolor Painting as Story Telling
One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to be a part of your story. Maybe that’s in helping you gift a loved one with something they’ll never forget, or bringing art and joy into your home. I’m honored to be a part of it <3
Watercolor Painting as Grieving
Life is not without grief, loss, pain, and those hurts we carry in our hearts. I believe art shows up in the midst of all that - not to take away the pain, but even while it’s there, art can somehow still bring wonder, comfort, warmth.
Watercolor Painting as Celebration
I have always loved traditions and celebrations. From our annual polar plunge on New Year’s Day to the ritual of morning coffee, I believe in celebrating life when it’s exciting and mundane. Art helps us commemorate that range of experience and remind us of what is still good.
Watercolor Painting as Healing
Being diagnosed in 2016 with fibromyalgia, a chronic health condition of pain and fatigue, I was left confused at this new life ahead of me. Amidst all that, art makes me feel like me - in the middle of all the changes my life had to make with this condition, painting for me is a constant source of peace and creation.
Watercolor Painting as Community
Painting on instagram and sending my work to customers all over the States, connects me to amazing people I never would have met otherwise. I think about where my work ends up finding a home and I love when people reach out to let me know they’ve liked something.
Watercolor Painting as Spiritual Practice
Dealing with depression and anxiety throughout my life, painting is a place of creation and connection with my Creator, bringing light amidst a whole bunch of darkness.