There are moments in an artist's career that feel a little surreal.
For me, this summer was one of them.
I had the honor of creating not one, but two original paintings for a Studio McGee-designed home in Park City, Utah — an experience that still feels a little unbelievable to write about.
The home, Oxford Road Estate, was part of the Utah Valley Parade of Homes, and the opportunity to create artwork specifically for the space was such a meaningful milestone for my studio.
From the beginning, I knew these paintings needed to feel like they belonged there.
Not simply as artwork placed on a wall, but as part of the home itself.
Dream Garden
The first piece, Dream Garden, was created with the feeling of an abundant garden in mind.
I wanted the painting to have movement and softness while still holding its own within the scale of the room. The layers of color were built gradually, allowing the flowers and foliage to emerge rather than feeling overly defined.
I love when a painting gives you something different depending on how closely you look.
From across the room, you feel the overall movement and palette.
Up close, you begin to notice the smaller marks, layers, and unexpected colors woven throughout the piece.
Wishes Come True
The second piece, Wishes Come True, was created alongside it.
While the two paintings share a visual relationship, I wanted each to have its own personality. Together, they became part of the larger story of the home — romantic, collected, and connected to the surrounding landscape.
Creating artwork for an interior is a very different experience from simply painting whatever comes to mind.
I am thinking about scale.
I am thinking about light.
I am thinking about the colors already present in the room and which ones I want to echo — or intentionally interrupt.
And I am thinking about how someone will actually experience the painting once it leaves my studio.
Will it draw you across the room?
Will you notice something different six months from now?
Will it still feel like something you want to live with years later?
Those questions have become increasingly important to my practice.
Making art for a home
One of my favorite parts of creating these paintings was knowing they would eventually leave my studio and become part of a lived-in space.
That transition is one of the most special parts of being an artist.
A painting can begin as a blank canvas in a quiet studio and eventually become part of someone's morning coffee, family dinners, celebrations, and everyday life.
That is what I want my work to do.
To bring a sense of beauty and feeling into the spaces where life actually happens.
Seeing Dream Garden and Wishes Come True installed at Oxford Road Estate was one of those moments when the whole process came full circle.
I could finally step back and see them not just as paintings I had made, but as pieces of a home.
And for an artist who only recently found her way back to painting, it was a moment I won't soon forget.
I am incredibly grateful for the people who trusted me with the opportunity — and even more excited for where this path leads next.