Can I tell you something? Even though I was an art major in college, I have never identified with the term “artist.” I have always thought of myself as a “designer.” Somehow the term artist always seemed a little too out there for me. And now, so many years later, I still identify with designer although I have made peace with the artist side too.

The summer before my senior year of college, I hopped a plane to Paris and spent the summer studying art and fashion. One month was with a tiny little school where I took fashion classes and studied draping and illustration. Another month was with Parsons where I took the best fine arts class I had experienced in the 4 years of art school I had already taken. That summer was transformative to me in my career as a designer. In the fashion courses I learned how to properly create a mood board (again with the artsy fartsy talk!); in the fashion courses I promptly learned that French nude models are much chicer than American hippie nude models. All kidding aside, those were some of the best months of my university career. It was also the summer I was introduced to watercolors. My Parsons professor couldn’t tear me away from them. He would ask for an acrylic or a pencil sketch, and there I would be furtively painting with my tiny cadre of watercolors. I still cherish that sketchbook; the images in it are stronger in my mind than the photographs I took at the time.

These days the opportunity for hands-on art creation is few and far between. But I do love to pull out the paint from time to time. Lately I’ve been inspired by watercolor as a trend. I’m fervently creating a whole new set of patterns for summer (and some other REALLY BIG DEAL projects that I wish wish wish I could tell you about!) and while I don’t know how these will fit in, I do know that part of the process is the hands-on creation and color inspiration. (Aside: I do think these would make incredible lucite trays, though, don’t you? Complete & utter one-of-a-kinds.)

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Are you a fan of the watercolor trend