A Weekend at the Market and Art Walk

This past weekend gave me a clearer sense of how people are actually experiencing the work—not just how it feels in the studio.

Throughout both the Lafayette Farmer’s Market and Lafayette Art Walk, there was a steady interest in the magnolia stickers. More than anything, people kept asking if there were paintings that matched them. That was one of the more noticeable takeaways—when something resonates, people want to see it expanded, not just repeated in the same format.

A lot of conversations centered around my personal approach to watercolor. People were curious about how I layered my colors, especially the balance between cooler and warmer tones. I found myself explaining that I don’t like to stay within a narrow palette—there’s more interest in letting those temperatures shift and interact rather than keeping everything uniform.

Certain pieces consistently drew attention. “A Shared Gaze” stood out, along with prints of my “Lavender” painting. There was also a surprising amount of focus on the jewelry—especially the smaller painted pieces. People spent time looking closely at them, noticing the level of detail at that scale, which turned into more personal conversations about process rather than just quick browsing.

What stood out most, though, was how people engaged with the booth itself. When prints were positioned so they could be seen from outside, more people paused, looked, and interacted without feeling like they had to fully step inside. It created a more open experience—something closer to encountering my work naturally.