In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog

When watercolor artist Juliet Meeks moved into her New Orleans studio this past spring, she knew one thing was for sure: her signature watercolor style had to make an appearance. Looking to Spoonflower for a little help, Juliet transformed her watercolor florals into vibrant wallpaper (now available in her Spoonflower shop!) to instantly elevate the look and feel of the new studio. Whether she’s hosting workshops or painting her next design, Juliet’s studio welcomes guests with a cheerful vibe that is reflective of Juliet’s personality. Keep reading to get to know more about this New Orleans artist.

I fell in love with design when…

I realized how many possibilities design creates in the world! Having a way to express your personal vision is empowering. 

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog
Featured design: Watercolor Pink Floral

What’s in your toolbox?

Watercolors by Winsor & Newton, gouache, my favorite brushes, cold pressed watercolor paper, my iPad with the Procreate app, and lately, I have been starting acrylic painting. 

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog

What is your process when creating a new design?

I usually like to have an inspiration photo, still life or fresh bouquet of flowers to paint from. But lately I have been trying to experiment more just from my imagination. My go-to is watercolor. When I’m painting, I usually don’t plan out a color palette first but just let each color guide the next intuitively. If I am making a repeating pattern, I will paint the elements individually, scan them in and clean them up in Photoshop, and then create the repeat tile there.

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog

I actually have a class on Skillshare that shows this process and another new class on how to make a repeating pattern using the handmade method. I love to draw on my iPad while watching Netflix. I found that using the app Procreate has allowed me to experiment and create a whole new type of illustration style than I’m used to—I think because it helps to have an “undo” button!

When I’m in my studio, I feel…

Like I am knocking out my to do list on the best days. For example, it’s great if I get at least one painting or pattern done that felt inspiring to create. On a more challenging day, when there are so many different types of tasks ahead, it can feel insurmountable! Both inspiring and challenging days are always ahead. Running my art studio full-time for the past three years has taught me to take them both as they come, and that sometimes the quiet, in-between moments spent creating are the best.

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog

Who or what influences or inspires your work and why?

Color is my biggest inspiration—I love finding unexpected palettes that work well with the sense of movement and texture I go for in my watercolors. 

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog

The secret to a strong collection is…

A cohesive color palette and elements that play off of each other. 

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog
Featured Design: Botanical Garden in Black

What drew you to Spoonflower?  

I ordered my very first sample swatch of my own fabric design from Spoonflower back in college! I still have that sample, and it was so exciting to see. When I opened my online shop in 2016, I used fabric from Spoonflower to sew zipper pouches to sell as one of my first products. Spoonflower is an amazing resource for artists, and not just because of the Design Challenges—it allows you to order small quantities of fabric which I have found is rare in the industry, and samples to test out designs. And now, its enabled me to have wallpaper of my own design in my new studio space. It’s been fun to say, “yes, that’s my design on the walls”!

In the Studio with Watercolor Artist Juliet Meeks | Spoonflower Blog

Want to have Juliet’s designs on your walls too? You can now shop her watercolor designs on removable, renter-friendly wallpaper!

Photography by Gabby Chapin / @gabbychapin_photography