We're starting the week off strong because a new Well + Wonder artist is joining our ranks on Friday...We're thrilled to introduce Kate Barreto!Kate is a painter living in the tiny coastal town of Morehead City, North Carolina. When she's not in her studio, she's chasing after her two wild toddlers—professional crab hunters and ocean splash experts—usually alongside her husband, who keeps them all laughing.Her art leans toward calm, peaceful scenes (probably because the rest of her life is delightfully chaotic, Kate says). Painting is her way of slowing things down, soaking in the beauty around her, and sharing a little pocket of peace with anyone who needs it. She's just happy to put her work into the world and hope it lands with people who love it as much as she loves making it.Kate's debut Canopy collection launches this Friday (June 12th) at 10 am Eastern! Until then, get to know her a little bit better by reading her responses to our new artist interview below!
What is currently on your nightstand?
The latest book by Taylor Jenkins Reed, a giant cup of water, a handful of hair clips, and probably one of my son’s monster trucks
Who is your biggest influence as an artist and why?
My mom is an artist too. She decided when I was young that she wanted to learn a new skill, so she signed up for a watercolor class. Her work has evolved over the last 20 years from watercolor to acrylic to oils. It has just been inspiring to watch - a lesson in “practice makes progress.” I’ve had a first-hand look at what you can achieve if you take the first step.
Tell us about your childhood. What is the most memorable moment as a young person?
Peak 90s childhood, especially in the summers. I have the best memories of playing outside all day, spending hours in the neighborhood pool down the street. I’d swim until dusk with my best friends, and my dad would whistle from our front porch when he got home from work to call me in for the night. Something special about the days before the internet!
If you could only have one supply in your art studio, what would it be and why?
Masterson Sta-Wet paint palette.It's the only way I can keep my acrylics from drying out!
What is your favorite room in your house? Describe it.
These days, my studio is my favorite room to escape to. Paintings in various states of completion cover the walls, and drops of paint are on the floor. Paint brushes on almost every surface. It’s dreamy.
What is your biggest score online?
Art!I find a lot of new and emerging artists through social media and art collectives. I collect small pieces when I have something to celebrate.
What is the benefit of buying art through a collective? What do you recommend for those who are new to buying original art?
Being able to browse so many works of art in one place is highly convenient. Collectives like Well + Wonder make it easy, because its a curated grouping of artists. Its a great starting point for someone who is intimidated by the collection process.
If you have the entire day to spend in an art museum, which one and why?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art! I lived in New York for a couple years after college and one day I spent several hours there, just wandering alone. I’d easily relive that day again.
What is your favorite hotel, and what makes it special?
I’d take a rental house with a group of friends or family any day!
If you were a lipstick color, would you be red, pink, or clear, and why?
As much as I want to be a bold and bright kind of girl sometimes, I’m a barely tinted lip balm. Simple but steady.
I can never get on a plane without….
Headphones! Music is always playing
How did you get into the world of art?
I was always creative, but I never took extra art courses until I was in college. I actually don’t remember making a conscious decision to add art to my schedule. I took one intro class in college, and I was a goner. Obsessed. I signed up for any art course that was available to me. Sculpture, drawing, textiles, you name it… I landed on metals and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in metal design from East Carolina University. I spent several years designing and creating silver jewelry as a hobby and side job. I pivoted to painting when I had my first child. I was thinking it was a good way to be creative while keeping an eye on the kids (from a safety standpoint, soldering torches and babies don’t mix), but I immediately fell in love with painting! It's been a really enjoyable evolution from the start.
What do you do to relax?
I seek out the ocean if I can. The beach is just down the road, so I try to get out there as often as I can.
When do you get the biggest surge of inspiration?
It sounds weird, but I think a lot about color and composition in the car. I spend a lot of time driving through my tiny coastal town. I’m constantly looking at cloud formations, the waves on the water, watching the tide go up and down - covering and uncovering oyster beds. That’s how I began painting marsh scenes
Prediction for the Color of 2027?
I could really go for a deep and vibrant blue. Blue really is the best, isn’t it?
What is your idea of a date night? Dinner and a movie or dancing all night?
Grabbing a pizza on the way to the beach.Sitting on our chairs in the sand and watching the waves crash until the sun goes down. “Beach Pizza” is a family favorite with and without the kids!
Tell us about your favorite painting that you have created.
When my daughter (age 2) was first learning to speak, she pronounced “Strawberries” as “Dobbies.” It was her favorite fruit for a good spell, and every time she asked for Dobbies, it made me giggle. I had to put it on canvas. I painted a 36x48 strawberry pattern and it’s hanging in my dining room. She pronounces Strawberries correctly now, but the painting reminds me of her saying Dobbies every time I look at it. I hope I never forget it. I think that’s the best thing about art, actually.
One piece of advice for buying original art?
Buy what speaks to you.Buy what you love.
