December is here, the holidays are near, and with every new release, the Well + Wonder collection feels more and more festive! From florals to collages to landscapes, the influx of artwork before the holidays has us feeling jolly. Oh, how we love this holiday season! New Well + Wonder artist Kirsten Williams has us feeling especially festive because tomorrow our gallery will officially be stocked with her fabulous debut collection! Kirsten has been painting for over fifteen years, guided by curiosity and a love of color. Over the years, she’s explored drawing, photography, quilting, and pottery - each one adding something special to her creative journey - but painting has always felt like home. She now works from her cozy home studio in Fairfax, Virginia. As we prepared for Kirsten to join the Well + Wonder team, we sat down with her in this creative space to chat and learn a little more about the person behind the paintings...Read the full interview in our latest blog post, Pardon Me, Kirsten Williams!
What is currently on your nightstand?
Whether I’m at home or traveling, I always have lip balm, lotion, my Kindle, a pair of glasses and a couple hair ties. I try to keep it fairly simple so there are less distractions when I’m trying to fall asleep.
Who is your biggest influence as an artist and why?
My daughters are such a big influence for me. We started drawing flowers together when they were little, and my work is now directly influenced by those same blooms we created together. They’re often in the studio with me, giving me advice and mixing paint. They mix the most interesting colors just by going for it with no preconceived notion of what they’re hoping to create - just experimenting, having fun and playing with color. They really push me to paint like a kid again and use colors I would have normally shied away from.
Tell us about your childhood. What is the most memorable moment as a young person?
We were a military family, so I spent my childhood moving every 2-3 years. It was both amazing and challenging, but looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve lived in Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Washington, Hawaii and Virginia, where we settled when I was a teenager. I think each move was memorable, and I feel so lucky to have lived in each place at that point in my life. I lived in Alaska in early elementary school where I played ice hockey. I lived in Iowa when I was a preteen and our neighborhood was the best – riding bikes, going over to friends houses everyday and coming home when it got dark. We moved to Northern Virginia when I was a teenager and the culture, museums and opportunities here are just immense. It was the perfect place to be during each phase of my life. I feel like I really got to experience so many different childhoods based on where we were living, which has shaped me into the person I am today.
If you could only have one supply in your art studio, what would it be and why?
If I were limited to just one art supply, it would have to be paint. Surfaces are everywhere—fabric, wood, scraps of paper—so I could keep creating no matter what.
What is your favorite room in your house? Describe it.
Our family room is my favorite in the house. It’s where the piano sits next to the fireplace, and where our big, comfortable couch fits all of us at once. It’s the room where we play games, watch movies, and spend time together. It really is the heart of our home.
What is your biggest score online?
My husband and I love to collect art, and I just so happen to be watching IG stories for a gallery in Hawaii where we’ve purchased a number of paintings in the past. They were highlighting some new pieces from one of our favorite artists, and I was completely blown away by one of them. It was a more unusual size, but we were keeping an eye out for something to place above our fireplace, and it seemed like a good fit. We purchased it immediately, and when it arrived it was absolutely perfect – like it was meant for our home. And now I get to enjoy it everyday in my favorite room in our house.
What is the benefit of buying art through a collective? What do you recommend for those who are new to buying original art?
The benefit of buying through a collective is the curation. Well + Wonder is fantastic because every artist and piece is unique, yet the work feels cohesive and could live comfortably in the same home. If you connect with one artist, there’s a good chance you’ll discover several others you love as well. My advice for buying original art is to start small. Collect pieces you love (even if you don’t understand why) and they’ll always make you happy. My husband and I started our collection with smaller works and we slowly became fans of certain styles and artists. We now own multiple pieces by a few of the same artists, and I love following along to see when they release new work.
If you have the entire day to spend in an art museum, which one and why?
Without a doubt, it would be Musée de l'Orangerie. I’ve been to Paris a few times, and absolutely love it there, but haven’t had a chance to make it to Musée de l'Orangerie. It’s first on my list when I get the chance to go to Paris again. They have so many amazing pieces there, but Claude Monet’s Les Nympheas would be a highlight for me.
What is your favorite hotel and what makes it special?
There’s a truly special place in my heart for Hawaii. My husband and I lived there for a couple years before getting married, and we now take our daughters there to show them around our old neighborhood and enjoy the beauty of the islands. We love to stay at the Sheraton Waikiki – the kids love the pool with a view of the ocean, and my husband and I love walking around the Royal Hawaiian next door. Everything is open, so walking through the hotel you can feel the ocean breeze and smell the flowers. I’ve been lucky to travel quite a lot, but Hawaii will always feel incredibly special to me, and it’s been so wonderful sharing it with our kids.
If you were a lipstick color would you be red, pink, or clear and why?
I would love to be a lipstick girl, but I’m just not. I’m a wannabe red, but ultimately clear lip balm kinda girl.
I can never get on a plane without….
Lip balm, lotion, my Kindle, hand sanitizer, snacks and water. Even if it’s a short flight, I’m always prepared with emergency snacks (tell me you’re a mom without telling me).
How did you get into the world of art?
I’ve always been artistic. Growing up, my parent would told me that I have an artist’s eye, and that really encouraged me to lean into it. Over the years I explored drawing, photography, quilting, and pottery. I was lucky enough to take a few years of photography in high school, which I fell in love with. In college I kind of put away my creative side for a bit. I studied hard, graduated, and had a wonderful 15 year career in marketing. But 8 years ago, I found myself laid off with 2 small kids at home, and I decided to start painting part-time. Once my girls were in elementary school, I was able to focus much more time on developing my work, which has led me here.
What do you do to relax?
I love to be productive, but everything is a balance, and there are definitely seasons when I lean into rest and relaxation. Slow mornings, evenings as a family watching movies, going on a walk and reading before bed are my favorite ways to unwind.
When do you get the biggest surge of inspiration?
I’m a morning person, so a lot of my productivity and inspiration strikes in the hours before lunchtime. I’d love to be someone who stays up late to work, but I’m more of a wake up at 5am to paint kinda gal. I tend to stack my most important tasks in the morning because I know it’ll be easier for me to accomplish them.
Prediction for the Color of 2026?
This is such a good question! I’m so inspired by color, whether it’s bold and bright or muted and soft, I’m constantly aware of color and using it to inspire my work. A rich mustard or soft ochre would be lovely. I’m really drawn to those types of colors right now.
What is your idea of a date night? Dinner and a movie or dancing all night?
This is an easy one because it’s a date that my husband and I try to do once or twice a year for special occasions. I love a seasonal tasting menu with wine pairing and having a few hours together to just talk, laugh and spend time together.
Tell us about your favorite painting that you have created.
This is like asking me to choose my favorite child! But if I had to pick one, it would be an 8x10 floral piece on a red background that I painted for the Loyola Art Show. I never used to use red in my work – it felt so intimidating. But now I rarely paint a piece without at least a small touch of red. That red piece is the one that pushed me out of my comfort zone, and not only did I love how it turned out, it really represented a leap in my practice.
One piece of advice for buying original art?
Buy the pieces you’re drawn to, even if you’re not sure where they’ll go or why they speak to you. As your collection grows, you’ll discover more about yourself, and your home will naturally start to feel more like you.
