Artist Katrina Pete seeks to capture the feeling of being immersed in a garden through her work, including this piece, Heirloom Peonies. Artist: Katrina Pete
Peonies bloom year-round in Katrina Pete’s cards, home décor and paintings.
For artist Katrina Pete, inspiration often begins in the garden. Surrounded by peonies, songbirds and the changing rhythms of Minnesota’s seasons, Pete has built a thriving artistic career creating expressive paintings that celebrate the beauty of the natural world. Her vibrant floral and bird artwork has appeared on Hallmark greeting cards, home décor products and fine art prints, while also earning a devoted following among students who take her online and in-person painting classes.
Pete’s path to becoming a professional artist was anything but conventional. Growing up in Burnsville, she developed an appreciation for both creativity and science. After graduating from Lakeville High School in 2003 and pursuing a degree in medical laboratory sciences at the University of Minnesota, she spent 12 years working in the medical field. Yet she never stopped painting. “I continued to take watercolor workshops and joined the Minnesota Watercolor Society and learned from many wonderful artists,” she says.
Katrina Pete’s work is inspired by her garden, as well as growing up in her parents’ and grandma’s gardens. Photos: Katrina Pete
Today, nature remains at the heart of nearly everything Pete creates. Her paintings are deeply influenced by a childhood spent outdoors and in the gardens tended by generations of her family. “I have fond memories of my Grandma’s gardens, my parents’ garden growing up and exploring the outdoors with my family,” Pete says. “Working with my hands in my own garden invites all five senses to come alive, and I try
to incorporate that in my work too.”
Rather than simply documenting flowers, Pete strives to capture the feeling of being immersed in a garden. “I want to paint my garden as it feels to me, using expressive brush strokes to show movement of stems and leaves as the sunlight filters through,” she says. That sense of movement and energy has become a hallmark of her artistic style. “I really enjoy the painterly look, creating movement through brushwork whether it’s in watercolor or oil,” she says. “I always try to keep the same bit of looseness throughout.”
Katrina Pete’s Painterly Blooms Collection, a series of oil paintings focused on flowers.
Pete’s work eventually began attracting attention beyond galleries and art fairs. While still working as a laboratory scientist, she sold prints through an Etsy shop that steadily gained popularity. “My little shop was doing well, and Hallmark reached out to see if I’d like to create some greeting card designs,” she recalls. The opportunity opened the door to a new side of the art business: licensing. Pete created several projects for Hallmark and soon learned how artwork could be adapted for a wide variety of consumer products. She later developed designs for Pottery Barn Kids and began working with an art licensing agency to expand her reach. “I love to see my artwork come to life on fabric and kitchen textiles, like oven mitts and tea towels and dinnerware,” she says. Her artwork has since appeared on products ranging from fabrics and pillows to dish towels and stationery. More recently, Pete collaborated with Blick Art Materials, a partnership that held special meaning as the store is a particular favorite of hers.
Minted Space Adventure Wall Art® by Katrina Pete for Pottery Barn Kids. Pete enjoys working with watercolor, as well as oil paint. Photo: Katrina Pete for Pottery Barn Kids
Building a successful career in the arts can be challenging, but Pete believes one key to sustainability is maintaining variety in her work. “For me, I like to have lots of things going on at the same time,” she says. One month might be devoted to developing a new licensing collection, while another focuses on creating educational content for students. During spring and summer, much of her attention shifts outdoors. “In the spring and summer, I try to maximize my time painting the garden,” she says. “I add peonies and new flowers each year and just paint as much as possible.”
Minnesota’s changing landscape provides endless inspiration, especially after a long winter. “The seasons here are huge,” Pete says. “I add new peony tubers in the fall and wait all winter long to see them bloom.” When spring finally arrives, she documents the fleeting blossoms through photography and painting. “I paint both from life and from photos, since peony season is short,” she says. “But I feel much more energized in the spring and summer, and this is when most of my paintings and collections develop.”
Autumn Joy Oven Mitt by Katrina Pete for Good’s Store. Photos: Kay Dee Designs
Teaching has become another rewarding chapter of Pete’s career. Through classes offered both online and in person, she helps aspiring artists build skills and confidence. Watching students grow is one of the most satisfying parts of the experience. “I always love when a student learns something new,” she says. “Or if there’s a type of flower they really want to learn how to paint, and I can show them a new technique they can apply. It’s wonderful to see an artist grow more confident in their work.”
Looking ahead, Pete sees new opportunities on the horizon. As her children approach school age, she plans to devote additional time to community art events, educational offerings, licensing projects and painting collections. She hopes to launch a new watercolor class next spring, participate in additional art fairs and reconnect with the Minnesota Watercolor Society.
Minnesota Wildflowers Tea Towel featuring Pete’s watercolor florals and illustrations are available at katrinapete.com.
While Pete’s career continues to evolve, the inspiration behind her work remains unchanged. The gardens she tends, the flowers she patiently waits for each spring and the beauty she discovers throughout Minnesota continue to shape the art she shares with the world.
Katrina Pete
Instagram: @katrinapetewatercolor
