How do you Leland gal? (Volume 4)

Meet Katherine! Katherine is an adorable aspiring artist who I had the pleasure of meeting two summers ago for the first time in my shop. After about 5 minutes, I felt like I'd known Katherine a long time, and realized we had so much in common.

Katherine also grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and spends her summers in Leland, Michigan.

Here Katherine is with her best friend, Leanne, christening Leanne's engagement by plunging into the cool waters of Lake Leelanau. 

When I first met Katherine, I had seen a few of her smaller Leland inspired paintings, and was so glad to make the connection to the artist I had admired.

She has such a great ability to capture a feeling without over-thinking it. The gestural, painterly quality draws you in, and of course for me, I love her colors.

Katherine is exploring some other birds eye views that I am seriously falling for. I am so honored that she will be having a pop up shop at Leland gal next summer, and I hope to see some of these too, because I think they are fabulous.

"Kreative Katherine's" love of creativity started at a young age. Here she is with her sister in dresses she created.

Katherine is in NYC now working for RUF,  pursing art when she can, and soaking up all that the city has to offer.

Read below to find out more about Katherine, and see how she uses her Leland gal robe for more than just morning coffee.

Hometown: Currently living in Manhattan -- but Leland will always be my hometown. 

Favorite Movie: You've Got Mail -- I'm living on the upper west side of Manhattan, so I'm truly living out my dreams as You've Got Mail's Kathleen Kelly. In fact, I'm only four blocks from Cafe Lalo, the restaurant where Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) meets Joe Fox (Tom Hanks)! 

Favorite Song to Dance To: "Love on Top" by Beyonce! "Bring the beat in..."

Aspiring To: Become a regular at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MOMA, What could be more inspiring for my own art-making than observing the masters? Loving this quote from John Piper about beholding greatness (whether nature or art) "No one goes to the Grand Canyon to increase self-esteem. [We go] because there is greater healing for the soul in beholding splendor than there is in beholding self."

Favorite Creative Pastime:  Painting. The last three or four years I've been working in acrylic. 

How Has Your Upbringing Influenced Your Creativity: My parents have always encouraged my art-making. They made sure to expose both me and my sister to art, whether it was going to an art museum or taking art classes in an after school program at church called "Young at Art".  I think they could tell it was a passion of mine. I mean, I was dressing my sister, Christy, up in dresses I'd made and sewn by hand by the time I was in kindergarten! The sewing I had learned from my grandmother Florence Jameson Miller,  probably on a rainy summer afternoon in Leland.

How do you Leland gal? Saturday mornings are the best for painting; it's when I get the best bright morning light shining through my apartment windows. My uniform is my Leland Gal robe (it's so essential, I have multiple!) and pjs. I'm still drinking my coffee while I'm mixing up colors on my palette of paper plates. 

Follow Katherine's artistic adventures on Instagram

Looks like she's taking a little break from her Etsy shop, but you can buy some awesome products here in the meantime!  You can also see her in person at Leland gal on July 3rd!