We were lucky to catch up with Caroline Johnston recently and have shared our conversation below.

Caroline, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

Within the wedding stationery industry, the biggest trend I’ve seen this year is a search for personal, meaningful invitations. Couples want a design that speaks to their own story. The world of custom wedding invitations is booming with this trend, as I see more and more requests for custom watercolor crests, venue illustrations, personalized wedding maps, and more. Custom design is so beneficial for both artists and brides alike, as it provides a more meaningful product for couples than something they could order off a big corporate site, and provides the opportunity to support local artists as they design their one-of-a-kind wedding invitations. Most recently, I’ve just finished up a custom watercolor love story map that includes illustrations from a couple’s journey: where they met, the proposal, and the wedding. There’s nothing more meaningful than the opportunity to paint someone’s story in beautiful watercolor on their Save the Dates. (Plus, all those guests will have the most amazing fridge-decor for the next 10 months!)

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve always loved the creative process, from sketching to painting to making, it’s been a part of my story from day one. My favorite hobby growing up was art. You could often find me with a marker or crayon in hand, coloring something new and making another beautiful (albeit rudimentary at times) creation. My sweet mom has piles and piles of my old artwork from over the years!

After graduating college and after several different jobs in the workplace, art still remained a dream of mine, something that I’d love to do given the chance. With the encouragement of a friend and family, I decided to pursue that dream in early 2020, and have loved it ever since!

Starting out, my offerings included printed stationery notecards, art prints, and custom paintings. Since then, my business has pivoted a bit, as my main focus is now custom wedding invitations. I offer clients a one-of-a-kind invitation suite, complete with custom illustrations, envelope liners, wax seals, and so much more! Painting is still my main focus, as my custom watercolor illustrations set me apart from the rest of the crowd, with wedding crests, watercolor maps, and venue illustrations.

I also still offer custom paintings, everything from pet portraits to home illustrations to family & couple portraits. Additionally, I’ve been growing variety of printed goods I have in my online shop. My new line of greeting cards launched recently, and it’s the cutest collection of punny greetings and charming illustrations. Soon, I’m hoping to expand into a wholesale launch, so that you can find my greeting cards in local shops and stores!

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I recently finished reading ‘Art, Money, Success’ by Maria Brophy, and it was a game changer! Her book outlines steps to success within the art business, which is a much needed realm of instruction, as many artists don’t have a full grasp on business practices. It’s easy to undervalue your art, based on imposter syndrome, our culture’s view of artists, or simply a lack of confidence, and this book teaches you how to value your work and your business in practical steps. For years, I under-valued my artwork, selling it for cheap or doing things for free, but now I’ve pivoted to a much healthier, not to mention more profitable, view of my artwork. Art is an exceptional skill that is needed and wanted within our society. So it deserves the utmost of respect from its artists! This book not only changed my perspective, but also changed my practices, and I recommend it to any budding artist.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal in everything I paint is to create meaningful watercolor paintings and stationery for my clients, that they’ll be able to share with loved ones for a lifetime. There’s nothing like a beloved painting of your family hanging on the wall of your home, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to paint meaningful, personal pieces day in and day out. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to paint a sweet family who lost a child at birth. In the painting, I included their precious baby along with the rest of their family, so they have an incredibly meaningful painting to hold on to for forever, in their beloved home. Stories like that are what drive everything I create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bycarolineanndesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bycarolineann/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bycarolineann
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/bycarolineann/

Image Credits
Molly Pitkin Photography