Hello and welcome to Abby Grace Designs! My name is Abby Wilfert! I am the owner of this satiny, hot pink corner of the internet, otherwise known as abbygracedesigns.com. This being my first blog post, I want to give you a little insight into who I am, what inspires my work, and what Abby Grace Designs LLC is all about!
I wear many hats, and they often come in odd, surprising combinations. I am currently a student at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, ND, majoring in Business Management and minoring in Art History & Museum Studies...since they pair so well together. The shocking truth is that they do. Granted, the how is not always easy to see. I too struggled to understand their intersection until recently. The left side of my brain is obsessed with strategic analysis -- detecting patterns, drawing conclusions, problem-solving, and maximizing success. This works well for business, but my right brain wants attention too. Anything related to creativity -- visual arts, crafts, music, performance art, literature. These things give life color.
Born in Arizona, raised in Minnesota, and attending college in North Dakota, I have been graced to witness some of the extremes of the natural world: The dryness of the desert and the lushness and frigidity of the Midwest. In any geographic location, I seek out the plants, lakes, and mountains as motifs for my artwork. The majority of my pieces are done in oil paint because the medium lends incomparable depth and richness. I hope to share more about my artistic process at another time. Please leave a message if you have any specific or general questions!
While scrolling through my site, you may notice a common floral trend. Since I was able to hold a crayon or paint brush -- about 1 year old -- I have been creating art (photo evidence below). I was always encouraged by my mom, who is also an artist. The love for flowers has spanned over more than four generations in my family. My Great Grandmother Lucy had a spectacular home garden in southern Minnesota. Her horticultural affinity continued with my grandmother, my mother and her siblings, and now with me. My female ancestors are the inspiration behind my paintings more than anything else.
That said, I am also influenced by the stylistic qualities of numerous artists. This includes the dramatic, highly romantic floral paintings of Baroque artist Rachel Ruysch and the Impressionist and abstract paintings of modern artists Claude Monet and Georgia O’Keeffe. My work is a combination of these styles; yet, it simultaneously emerges as a style of its own. Like Monet, I seek vibrant, saturated subjects that allow me to explore the impact of light on color. The way that I depict flowers is naturalistic, but not photographic. I attempt to immortalize and idealize my subjects with the goal of evoking wonder and grace in my audiences. Flowers and other natural wonders have ageless beauty, as seen by the enduring popularity of such artists as Ruysch, Monet, and O’Keeffe. I feel so lucky to be constantly learning more about art movements and the people behind them through the amazing art history classes at UND. If it is an area of interest to any of you, I would love to blog about particular artists or art periods! What would you like to learn about? Let me know!
To me, flowers are both mystical wonders and personal symbols for feminine and familial bonds. Wherever I may be -- in the golden dunes of Arizona, surrounded by the deep blue lakes of Minnesota, or looking out over the snow-blanketed earth of North Dakota -- I find inspiration in these stunning works of nature, which I strive to faithfully depict in my artwork.
Abby Grace Designs is one way that my unusual interests in business and art have combined with synergy. I have accumulated dozens of paintings and drawings over the past two decades, which I am pleased to finally share with others in the form of greeting cards.
Why greeting cards? Well, more than eight years of experience making handmade cards have revealed the truly special effect of a heartfelt card. A survey of the current greeting card industry can suggest an overall lack of durability and timelessness. Abby Grace Designs remedies this with unique, high-quality, all-purpose greeting cards.
My company is founded on high standards of value. For instance, all product materials are produced in the United States of America. Our nation's long history of quality goods is one of many reasons I am proud to be an American, not to mention an American businessperson. Each Abby Grace Designs greeting card is printed on heavy pearl-shimmer cardstock, and is left with a blank interior for you to write your own special message.
Most importantly, my company's slogan is Celebrating Everything ™. The all-purpose nature of the cards makes them appropriate for any occasion -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals, and everything in between. Each moment in life is a gift and the messages we collect over the years are certainly worthy of remembrance. As I hope my artwork immortalizes its subjects, I also hope my greeting cards immortalize the special moments in your life and the lives of those you hold dear.
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Thank you for reading! I look forward to hearing from you!
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