Chicago-based artist Anna Schwartz paints custom designs and illustrations to commemorate life’s special moments. Specializing in wedding stationary and event artwork, she hand-painted floral designs and a watercolor home rendering for our summer issue launch party at a charming Swedish estate. Best known for her chic illustrations inspired by cities she’s lived in, Schwartz recently sat down with Artful Living to talk about her creative process, influences and more.
Photography provided by Anna Schwartz
How did you get started working as an artist?
I started painting at a young age. During the summer, I would wake up early every morning because I was so excited to draw and paint greeting cards. I loved browsing art supply stores to find new and exciting mediums, but my favorite has always been watercolor.
In middle school, I sold my hand-painted cards at the Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis. I was lucky to be mentored by amazing art teachers, Kathy F. Scott at Barton Open School and Cecily Spano at Southwest High School. They taught me a variety of techniques. More importantly, they gave me confidence to experiment with new styles and materials.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration and trends in fashion, home decor and gifts. I previously worked in retail at Martin Patrick 3 in Minneapolis and for a wedding planner in Palm Beach, Florida. These work experiences helped develop my design style for big events and weddings. The natural elements of my art are inspired by places I’ve lived. I fell in love with the flora, nature and over-the-top landscaping in Palm Beach. I try to incorporate similar elements in many of my crest and wedding invitation designs. I’ve also been inspired in other ways while living in the Midwest. The autumn is vibrant and colorful in Minneapolis and in my current city, Chicago. Social media is another source of inspiration. Pinterest and Instagram posts of gardens, art and design pique my imagination to paint vivid colors and designs. My clients also become amazing motivators with their exciting visions.
Can you tell us about your creative process?
I begin by working one-on-one with a client and/or planner to understand exactly what they envision. We’ll start with a phone conversation, discussing specifically what they want (invitation suite, keepsake bottle, hand-painted item, etc.) including colors, patterns and textures. Then I create a vision board — I look for inspiration on the Internet, in nature and in my old designs to hone a direction that the client will love. After confirming the art direction, I create digital designs in Adobe to help the client visualize the actual invitation. Once the example is approved, I begin designing and painting. I’ll send some of my painting process to the client to ensure everything is turning out as they imagined. I involve them in the creation to ensure they will be happy with the end product; delivering one-of-a-kind art exactly as desired is my goal for any gift or invite I create.
How would you define your style?
My style is modern with classic elements. I generally paint semi-realistic watercolor and incorporate a lot of elements from nature, such as animals, flowers and palm trees. I use a lot of color and am influenced by new trends in fashion. My style is also whimsical. A good example of this is a California wedding that had a Gucci garden party theme with the addition of dancing bunnies and bees. This was a great way for me to combine florals and watercolor art with contemporary fashion. I loved this project.
Is there a favorite project or event you’ve created custom designs for?
One of my favorite custom design projects was for a 2022 wedding in Miami. I feel fortunate to be working with Heather Lowenthal, head of Posh Parties in Palm Beach. Heather has been an invaluable mentor and inspiration, and has fostered my growth in the wedding event market. Together, we created the invitation suite, programs, dance floor design and menus for the Miami wedding. I loved the design — it had bright, tropical colors with flamingos and palm trees. The dance floor also turned out great, and it was so cool to see my work printed on such a giant scale.
Do you have any upcoming projects you’re excited about?
I’m expanding my repertoire of wedding projects this summer and am incredibly excited about all of them! I’m always thrilled to see the photographs from these highly anticipated occasions. I am especially eager to see the results for my first Chicago-based wedding, which is taking place in an extraordinary setting. I created the invitations for an upcoming wedding at the Chicago Botanic Gardens.
