Paige Knotts
Watercolor Painter, Sketcher, Reader
Painting 101
I grew up with the understanding that using art to communicate was normal. It’s always made as much sense to me as speaking or writing. From a young age, I was encouraged to take all the art classes I could. During one art class in high school, the teacher invited her father, a professional watercolor artist, to drop in to teach a class or two. At the time, I was still leaning more toward acrylic painting, but looking back, he clearly made an impression. When I headed to college, I studied painting which meant it became an assignment instead of a hobby and I stopped painting in my free moments. Tale as old as time.
The Art of Figuring it Out
My time in college was filled with studying and figuring out who I wanted to be. I studied the classics and will forever have a deep love of mythology, classic civilizations, history, and art. The Nelson-Atkins Museum was right across the street from campus and to this day, it’s one of the biggest influences in my life. I ended up graduating with an art history degree and later, my Master’s in Library and Information Science. I eventually found my way back to painting in 2019 when I realized I could create just for the sake of creating. There were no assignments due and I didn’t have to worry about critiques and my GPA. I could just play. I started gravitating to watercolors thanks to their accessibility. It’s more affordable and I don’t have to worry about the paint drying out if I walked away from a piece for a while. I was hooked.
Librarian by Day, Artist Always
I’ve worked in libraries for over a decade and before that, spent time at NPR. My full-time gig now is a public library manager. I cannot tell you enough about how cool my job is. I love that I get to work among books and people excited to read them all day. However, when the pandemic hit in 2020 and the library closed for a bit, I leaned back into watercolor as a hobby. As I started sharing my art online, I realized this hobby could be a business, and here we are!
Dainty Knotts and Lemons
I’ll let you in on a little secret about where I came up with the name “Dainty Knotts.” Alright, it’s not really a secret. Dainty is my maiden name and Knotts is my married name. You’ll also see lemons pop up a lot in my work (and in my logo). Lemons have always been a theme in my life. They’re my favorite fruit, I have a dog named Lemon, I love Liz Lemon from “30 Rock,” and they represent still life. In short, I love them.
On a Personal Note
I’m married to my high school sweetheart and together, we have two kids and two dogs. We love traveling – especially to breweries, wineries, and distilleries because of the nice mix of history and a good time. I was born in Des Moines, raised in Kansas City, and found my way back to Des Moines when the kids were born.
Today, I see painting as a way to relax and express myself. I love the ritual I’ve created. I’ll light a candle, put on some lo-fi music, and dive into a palette. Often, I pair it with meditation, reflection, or journaling. I’ll get into a rhythm and watch time fly by.
Order Art
I regularly update the collection with original pieces but the real fun is in commissioned pieces. They make cool, personal, thoughtful gifts (even they’re gifts to yourself) and are always conversation starters. When someone asks where you got your painting, it’s more fun to answer, “It’s a custom piece” instead of telling them some big box store.
Send an Email
If you’d like to talk shop, learn more about how to order commissioned work, partner with me on a workshop, or if you have something else in mind, send an email my way and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks for visiting!