Mary Claire Scholl - Twelfth and Blossom
Is it a house or a home?
This is a common question when on the hunt for a new place to live. While searching you find yourself asking questions about the potential home that are unique and sometimes weird, but that’s part of the process. You search and then if you are fortunate you find the “one” and you begin the process of making it your future home.
I say this with confidence as my wife and I have recently moved into our first home. The experience was stressful at times, but we knew just from the street view that this house was meant to be our “home”.
Why this rant on homes/houses, you ask?
This week’s creation comes from Mary Claire Scholl, an artist who specializes in watercolor art. Mary creates a wide variety of projects and products through her company, Twelfth and Blossom. The work that specifically drew me in were a collection of watercolor images of houses. These were special commissions that, for the most part, served as gifts for homebuyers.
I saw the images and I was immediately moved. Perhaps I am biased because of how raw the home-buying experience is to me but regardless, I was touched by the work. Mary’s ability to capture a foundation in a way that gives it character and heart is profound.
Before my focus turned to art, I felt restless all the time, like there was something I should be doing, but I couldn't put my finger on it… When I was ready to take this seriously, I turned to my community. I do some graphic design for a title company, so I have a large number of real estate agents in my network. That's how I got started painting houses - the agents give them as closing gifts!
Mary Claire Scholl
I then did a dive into Mary’s company, Twelfth and Blossom and noticed that watercolor images of homes are just a small taste of what she’s up to these days. Mary is an overall creator who is not settling for one area, rather she is creating from what she feels is needed and what has the potential to be beautiful. Whether it’s shirts, face masks, postcards, journals or commissions, Mary is ready to create and share her work.
I dabbled in every other creative field you can imagine (even running my own acting studio for several years), but I never felt settled until I gave myself permission to make art my focus. I've never done anything that brings me the joy and fulfillment that I've found in art. To someone on the outside, my relatively recent turn to this career might look like a total reinvention of self, but it really just feels like it's been a long time coming.
Mary Claire Scholl
While her other work is impressive, I must say I am still really moved by the house art. Then I noticed it’s not just homes that she’s done commissions of, Mary has even done office buildings! At this point my brain nearly exploded and it all clicked. For fans of The Office (US) you know why.
Season three, episode sixteen. Pam, office receptionist and artist, has her art showing in a local exhibition. She invites friends and co-workers, barely any show up. However, at the last-minute Mr. Michael Scott (*unofficial “World’s best boss”) comes in to catch the show and witness the work Pam has created. It is then that we fully realize that one of Pam’s pieces is a watercolor painting of the office building, where they work. Michael is moved by the piece and he offers to buy it. Pam immediately questions Michael to which he replies, “we have to have it for the office… that is our building.”
This moment in the show is one of the most heartfelt scenes it has to offer and there is a reason for that. A reason which an artist like Mary knows well (regardless of whether or not she is aware of the show).
Through Mary’s work she is reminding us all that we have a responsibility when creating and that art has the potential to turn dwellings into memory filled homes. It is also a reminder that as Catholics we must not settle for places or locations. No, we are called to create homes where we can invite others to the table of creativity and joy.
Twelfth and Blossom is in the art of creating homes with some amazing work and what I have written about here is just a small taste of what Mary can do and will do with her gift.
I suggest you check out all the wonderful work that Mary is creating and perhaps order a custom commission of your own home or maybe as a gift to a loved one, their home? Unique work like this is what can truly have an impact on others. Visit Twelfth and Blossom on Facebook and Instagram as well as through Etsy and the official webpage.
God bless and go create homes out of your work, especially as we encounter this Advent season. The season of waiting and preparing a home for our Lord.
