FreeRein's Profile

Bio

A Little About the Artist

As a child, I drew on everything from my bed sheets and walls in my room to tattoos on my friends, so it is fitting that I now create my art on something functional as well as traditional canvases.

My degree is in interior design and I worked in the design field for 6 years before starting my art career.

I am a self-taught artist with the exception of a few watercolor classes in college. I am one of the pioneers of the contemporary floorcloth industry, and have been at it now for 20 years.

It wasn't until someone asked me if I could paint their labrador retriever onto their floorcloth that I realized just how far I could actually go with the craft. Up to that point every floorcloth I painted was a geometric design. I then decided that I would make the art my own and take it to the next level.

About the Business

I began painting floorcloths as a way to be a work at home mom with my first child in 1989. The endevor soon snowballed and became a real job with the help of Country Living Magazine's inclusion of two of my first designs that next spring.

I first named my business The Homeplace Collection and painted original designs inspired by quilt patterns, Pendleton blankets and herbs and flowers from my gardens.

Later on down the road as I started working with showroom and residential interior designers, I began to see that most of them were giving me free rein to design floorcloths to fit their particular situations rather than buying exactly what they saw at my shows or in my brochures. This was way too much fun and I decided to specialize in this very concept and to change my business name at the same time to Free Rein Studio.

My floorcloths have been featured in many local and national publications and in the books, Contemporary Western Design by Thea Marx and The Complete Book of Floorcloths by Kathy Cooper.

During the hurry up and wait process of floorcloth making I like to paint small pieces such as pet portraits, ACEO's and other small works, vintage ceramics, lampshades, Dr. Scholl's sandals and cowboy hats.

About Custom Work

I work closely with my clients, whether it be a floorcloth, pet portrait, or cowboy hat. I send sketches with ideas for approval, digital images as I work and again before shipping.

To begin the process please convo me for details. I will be happy to go over everything in detail before you commit to anything.

Female, Born on June 18

Favorite Materials

canvas, wooden shoes, canvas hats, mixed media, acrylics, gouache, watercolor paper