Art is for everyone
Hi! I'm Kaitlyn and I'm an art educator with 15 years of experience and I'm here to help and support teachers, children and artists of all ages tap into their creativity and help them gain confidence in their artistic abilities through high quality digital resources and lessons.
You're in the right place if:
You want to teach engaging art lessons to your students or children but lack the time or experience to plan the lessons you're striving for.
You are looking to warm up your teaching space with bright, colorful and modern art room decor.
You enjoy creating art but are looking for additional ways to continue to grow in your skillset.
Your school lacks an art program and you want to integrate high quality art lessons into your curriculum that will best serve your students.
A little about me:
I began my business in 2017 after years of sharing my lessons and hand drawn teaching visuals on Instagram. I gained so much wonderful feedback that I decided to start making my lessons and classroom creations available for all educators. There is nothing I love more than creating eye catching, happy and high quality resources for children and I am so happy to now be able to share with educators and children all over the world!
When I'm not teaching, you can find me painting in my sketchbook, walking my rescue lab Maddie, and spending quality time with my husband Chris and two children.
Throughout course of my teaching career, I have had the opportunity to teach visual art to thousands of children of all abilities and backgrounds.
I am unwavering in my belief that everyone can be an artist and that the arts play a crucial role in a child’s well-being. I live for the “ah-ha” moments and the excitement that appears on a child’s face when they have created something they are truly proud of. I love transforming spaces to create immersive art show experiences that allow students’ art to shine. I am passionate about providing high quality art education for adapted/autistic support/life skills art classes that are student centered, sensory and process based. The joy that teaching art has given me over the years is unparalleled and I look forward to continuing to reach students and teachers all over the world as I expand my lessons, resources, and inspiration. I can’t thank you enough for here!
My Work
Follow me on IG for more @artwithmrs.e
Blog posts
Celebrating Women’s History Month Through Folk Art Portraits
Looking for a meaningful Women’s History Month art lesson for your classroom? This Folk Art Portrait project is a powerful way to help students celebrate influential women through portraiture, storytelling, and research. Perfect for elementary and middle school art teachers, this lesson encourages students to honor women they admire—whether historical figures or personal heroes—while exploring bold colors, patterns, and symbolism in their artwork. Discover how this engaging, easy-to-adapt art project fosters creativity, student choice, and conversations about representation and resilience in your art room!
Learn more
8 Practical Tips For Making More Art as a Busy Adult and Parent
When you’re juggling work, family, and life’s endless to-do list, making time for creativity can feel impossible. Add kids into the mix, and art-making often falls to the very bottom—if it even makes the list at all. But what if creating didn’t have to be a big, time-consuming production? What if it became as natural as grabbing your morning coffee? The secret isn’t waiting for the perfect moment or a surge of motivation. The key is to start small, create an open invitation for yourself, and make art a natural part of your daily routine. As James Clear puts it in Atomic Habits, “Motivation often comes after starting, not before. Action precedes inspiration.” 1. Build the Habit First—Inspiration Will Follow A common misconception about making art is that you need to feel inspired first. In reality, just getting started—even with a quick doodle, a color swatch, or a few lines—can spark ideas. Instead of pressuring yourself to create something amazing, treat your sketchbook like a playground. Doodle while waiting in the car line, play with color while dinner is in the oven, or jot down small things that inspire you throughout the day. One of my favorite ways to just get started is painting a page in my sketchbook with a bunch of circles. Then later when the paint is try, I will ask myself "hmm now what can I turn these into?" I do this with other shapes too, like mugs, pots, or just blobs. It's enough to just rip off the bandaid of tackling the white page, and then excites me to get back to this page later on. You can also keep some drawing prompts on hand to easily access when you just can't think of what to draw! Remember, small creative moments add up over time! 2. Keep a Sketchbook Handy You don’t need an elaborate setup or expensive materials to make art daily. Keeping an A5 sketchbook on hand has been a game-changer for me. The smaller size gives me a sense of accomplishment, even when I only have a few minutes. And here’s the key: not every page needs to be a masterpiece. Your sketchbook is a space to experiment, play, and process your thoughts—free from pressure or judgment. The lower the stakes, the more likely you’ll keep coming back to it. 3. Make Your Supplies Easily Accessible Forget the idea that making art requires a full palette of paint and a giant canvas. Most of us don’t have the time or space for a dedicated art studio—but what if your supplies were always within reach? Lean into materials that excite you and fit your lifestyle. I love painting, but acrylics aren’t practical on the go—so I started carrying a travel-sized watercolor palette instead. To make creating easier, I put together a small pencil case with my favorite supplies, ready to go at a moment’s notice. This habit is actually what led me to design the Quell Carrier Case—a portable sketchbook case that keeps my supplies organized and accessible without the hassle of a big setup or cleanup. You can also create an invitation for yourself by leaving your supplies in a visible, easy-to-reach place. I like to keep my Quell Case on the kitchen counter, open and ready for when I wake up. If that doesn’t work for you, stash it in your bag, by your bedside, or anywhere you’ll naturally reach for it when you have a spare moment. If you're curious about what supplies I keep in my Quell case, or just my favorite supplies to use an artist, just click the links :) 4. Make Art Part of Your Daily Routine Think about your current daily habits—could you pair art with one of them? Maybe you sketch while drinking your morning coffee, unwind with a few lines before bed, or doodle while your kids do their homework. Habit stacking—adding a new habit to an existing one—makes it easier to be consistent. I’ve found that early mornings, before my kids wake up, work best for me most of the time. But here’s the bonus—on the days they wake up early, they often want to join in, and there’s no better way for us to start the day together! 5. Process Over Perfection As a busy mom and teacher, I used to tell myself I “didn’t have enough time” to make art. But once I started making time, I realized how many micro-moments existed throughout my day. Let go of the idea that every piece has to be polished or perfect. Maybe you only have 15 minutes while waiting at the doctor’s office—but that’s still better than not creating that day. The joy of art is in the process, not just the final product. 6. Use Sketchbooking as Self-Care Did you know that making art can actually lower stress? A 2016 study from Drexel University found that just 45 minutes of art-making significantly reduced cortisol levels, even in people with little artistic experience. Similarly, a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology found that engaging in small creative activities daily—like sketching or crafting—led to an increase in positive emotions, personal growth, and a sense of accomplishment. Instead of scrolling your phone before bed, what if you took five minutes to sketch? Instead of filling every spare moment with productivity, what if you gave yourself permission to play with color? Reframing art as self-care rather than a luxury makes it much easier to prioritize. 7. Set a Small, Achievable Goal If making art feels overwhelming, start with a small, manageable goal. Maybe it’s filling one page a week, doing a five-minute sketch each day, or exploring a single color palette over the course of a month. Even the smallest goal can help build momentum. When I first started my sketchbook practice, my only goal was to create something—anything—every day. I didn’t set a time requirement or pressure myself with expectations. I just had to put something on the page. This simple approach made me more intentional about finding small pockets of time to create, and eight years later, it’s safe to say it worked! 8. Creativity Thrives with Limitations Sometimes, too many choices can lead to creative paralysis. Setting limitations—whether it’s time, materials, or color choices—can actually help you break through perfectionism and get into the flow of making. Try setting a timer for five or ten minutes and challenge yourself to create something within that window. When the clock is ticking, you’ll be less focused on making something “perfect” and more focused on simply starting. Similarly, limiting your supplies—like keeping only a few favorite tools or a small selection of colors in your kit—can remove decision fatigue and make it easier to dive into the process. Constraints can be incredibly freeing, allowing you to focus on the joy of creating rather than getting stuck in your head. Final Thoughts: Just Start—What’s the Worst That Could Happen? If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to make art, this is your sign—start today. Open your sketchbook, grab your favorite supply, and just put something on the page. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. And with tools like the Quell Case, making art anytime, anywhere is easier than ever. Oh- one last thing! If you're looking for a creative community to help inspire and push you to create more art, consider checking out my Patreon! I absolutely love sharing my personal practice with my patrons and have so much fun creating together in live zooms 2x a month in my Sketchbook Buddies tier. The only thing better than making art is making art with other like minded creatives :) So, how will you make time for art today? Drop a comment and let’s inspire each other!
Learn more
How to Make a Textured 3D Tree for Your Classroom or Art Show
Creating a large, textured tree is a beautiful, dynamic project that can be used year after year to create an immersive experience for an art show or your classroom. Whether you're celebrating the seasons, creating a backdrop for an art exhibit, or just looking to add some creative flair to your space, this DIY tree project is a perfect fit. Here’s how to make it step-by-step. Materials Needed: Painter's tape Brown kraft paper Foil (for texture) Hot glue gun Brown paper towels (for paper mache) Paper mache paste (homemade or Elmer's glue paste) Cheap green plastic tablecloths Paper clips or binder clips Pool noodles (optional for branches) Streamers or twisted green bulletin board paper (for vines) Paint and brushes (for embellishments) Step 1: Set the Base Start by finding a column or bump-out wall space to use as the tree's base. Secure brown kraft paper onto the wall with painter's tape to form the trunk of the tree. This will provide a sturdy foundation for the rest of your project. Step 2: Add Texture with Foil Crinkle some strips of foil and hot glue them onto the kraft paper base. This adds texture and gives the tree a more sculptural, realistic look. Foil is lightweight but can still give the appearance of rough bark or tree texture. Step 3: Paper Mache the Trunk Next, use strips of inexpensive brown paper towels (perfect for this project and commonly found in schools!) to create a paper mache layer over the foil. Dip the strips into paper mache paste (you can either make it yourself or use Elmer's glue paste) and apply them over the crumpled foil. This layer adds both texture and strength to the trunk. Step 4: Create the Tree's Leaves For the leaves, use green plastic tablecloths from the dollar store. These are cheap, easy to work with, and have a nice flowing texture. Attach the tablecloths to the ceiling using paper clips or binder clips, letting them hang down to form the main body of the tree’s leaves. Step 5: Make Vines to Hang from the Tree Create some fun vines by twisting green bulletin board paper, streamers, or strips of tablecloths. Drape them around the tree to give it an extra layer of whimsy and realism. You can even have your students help create these in bulk for efficiency! Step 6: Add Branches with Pool Noodles If you'd like to add branches to your tree, pool noodles work wonderfully. Cut them to the desired length, then wrap them in crumpled kraft paper and secure them using hot glue or more paper mache. This makes for flexible, lightweight branches that can be arranged however you like. Step 7: Embellish the Tree Trunk Once the basic structure is in place, it’s time for some finishing touches! Use a dry brush technique with different shades of brown paint to add texture to the trunk. You could also paint in a critter in a hole in the tree, or get creative with other ideas to personalize the look. Step 8: Bonus – Reuse Your Tree for Different Celebrations One of the best parts about this project is that it’s versatile! You can reuse the tree year after year for different themes or school events. For example, I used this tree as part of a Mister Rogers-themed art show. The possibilities are endless when you think about how to incorporate the tree into different celebrations or art show themes! This DIY tree is a fun way to add a creative element to your space, and the best part is it can be used for multiple purposes throughout the year. From art shows to classroom decor, it’s sure to be a hit! Happy crafting!
Learn more
