I wish this photo were in color so you could see just how vibrant they were. Notice their grins—clearly up to something fun!
How Beala™ Designs Began
My love of color, pattern, and handmade things began long before Beala™ Designs ever existed. Growing up, I was surrounded by creative women—my grandmother, Beatrice, and my mother, LaVerta. Both had a wonderful appreciation for textiles, bold patterns, and the simple joy of making things by hand.
The name Beala™ (pronounced Bē-lă) is a tribute to them: “Bea” for my grandmother and “La” for my mother. Their creativity, encouragement, and quiet belief that everyday objects deserved to be both practical and beautiful still influences my designs today.
The Spark That Set Me on This Path
Years later, when my daughter was young, she struggled with separation anxiety at preschool. To help ease those difficult mornings, I began drawing little pictures on her lunch napkins—a flower, a favorite snack, a toy— anything small to make her smile when she opened her lunchbox. It was a quiet reminder that I would be there to pick her up soon.
What started as a simple way to comfort her quickly became a tradition. She loved those little drawings so much that she asked me to keep making them every year until she graduated from high school. Even now, a napkin sketch still finds its way to her from time to time. Now they’re tucked inside a book, purse, or drawer for her to discover as an unexpected little love note. And now, instead of pens and markers, I use watercolor.
Looking back, those lunchbox napkins quietly rekindled my own love of drawing. What began as a small act of encouragement for my daughter ultimately became the spark that led to Beala™ Designs.
From Passion to Surface Patterns
I didn’t discover watercolors until my daughter started college and the napkins were much less frequent. But once I tried it, I was hooked. Then one day, while scrolling Pinterest, I saw an ad for a fabric design contest. That’s when I realized I could combine my new love of watercolor with my longtime love of fabric and pattern.
Teaching Watercolor The Relaxed Way
In 2023, I launched the Beala™ Art YouTube channel as a way to share what I’ve learned along the journey. Watercolor behaves very differently from acrylics or oils, and many artists become frustrated when they try to control it too tightly–a mistake I made myself early on.
My tutorials focus on a relaxed, stress-free approach — helping artists learn to work with watercolor rather than against it, so they can discover the joy of painting with watercolor.
The channel and community have become a natural extension of the Beala™ world — a place that encourages creativity, connection, and confidence.
Beala™ Now
Today, Beala™ Designs blends artistry, pattern design, and teaching into a creative brand that celebrates:
Original watercolor‑inspired surface patterns
Thoughtfully developed repeat patterns for everyday products
Art education that empowers and inspires
It’s a joy to share this work with you — whether through surface patterns that brighten everyday spaces, or through tutorials that make watercolor feel welcoming and approachable.
In many ways, it all traces back to those small lunch napkins drawings.
The Beala Story
