About the Artist
Betsy (Leonard) Kaage got her start in the flourishing Chicago theater scene back in the early 1990’s. Since then, freelance work has included set design and painting for theater, as well as, restaurants, bars, and private residences.
She found consistent work with two prominent textile designers in Chicago. Recreating their designs with paint on luxury bedding and table linens.
Kaage continued to build my artistic skills on murals, custom painting, sign design, illustration, jewelry-making, and textile design. The conversation usually starts with “Can you do this?” The reply is almost always, “Yes.”
First Seed by betsypaintsco
First Seed by betsypaints.co was planted in May 2022 when the artist wanted to celebrate and support Pride Month. A desire to decorate her porch with rainbows blossomed into a business idea, and combined the skills and talents she has collected and developed over the years.
The name First Seed was inspired by a quote from Ava DuVernay in an interview with organizational psychologist, Adam Grant. >>>
The colorful and vibrant blossoms are the first seed towards a beautiful, eclectic garden of understanding, inclusion, and celebration.
The hand painted blossoms are up-cycled from vintage, crocheted doilies and tablecloths. Each piece is one-of-a-kind. There may be imperfections, or a missed stitch and the artist prefers it that way. Each product is made with the goal of longevity and endurance, including withstanding the outdoor elements. But the artist has found that some care must be taken, and you may need to revive a droopy blossom with reshaping or take it in from the rain to ensure a long life.
