If anything has become more apparent to us in this process it is the fact that there is no shortage of creative people living in our neighborhood. Meet Michelle Weddle, a kind and talented artist. Her work has been carried in West Elm, Jewelius and the Museum of Contemporary Art to name a few. We were lucky to sit down with her to chat about her journey.

Can you tell us a little about  Waterstone Succulents? How did it all begin?

In the first four years after college graduation from The University of Texas, Austin with degrees in Creative Advertising and Studio Art, I had worked at an art gallery, as a floral designer and as a painter, exhibiting my work whenever possible. But I had excelled at sculpture in college and wanted to see what I could come up with. Something botanically inspired? Floral? Something textural? Minimal? Succulents?

I first discovered succulents working as a floral designer in 2008. I immediately fell in love with their forms but became truly captivated when I learned about the kind of harsh environments they grow in. ‘They are one of the many examples in nature of a species that gloriously overcomes tremendous odds.’

Many hours of experimentation resulted in succulent art objects with interchangeable ‘planters’ that looked so realistic they could be mistaken for the live plant, only they’re presented in pristine and stylish white, metallics and other fun limited edition colors. The ability to interchange the planters gives them a degree of customizability. There’s absolutely NO associated mess or maintenance involved and they never outgrow their perfectly compact, geometric shapes.

I received my first sale within 48 hours of opening shop on Etsy.com in May of 2012. By June of 2012, the Etsy staff had featured a Waterstone Succulent on their Facebook page and scheduled a homepage feature for August. Six weeks later, Real Simple Magazine announced their intention to feature them in their December Issue ‘Gift Guide for Women’. In March of 2013, they made it to the pages of Southern Living Magazine. In May, they appeared in SHOP, an Australian fashion magazine, and within the same year, were featured on numerous blogs and websites such as ‘Made by Girl,’ ‘Apartment Therapy’ and ‘Design Sponge.’  They’ve remained a top seller in the Houzz.com marketplace since its launch in 2014. They have also been featured in Houzz Home Makeovers including one which debuted on the Ellen Degeneres Show in 2015 and the remodel of actress Mila Kunis’ parents home in 2017. They were even featured in the Fall 2015 issue of 5280 Home Magazine!

Were you classically trained in art? 

I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Texas, Austin where I studied painting, sculpture, screen printing and drawing. I also received a Bachelor of Science in Advertising with a concentration in ‘Creative’ which is a highly competitive portfolio sequence of classes where you design and produce advertisements from concept to execution.

You’re not originally from Denver. Can you tell us how you made your way to Wash Park?

I met my fiancé (now husband) in college. He got a job in Denver after also graduating from UT, Austin, and I followed two years later. My father grew up in east Colorado so I was familiar with the state and had always loved visiting family. Moving to Colorado wasn’t a hard sell!

When you’re not working on your art, how do you spend your free time?

Like just about everyone who lives here, I love spending time outside… whether that means a simple walk down the street through Wash Park or driving up to the mountains for a hike, especially in the fall. I also love listening to music, going to concerts and visiting galleries or simply spending time with family and friends.

What artists influence you?

The artists I love most create work that’s absolutely nothing like my own! Some of my all time favorites are the British conceptual sculptors Antony Gormley, Cornelia Parker and Anish Kapoor.

What is your favorite part of living in our neighborhood? 

I most love living near the park. My husband and I usually walk around the park several times per week. We also like walking down to Gaylord or even all the way to Pearl Street for coffee or good food.

We hope to see you around the park, Michelle! If you would love to have a Waterstone Succulent of your own, visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/waterstonesucculents.