Connect with your Inner Artist

It is with deep sadness that I tell you Jackie Catterton died in early spring, 2014. Her light and love will live on in the legacy of her kindness and her art. I will miss her.

Introducing Nature Connection Messenger/Artist: Jackie Catteron

Sometimes you come across a work of art that is so full of light and warmth and beauty that you just wish you could meet the artist. That happened to me last year when I bought some beautiful notecards featuring birds and flowers and country scenes that just…well, they just made me happy!

When you're a notewriting evangelist like I am, unique and quality stationery is important, so on a whim, I decided to contact the artist of these beautiful notes and see if she had any interest in letting me sell them on my Heartspoken website.

Jackie Catterton turned out to be as lovely a human being as she is a talented artist, and imagine my surprise and delight when we met for the first time and realized very quickly that we were kindred spirits too! Jackie is a deeply committed Christian, and she loves nothing more than sharing her faith and joy from life with others. In fact, she has spent much of her professional life serving others too, first as a teacher, then as a certified nursing assistant, and later as an Activities Director certified by the Virginia Association for Activities Professionals (VAAP).

Fortunately for us, Jackie felt inspired since her retirement in the Shenandoah Valley and decided to develop her natural artistic talent by capturing the beauty she sees in God's creation all around her in her amazing watercolors. “If my work can bless someone in any way, then that is what motivates me,” says Jackie.

I consider Jackie a Connection Messenger for at least two reasons. By having the courage to connect with her own inner gifts and talents, Jackie inspires others to do the same. Age is irrelevant when it comes to letting your light shine! Jackie's artwork also connects us to God's creation and the beauty of Nature. I find myself noticing the way light plays on a flower or tree or bird and appreciating it all the more because of thinking how Jackie would capture it in one of her vibrant watercolors.

I am grateful not only for Jackie's gift with light and color, but I am grateful for her kindness and friendship. Many times, she has sent me an encouraging email or a Scripture quote just when I needed it. Now that I appreciate Jackie's inner beauty, I get even more pleasure out of using her beautiful cards. Here are two below,  but be sure to visit the Heartspoken Gifts pages to see more of Jackie's creations.

Floral Bouquet and Specimen Notecards

Bird and Country Landscape Notecards