Watercolor Tribute: Painting with My Daughter for Aunt Kay

This week would have been my Aunt Kay’s birthday, which made the day a little tender for me. She passed away last year and, having lived with us while I was growing up, she felt like a second mother. Aunt Kay was endlessly cheerful and loved color — she painted and drew her whole life and even studied art in college. To honor her memory, I spent an afternoon painting watercolors with my daughter, Clara.

Obviously I’m biased, but I have to say it: my kid is an artist. She delighted in the process, mixing bright washes and building layers with surprising confidence. Watching her work felt like a small celebration of everything Aunt Kay loved most — color, playfulness, and creativity.

The watercolor set was an impulse buy from Target — I couldn’t resist the cheerful palette on the end cap. I kept my paintings simple and boxy so we could focus on having fun together. While Clara painted, I made a few abstract pieces of my own and enjoyed watching her make bold, joyful marks.

My favorite piece from the day is one Clara painted — a vibrant abstract full of saturated color and movement. The tones she chose are so rich and lively; I’m definitely her biggest fan.

She also worked on a smaller piece of watercolor paper I handed her. She painted it sideways at first, and when we turned it upright it looked like a pink sunset reflected on water — soft, warm, and unmistakably childlike in the best way. Those small discoveries are part of the joy of painting with kids.

Another little work made me smile: a tiny red dot that, on closer inspection, looks like a heart. It was probably an accidental mark, but I like to imagine that while we painted and I shared stories about Great Aunt Kay, Clara was painting with love.

The little boxy painting I made was inspired by a colorful shirt I saw online. I loosely blocked in a few messy rectangles in colors that caught my eye, then cropped the finished piece to focus on the shapes and textures. It felt fresh and fun, and I thought it might look great hung as a pair.

I made a second print to pair with it and experimented with both horizontal and vertical layouts to decide which orientation suits our walls best. Small creative experiments like this are easy ways to add color and personality to a home.

My final piece from the afternoon was another abstract that, while not as striking as Clara’s best work, felt connected to the joyful spirit of the session. The headline in my head for that one was: “Three-year-old wins the paint-off; mom is delighted.”

All of the paintings shown here are available as 8 x 10″ printables. If you click an image, a larger version will open that you can download and print. They’re simple files, but they lifted my spirits during a bittersweet week, and I wanted to share them in case they brighten someone else’s day too. In memory of Aunt Kay, I’m planning to make an annual donation to the MS Society, and I encourage anyone who feels moved to remember a loved one by supporting a cause that mattered to them.