About
About Sara
Sara Franklin is a designer turned watercolor artist, illustrator, and surface pattern designer based in Southern California. Her work combines expressive watercolor, rich texture, organic forms, and thoughtful color to create designs that feel joyful, layered, and distinctly handmade.
Sara got her creative start designing greeting cards, where she fell in love with seeing artwork move beyond the page and become part of everyday life. Now her passion for creating beautiful illustrations has extended into home decor, textiles, stationery, wall art and more.
Watercolor remains at the heart of her work. Sara is drawn to its movement, depth, and texture—from layered washes and expressive brushwork to stunning marks that only watercolor can make. She approaches each collection with intention, using color, texture, and storytelling to create a distinct sense of place, mood, and connection.
At the heart of Sara’s creative practice is the idea of curating a world that sparks joy. She is endlessly curious—always learning, observing, and discovering—but intentional about what she brings into that world. Nature, art, color, beautifully made objects, and pieces with a past all become part of the visual language that inspires her work.
That passion extends to teaching. Through Watercolor Awaits, Sara shares her love of watercolor and encourages others to discover their own creative voice. She also teaches art to kids, whose imagination and fearless approach to making are a wonderful reminder of the joy that creativity can bring.
When she’s not painting, Sara can often be found thrifting for vintage plates, old lamps, colorful glass, books, and other objects with a story. She is drawn to collected pieces with character, history, texture, and craftsmanship—treasures that add another layer of beauty and meaning to the everyday.
Whether she’s creating a pattern, painting, teaching, or searching for vintage treasures, it all comes back to the same idea: curating a world that sparks joy.
You can find more of her work at
www.instagram.com/sarafranklinart
www.watercolorawaits.com
watercolorawaits.substack.com
