How My Art Background Shapes My Eye for Color
Printmaking was my first love in the art world—discovered back in high school and carried through college—and it taught me more about color than anything else. In printmaking, you don't just pick a color; you build it. Layering pigment upon pigment lets you create the exact shade you want, allowing you to see beyond color…
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August 5, 2026
Printmaking was my first love in the art world—discovered back in high school and carried through college—and it taught me more about color than anything else. In printmaking, you don’t just pick a color; you build it. Layering pigment upon pigment lets you create the exact shade you want, allowing you to see beyond color as a single, flat thing. This awareness extends into my work today as I select finishes for homes, always mindful of what lies beneath a hue, which is more than it seems at first glance.
When I went on to study fine arts at Cal Poly, I dove deeper into color theory and painting, but it was printmaking that stuck with me. That experience developed my eye for undertones, which are crucial when I’m choosing a blue that’s not just any blue but the right blue for a particular home. Each choice has layers, much like a print.
In college, I took a broad range of classes, including one glass-blowing class that, unexpectedly, became significant. Working with glass taught me how light and color dance across a surface, reflecting what I now see when I look at tile or a stone slab. My mentor, George Gersitch, a glass blower with unlimited creativity, showed me that conviction in design is where talent truly meets its mark. This confidence still guides me today: when I see the right finish, I know it intrinsically.
All this training means more than an academic exercise. It’s practical. When you’re standing in front of a wall full of samples, it’s not just about picking what’s pretty. It’s about knowing which option will harmonize with the light and energy of a specific space. This understanding allows me to guide you through choices, explaining why one tile or paint will work beautifully while another might not.
So, if you’d like to talk about how these colors and textures could work in your home, I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to reach out on the contact page at heather.living. Let’s talk about your vision.
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I’m Heather. I choose the colors, materials, and finishes for the custom homes Ceci Bates builds around Lake Texoma — inside and out. I write here about how those decisions actually get made.
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Working through selections, or just stuck on one decision? Send me a note — I read these myself.
Working through selections?
If you’re building with Ceci Bates, this is the part I take off your plate — the stone, the tile, the stain, the paint, and all the small decisions that have to agree with each other. Tell me what you’re working on and where you’ve got stuck. No pressure, just a conversation.
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