Cara Harjes, Painter and Mother of 2

Cara’s art making playlist: Cara's Spotify Playlist

It is rare in adulthood to meet another human whose friendship you genuinely enjoy. Especially as a mother, so many of our adult interactions are fueled by the age of our children and where they go to school. Don’t get me wrong, I have some downright lovely mom-friends who have been true beacons in the fog of motherhood. But of the nearly 8 billion people on this planet, it seems highly unlikely that you would mesh well when having relatively so few options to pull from.

When I met Cara, we had some things in common besides being Mother Artists. We went to the same high school (at different times). We both lived in Colorado for a time and moved back to St. Louis for the sake of our children and sanity. During our first meet up at Tilles Park, we chatted for nearly two hours about the food we liked, our experiences with sobriety, devastating loss, our favorite TV shows, body image, you name it! Cara seamlessly enters deep conversation from small talk without skipping a beat. She asks, and is open to, big scary questions. I love friends like Cara, and I am sure you will too.

The Mother

Cara was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. After college, Cara actually went to graduate school in Denver to get her Master’s in Counseling. “I am deeply proud of my graduate degree and the purpose of my work as a mental health counselor.” Why Denver? It was new, it was different. She needed it. “My parents were going through a divorce and I craved a fresh start.” She recognized she needed to mix it up and the mountains were calling her name. A few years after relocating to Denver in 1999, she met her husband, Herb. By November 2005, they were married. Together, they have two children, ages 5 and 9 years old.

Tragically, when her youngest was just eight weeks old, Herb died from pancreatic cancer. The chemo, which was supposed to help far more than it did, had failed them. And now, Cara was left alone with her two very small children and the unbearable grief that follows the loss of a partner with whom you’ve made two perfect, but intimidating, tiny humans.

Cara and her children continued to live in Denver for four years after the death of Herb. “I really wanted to stay there. I loved our life and our house. It was our dream house.” After a phone call with her siblings about the stress and hardships she was experiencing, she made the difficult decision to move home. Now, a year and a half later, she is grateful for the change. “I needed so much help. Having my mom help me-nearly every single day-was life changing.”

The Art

Cara didn’t fully come into her own as an artist until adulthood, but there were signs in her youth suggested a creative, colorful destiny. “During my childhood and teen years, I always had a creative bent to how I viewed and approached the world, but never an outlet for it.” Cara recalls making mud pies in her backyard, adorning them with leave, flowers, grass, whatever she could find. In her mid twenties, she jumped on the scrapbooking train, which ultimately morphed into mixed media collage and journaling. “One day Herb asked me to use my supplies to make him a painting. I was sold.”

After many years as a psychotherapist, Cara took advantage of her fiercely supportive partner and quit her job to pursue painting full time. Soon after, she started selling her work at coffee shops and craft markets; both original artwork and prints. From there, she moved to fine art fairs, galleries, and home shows.

When I look at Cara’s work, I think of the word “dessert”. I am reminded of the colorful candy dish my grandma had in her living room I would rifle through in order to find the exact treat I wanted. Her pops of warm reds and pinks are intoxicating, almost glowing. Cara’s paintings have a lot of thoughtful, intoxicating activity, but it’s those pinks and reds that really satisfy the eye. Overall, her paintings are delightful and her palette evokes sensations of joy, levity, and satisfaction-just like dessert.

Her newest art jam? Cara offers intuitive painting workshops in her home studio. Intuitive painting, you ask? Sometimes called process art, this way of making art focuses more on each step, each little decision, rather than an end goal. As Cara puts it, “The intent is never to create ‘good art’.” This is perfect for a beginner artist who doesn’t think they have the skills to create a beautiful painting. It’s approachable and fun, just like Cara herself. Along the way, Cara drops lots of wisdom in regards to color choices, painting technique, and how to talk yourself up when you’re feeling uncertain about your abilities.

The best news is that you, dear reader, can see for yourself how this works! Cara is offering five upcoming free studio gatherings for people to come get to know her and see a painting demo. Her studio, which is above the garage in her classic Kirkwood bungalow, is a Mother Artist’s dream.

OH, BY THE WAY Cara has the most incredible home studio you ever did see. Situated above her detached garage on one of the cutest streets in Kirkwood, MO is her den of creativity. From her geode chandelier, to the hot pink Joybird sectional, to the perfect natural light, it’s the ultimate dream workspace for any artist. Do yourself a favor and find a way to get yourself over to Cara’s spot, pronto!

Pink couch by Joybird — *Pink couch by* *Joybird*

For more information about Cara’s art, commissions, and workshops, check out www.caraharjesart.com or on Instagram @cara_harjes_art

The Takeaways

Joybird couches are, in fact, just as good as you think.
Paint what you like, the rest will fall into place.
Smile with your whole, goddamn mouth. You’re beautiful.
AGAIN, three cheers for the supportive partner of any Mother Artist. We love you Herb!
I was reminded that Taylor Swift is an actual treasure. Go listen to Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and be happy.