about audrey

 
the words "hi there" written in Audrey Ra Design calligraphy style
Professional headshot photograph of Audrey Ra Design.

I’m Audrey - a teaching artist to over 50k students, lover of plants and nature, and your #watercolorbestie.

I'm a self-taught artist that found her creative voice through a mental health journey that started in 2016. When I was at the lowest point in my life, I found bullet journaling, then calligraphy, and then watercolor. Each opened me up to the wonder of the world around me and I was able to find myself again. I'm living proof that art's healing power. And I want to share that experience with each of you. I enjoy noticing the details, capturing the essence of a subject, and creating pretty things that make my heart smile.

As a trained educator, I like to teach in a constructive way to help you grasp and gain confidence with watercolor basics. But I also promote letting go of perfectionism and expectations and letting watercolors literally wash your anxiety away.

I hope through my online courses, in person workshops, tutorials, and even my shop (launching 9/19/23!), you can discover the wonder of watercolors and the creativity in you.

I'm located in the Chicagoland area and proud to be an AAPI and woman-owned small business.

some fun facts:

  • I have two fur babies with my husband - Aslan (beige tabby cat) and Charcoal (pomeranian-poodle)
  • My houseplant obsession took over my house during the COVID lockdown
  • I love to visit the Chicago Botanic Garden with friends or by myself
  • Throughout my lifetime, I've lived on three continents and over a dozen cities
  • I love to laugh out loud... like really loud
  • I only like to take photos from one angle of my face. I'll let you figure out which side

I love getting to know people, so feel free to chat with me!

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, and Pinterest!

Thank you for visiting Audrey Ra Design, and I hope that you have a blessed day.

 

about the shop

Ever since I was little, I made cards and scrapbooks for friends and family. I was the one that would send hand-crafted valentine's day cards to all my girlfriends, paint a lopsided cake for a birthday friend, and deliver homemade ornaments for Christmas. I'm a stationery snob. I like pretty writing. And I want to bring back the art (and fun!) of handwritten and personal touches to gifts. 

I hope that my creations brighten the day-whether it's for yourself or for a loved one.

Photos below from younger Audrey :)

a birthday card that says "happy 100 days", a teal party hat, and a colorful rice cake sitting on top of polka dotted paper

a 100 day birthday card, 2017

 

stacks of paper heart shapes in white, pink, and red for valentine's card making

crafting and mailing out valentine's day cards for all my girlfriends, 2012

 

christmas card with merry christmas written in calligraphy and a colorful wreath

one of the first cards I made after just a few months of learning calligraphy and watercolor, 2016