Hand painted watercolor paper goods created with warmth, tenderness, and a deep love for the handmade.
Claire Bula Designs is rooted in a soft, deeply personal approach to art and paper goods. Claire creates watercolor florals, drifting washes of color, thoughtful typography, and illustrations that carry a sense of nostalgia and quiet joy. Her work feels gentle and intimate, turning everyday stationery and keepsakes into something that feels both heartfelt and lasting.
Her creative path is closely tied to her father, an architect and fine artist who first taught her to watercolor as a child. Painting became a shared language between them, one that stayed present throughout his life and continued to shape Claire’s practice after his passing in 2018. Encouraged by her father to pursue happiness, Claire eventually made a major life change and stepped fully into creative work, building a business that feels both like a continuation of their bond and a reflection of her own voice.
Working entirely by hand, Claire paints each watercolor herself before translating the artwork into greeting cards, cocktail napkins, notebooks, planners, wedding invitations, and other paper goods. Nothing is digitally painted or artificially rendered, which gives every bloom, brushstroke, and wash of color a sense of real movement and touch. Based in Newburyport on the North Shore of Massachusetts, she works from a home studio overlooking gardens, trees, and changing seasons, drawing constant inspiration from the natural landscape outside her window.
What You'll Find at Bloom
Hand painted watercolor greeting cards and paper goods, bespoke stationery, notebooks, and cocktail napkins, and joyful illustrations inspired by nature, memory, and connection
Follow Along
Claire Bula Designs
Why Bloom?
”I love the idea of being featured as part a group of dedicated makers in a local brick and mortar shop! The attention to detail and craft that the owners have when curating their shop feels like the right fit for my hand-based work; I would be overjoyed for someone to be able to wander in on a lovely sunny afternoon and find something I made for someone they love.” - Claire
Fun Fact
In addition to Claire Bula Designs, Claire teaches graphic design at Boston University and is also a letterpress printer!