Houston, Texas
Made here,
for the room it lives in.
Katelyn Dowdle paints from Houston. A commission is built around one specific wall — its scale, its light, and the colours already in the room.
Working locally
What being in Houston
actually changes.
Most of a commission happens the same way wherever a collector lives: you describe the space, Katelyn responds with a direction and a quote, and the piece is built by hand from there.
Being in the same city changes the practical end of it. A finished work can be collected in person or delivered rather than crated and shipped, which matters most for large pieces — a statement canvas arrives on your wall without ever going through a courier.
Everywhere else, artwork is prepared and shipped across the United States.
Before you inquire
Three things worth measuring first
None of these are required — you can inquire with nothing but an idea. But they are the details that make a first reply useful rather than a round of questions.
The wall, edge to edge
Width and height of the usable space, and the height of anything sitting under it — a sofa back, a console, a headboard. Artwork usually wants to be somewhere around two-thirds the width of the furniture beneath it, and a piece that is slightly too small is the most common regret. If you send the measurements and a photograph, Katelyn will suggest a scale.
The light the room gets
Texture is the whole point of this work — sculpted blooms, layered paste, hand-applied gold leaf — and texture is read by shadow. A wall with raking afternoon light will show relief that a flatly lit hallway will not. Gold in particular behaves completely differently depending on what is hitting it, so it is worth saying which way the room faces and whether the piece will sit under a downlight.
The colours already in the room
Not a palette to match exactly — a piece that matches the cushions too closely stops being artwork. More useful is what is already there and what you want picked up or kept out entirely. Photographs of the space do this better than words.
Common questions
Commissioning, in practice
Do you work with collectors outside Houston?
Yes. Katelyn is based in Houston, so finished work can be collected in person or delivered locally — but commissions are created for collectors across the United States, and artwork ships nationwide.
How is a commission priced?
Every commission is individually quoted on size, complexity and materials. Raincloud, a completed three-panel commission, was $5,000; each new project receives its own quote. Nothing is owed to inquire, and payment details are only shared once a commission has been personally confirmed.
How long does it take?
It depends on the scale and complexity of the piece and on what is already in the studio. Share a desired completion date with your inquiry and Katelyn will tell you whether it is workable before anything is agreed.
Can you work to the colours in my room?
Yes — palette is part of the brief. Photographs of the space, the light it gets, and any colours you want picked up or avoided are the most useful things to send.
What sizes do you work at?
From small detailed pieces through to large statement work. If you are unsure what suits a wall, send its measurements and a photograph and Katelyn will suggest a scale.
Can I commission something like a piece I have already seen?
Yes, though never as a copy — each work is one of one. A finished piece is a useful starting point for direction, palette and surface, and the new work is built around your space from there.
Start a commission
Tell Katelyn about the room, the wall and what you are imagining. Every inquiry is read and answered personally, and nothing is owed to ask.