Best in Show 2025 at the Old Wethersfield Arts & Crafts Fair

A devotion to becoming an eco-friendly and conscience business:

• I do not support the use of AI in artwork and will never use AI generated artwork.

• Art prints and cards are made in-house, reducing carbon footprint

• Source material of paper: originally is sourced from many certified managed forests before being milled and produced in the US

• Working with local manufacturers that utilize eco-friendly inks for sticker products

• Reusable products such as refillable nature journals

• Perpetual calendars that will last year after year

• Undated planners allowing future use

• Future plans for switching 100% to compostable packaging for cards, prints, and laminated bookmarks

About the Artist: Alivia Rubino

From art school to parenthood and back to being an artist:

While pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration at the University of Connecticut, I met my husband in our illustration class. I completed my education in 2010, but life led me to focus on raising our first two children. During those early years, I stayed loosely connected to the art world by volunteering my art services, taking commissions, and participating in shows.

When our family moved into an old schoolhouse in Tolland, CT, it inspired me to fully embrace my artistic background. In 2020, I began creating nature-based watercolor paintings, exploring different biomes and offering my artwork as nature studies for my eldest son and daughter. In 2022, I welcomed twin girls, and with four children to care for, I felt an even stronger desire to learn, teach, and pursue my passion.

My watercolor paintings encompass a range of subjects, from botanical pieces to depictions of fungi and forest creatures. I strive to balance loose nature studies with precise illustrations. Each piece I create serves as a therapeutic experience, reflecting the wonders and intricacies of nature. My children often join me during my painting sessions, asking about the species I’m working on and inspired to emulate the process.

I now develop my own products featuring these illustrations, print stationery from my home studio, and participate in several art markets each year. You can find my work throughout New England in various gift shops.

Background:

BFA in Illustration from UConn 2010

Favorite Subjects: Fungi and moss, small critters, and portraits

Favorite Medium: Traditional Watercolor painting on cold pressed paper