Artist Spotlight: Ovidija Paulter
Finding Color in Connection: A Q&A with Floral Oil Painter Ovi Paulter
At M. Graham, we believe art is more than just color on canvas—it’s memory, healing, and story. We recently spoke with Ovi Paulter, a floral painter based in New Jersey, whose passion for art blossomed later in life and whose connection to nature and family pours through every brushstroke. From her Lithuanian roots to her switch to non-toxic oils, Ovi’s story is a tender, moving reminder of why we create.
Q: Can you introduce yourself and share how you started painting?
Ovi Paulter: Sure! My name is Ovi Paulter. I’m originally from Lithuania, and I’ve lived in New Jersey for the past 23 years with my husband and our three now-teenagers. I started painting only seven years ago, in the middle of a really overwhelming time in my life—motherhood, work, just the chaos of life with young kids.
I saw an oil painting class in a community college booklet, and it just spoke to me. I had no idea it would change my life. I don’t paint full-time, I’ve worked as a receptionist at a law firm for 20 years—but art is my full-time passion. I always say that. And it’s 100% true.
Q: What drew you to florals, and what does your work represent?
At first, I didn’t know why I kept gravitating to flowers. But then I realized—I was painting my memories. My grandma and my grandpa—these are the deepest connections in my life. I spent summers in Lithuania with my grandmother in her little garden. She had what I call a “green thumb on steroids”—peonies, tulips, hydrangeas, you name it.
Flowers take me back to that joyful time. There was even this meadow just outside her garden, full of fragrant blossoms. I used to pretend I was a poet there, writing verses surrounded by nature.
So now, every floral I paint is a thread back to those days. And my style—it’s impressionistic, expressive. One of my teachers even said my brushstrokes reminded her of Van Gogh. I wouldn’t go that far, but I’m definitely not a realist. It’s more about the emotion than the detail.
Q: What role does emotion play in your process?
Huge. I’ve sold hundreds of paintings, but the ones that feel most powerful are the ones rooted in memory. I can paint “eye candy” all day—stuff that I know will sell. But it doesn’t fill me.
The best work comes when I, as I say, “stir up the deep dark masses of the soul,” and whatever I find down there, that’s what I paint. It’s the only way I feel truly connected to what I’m doing.
Q: How did you discover M. Graham paints?
Believe it or not, it started with a conversation. A gift shop owner, Tanya, invited me to teach my first class there. But she said, “I don’t want toxic paints in my shop.” That made me stop and think. I had been using cadmiums and solvents, but I didn’t feel right about teaching that way.
The dissonance grew louder. I thought of my grandmother, how she loved the land. I started researching non-toxic paints and discovered M. Graham. It just clicked. I gathered all my toxic supplies, waited for hazardous waste day, and brought everything in. Then I ordered my first M. Graham kit—and never looked back.
Q: How has the switch to non-toxic oils impacted your practice?
It’s been incredible. I paint on my kitchen table, and with M. Graham oils, nothing smells. My whole family sleeps while I paint late into the night, and no one’s disturbed. I use the full system—walnut oil to clean, walnut alkyd medium to speed drying, and a primary palette.
And because of this switch, I was able to launch my biggest dream: Floral Sessions with Ovi. It’s not just an art class—it’s a gift to women who are stretched thin. A night out to pause, to let go of fight-or-flight mode for two hours. I couldn’t do this with toxic oils. People are afraid of that. M. Graham has made this possible.
Q: Where can people find your work or join a class?
Instagram is my main hub: @ovipaulterart. I link to everything from there—online classes, in-person events.
Q: Any recent or upcoming projects you’re excited about?
Yes! I just finished a series called Forget Me Nots—20 paintings based on my most vivid memories with my grandparents. I even painted black-and-white portraits of them, which is new for me. Each piece tells a story: cherry pitting with a safety pin, my grandpa’s sweet tooth, strawberry fields, a meadow where I wrote poetry.
It’s all going into a little exhibition at the library in September—my second solo show. I even wrote a self-published companion book with a story for each painting, and I’m adding QR codes to link to those. Someone suggested voice notes too, and I love that idea! I want people to feel the connection.
Graham is proud to support artists like Ovi, whose work is rooted in care—for the earth, for memory, and for community. Her story reminds us that art can start from pain and bloom into something beautifully shared. Follow her journey at @ovipaulterart.
