Faye Griffiths finds joy in creating

Art abounds at Made with Love Bakery in West Spokane – and it’s not confined to the array of baked goods on display.

Watercolors of red-roofed cottages hang on one wall and, on another, vibrantly hued landscapes catch the eye.

A rack of aprons featuring screen-printed birds and waterfowl stands near a selection of canvas totes and gift bags adorned with similar artwork.

It all comes from the creative mind and hands of artist Faye Griffiths, 74.

“When I was 18, I taught myself to do pencil sketches,” Griffiths said. “I’d never even drawn a stick figure, but I was fascinated with Indigenous people and Chief Joseph.”

She sold her artwork at a shop in the Flour Mill for a time, then her life took a different direction. She worked in catering and sales for a hospitality company, and afterward, spent many years caring for her horses in Otis Orchards.

When COVID-19 struck, she returned to her art, but it had been 50 years since she’d picked up a drawing pencil.

“There were only so many puzzles I could do,” she said.

To her dismay, her skills had rusted over time, but she persisted and decided to learn something new.

“Eighteen months ago, I had a procedure with a long recovery time,” Griffiths said. “I’d always wanted to do watercolor.”

A close friend told her that if she didn’t seize the opportunity, it would be passed on to someone else.

Unlike her pre-internet days of self-taught sketching, Griffiths found plenty of watercolor tutorials online.

“I became passionate about it,” she said. “I love color – the more vivid the better. Color is almost something I could eat!”

She learned about Fauvism, an early 20th century art movement defined by intense, non-naturalistic color, spontaneous brushwork and simplified forms. And she discovered the work of David Choe.

“He inspired my red roof series.”

Her friend encouraged her to show and sell her work, so Griffiths visited area coffee shops.

“I went to three places, and they said no,” she recalled.

Her hairdresser encouraged her to try Made with Love Bakery.

“I walked in, met the beautiful Tamar (Powers, bakery owner), and she said, ‘Yes! Do whatever you want!’ ”

Each month, Griffiths updates her displays, which include greeting cards and handmade 100% cotton washcloths.

“You use your energy to create art – it’s not about money,” she said. “You’re sharing your energy and love, and if someone wants to take it home, it’s an honor.”

She pointed out a canvas tote featuring two crows head-to-head.

“It’s called ‘A Meeting of the Minds,’ ” Griffiths said.

Corvids star appears in many of her pieces. She grew up in Coeur d’Alene, and for eight years, her family had a pet crow named Ike. His vocabulary was impressive, and he rode through their neighborhoods on the handlebars of her bike.

Ike was successfully transitioned back into the wild, and the experience left her with a profound love for birds and a special place in her heart for corvids.

However, her current favorite piece is “Pete the Pelican.”

“I just love the colors,” she said.

Griffith paints every day.

“It’s a gift not everyone gets to do – it’s a gift that heals,” she said. “Every day, I’m grateful.”

After a 50-year absence from making art, the joy she finds in creating is evident.

“The real talent in the world is undiscovered because the most talented people don’t sing the song or write the poem or paint the painting – they feel like they’re not good enough,” Griffiths said.

“I say just do it anyway. Sing the song, paint the picture – share it. We’re all waiting.”