Kate in her Nashville home studio.

Kate’s Story

Little Things Studio brings beauty and truth to the special spaces in your life through art prints, calendars, cards and bookmarks. Mississippi-born and Nashville-based artist Kate Whitley weaves word and image with lush floral designs, vibrant and vintage color schemes and lovely hand-lettering of hymns, songs and quotes.

I’m from the small, Southern town of Yazoo City, Mississippi. If you talk to me, you’ll think I’m faking my accent. But it’s for real. My first degree was in Public Relations, and I worked in the corporate office of a bank. I hated my job and decided to go back to school for graphic design at Mississippi State University. I had not taken an art class since I was eleven. I didn’t even know there were different weights of pencils. Becoming a graphic designer felt like I was getting my life back. I’ve never been happier.

My thick Southern accent comes with a big personality, a love of color, and design, and passions for food, hymns and history. My work is heavily influenced by folk art, including Scandinavian, Russian, Native American art. I strive to put depth and truth in my work to communicate the joys and sorrows of life. Little Things Studio is an extension of me. I make work that I want to see out in the world and that I need myself. It’s a joy, privilege and honor to be able to do this work. I love getting to know my customers and hearing how my work has ministered to them in dark seasons.

Little Things Studio is located in a fun little studio in East Nashville, Tennessee, one block from my house where I live with my husband Dave, daughter Agnes, and cat Weezie.

Little Things Studio Team

These women keep the shop up and running. They each bring different gifts and use them beautifully. I’ve always heard not to hire your friends, but I did and it works! I love them and I am so grateful I get to work with them.

Jen Hurst

Jen is customer service queen.  Jen ships all the orders with such care and thought. That is a big job. She manages all of our wholesale accounts. Can I also say she’s just delightful?

  • Jen’s favorite product is Leaning on the Everlasting Arms Tea Towel. It reminds her of the “True Grit” soundtrack.
  • When she’s not working, Jen loves having people over for a meal.
  • Favorite sparkling water flavor: Trader Joe’s pineapple.

Meredith Gruner

I jokingly say “if she quits, then I quit.” No one enjoys such repetitive jobs as much as Meredith does. She folds the tea towels, cuts the art prints, and packages everything. And she loves it!

  • Meredith’s favorite product is 25 Days of Christmas Carols. She LOVES Advent.
  • When she’s not working, she loves reading “who done it” books, and of course going to Jen’s house for meals.
  • Favorite sparkling water flavor: LaCroix Cran-Raspberry.

Amy Davis

Amy manages projects and loves doing all the detailed things with running the store I don’t want to do. I love working with her because I can ask her to figure something out and she does! It’s amazing.

  • Amy’s favorite product is This is My Father’s World Tea towel, because it’s her favorite color.
  • When she’s not working, Amy’s making food from scratch and she loves going over to Jen’s house for a meal.
  • Favorite sparkling water flavor: LaCroix Key Lime.

About Little Things Studio Products

At Little Things Studio, we value quality, eco-friendliness, and working with local, family-owned businesses. We print on earth-friendly paper and work with Lithographics, a Nashville, family-owned and FSC certified printer.

All of the type and designs on Little Things Studio products are hand-drawn by Kate. While drawing and hand-lettering, Kate works in a Strathmore recycled paper sketchbook with a pencil, a ruler, a Staedtler eraser, a Kuretake brush pen (the Japanese make the best brush pens!), and a Bic Z4 0.5mm pen. After drawing and hand-lettering, Kate colors and manipulates her designs on the computer, using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.