Pigments With Purpose: How Greenleaf & Blueberry Turn Nature Into Legacy

Husband-and-wife duo Jess Greenleaf and Matt Hurd are more than entrepreneurs behind non-toxic, professional-grade watercolors — they are Earth stewards who spark a sense of wonder and possibility in the everyday.

Photos courtesy of Greenleaf & Blueberry

Their vibrant watercolor expedition began in the early 2010s with Greenleaf’s determination to carry paints into technical alpine terrain. She desired something portable that would not compromise quality or limit creativity. The result is Greenleaf & Blueberry: professional, handmade watercolors crafted in Grand Junction. The couple’s collaboration blossomed from their connection to the Earth, drawing inspiration from geology’s nuances and a commitment to superior quality through one-of-a-kind pigments. Today, they co-own Greenleaf & Blueberry, with Greenleaf serving as creative director and Hurd as the master colourman behind the brand.

Initially, their goal was to learn to make superior quality paints for Greenleaf to use in her painting practice. However, the testing process resulted in hundreds of pans of paint. So, in 2012, she opened an online shop. It took only three years for both Greenleaf and Hurd to work full-time for Greenleaf & Blueberry.

“The world feels so full of soulless stuff for sale, so we didn’t want to just add to the noise,” Greenleaf says. “We only wanted to offer something if it was truly of value and answered an actual need.”

This commitment led the co-owners to develop exacting standards for their watercolors, including low or no toxicity, high lightfastness ratings and producing only single-pigment colors named accordingly. They use no fillers, dispersants or additives that could alter the natural pigments. Each color is handcrafted in small batches, with pigments sourced naturally from around the world, ensuring every product meets professional-grade quality. Greenleaf & Blueberry craft each color by hand, using the traditional muller and slab method.

PAINT YOUR LEGACY

The couple believe painting leads to a more intentional and meaningful life. It is a way to weave and leave your inimitable legacy.

The nuance of creating paint has led Hurd to appreciate the variety and genius of his days and surroundings. “It has also made me more aware of the solace painting can give to painters and how that can be passed on,” he says. “Our customers’ delight is absolutely contagious and often brings joy to our days.”

Jess Greenleaf

Greenleaf illustrates how the act of painting takes observation, deliberation, interpretation, creativity, problem-solving and time. “It forces us to slow down, sit quietly and consider our subject in minute detail,” she says. “Painting a subject will lock it into our memory in vibrant, sensory detail, and in a way that snapping a quick photo can never approximate.”

She adds that it is their honor to be a part of people’s creative journey. Painting develops a serene way of thinking and seeing the world. Painting “is something of a second language, and it is a wonderful thing to converse in it. It has made me aware that creativity is truly an essential life skill.”

Hurd emphasizes that making watercolors has allowed Greenleaf & Blueberry to create jobs for artists and craftspeople in the Grand Valley.

“Our manufacturing and packaging processes require artisan skill and aren’t tasks that we would consider outsourcing,” he shares. “It’s all pretty 19th century, but we love what we do and are grateful that can offer good jobs right here where we live.”

FALL INTO AUTUMN’S COLORS

The changing foliage and calming cool of fall reflect a particularly perfect time to bring paintbrush to paper. Greenleaf specifically designed the Fall Flora & Foliage Palette, comprised of 24 colors and accompanied by a hand-painted color chart for the fall season. She selected these colors specifically for depicting fall leaves, foliage and all plants in their seasonal state. Choose among a full array of reds, oranges, yellows, greens and browns, with a couple blues to choose from for mixing and versatility.

The best way to purchase Greenleaf & Blueberry watercolors and supplies is through their website, greenleafblueberry.com, or at select stores across the state including Two Hands Paperie in Boulder and artist Sarah Uhl’s historic jailhouse studio in Carbondale.

Originally published in the fall 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.