Moore To The Story: Home Portraits with Kyle Rieth
We’re continuing our Moore to the Story series, where we spotlight the hobbies and passions of our team members outside the office. This time, we’re featuring Kyle Rieth, a Project Engineer from our West Fargo office. When Kyle’s not working on engineering projects, you might find him creating beautiful watercolor house portraits—a hobby that’s as meaningful as it is creative.
From a Sketch to a Passion
Kyle’s watercolor journey started with an idea from his wife. After watching an episode of Home Town on HGTV, she asked him to sketch their house as a keepsake. Her sister later added a watercolor twist to the drawing, which inspired Kyle to give painting a shot himself.
At first, Kyle kept it simple, painting a few houses for family and close friends between late 2021 and late 2022. Then, he began refining his skills and marketing his work, turning his hobby into a side business.
The Joy of Creating
Kyle finds joy in the emotional connection people have with their homes. His favorite part of the process? Seeing the reactions from those who receive the portraits. Homes hold so many memories, and being able to create a keepsake for someone brings him immense fulfillment.
Challenges and Lessons
While Kyle has developed his own unique painting style, color matching remains a challenging aspect. As someone who admits to being “color illiterate” in artistic terms, Kyle has had to learn through trial and error—sometimes starting over if a painting doesn’t come out as planned.
Painting has taught Kyle to step outside of his comfort zone. Before this hobby, his artistic experience was limited to pencil sketches and shading. Experimenting with color and paint has shown him the value of dedicating time to learning new skills, opening up opportunities for creativity and personal growth.
Translating Skills to Moore Engineering
Kyle’s hobby has also influenced his professional life. Creating detailed watercolor portraits has sharpened his attention to detail and patience—qualities that translate directly into his engineering work. The process of sketching and painting mirrors the thoughtful, methodical approach he brings to his role at Moore Engineering.
A Special Memory
One of Kyle’s favorite stories involves a double surprise gift for a close friend. In July, Josh reached out to commission a house portrait as a Christmas gift for his wife, Josie. Just two weeks later, Josie contacted Kyle with the same idea—as a birthday gift for Josh. The couple’s realization that they had the same plan made for a hilarious and unforgettable moment!
Connect with Kyle!
Interested in a house portrait? Kyle loves creating these keepsakes, to order yours fill out this form or visit his Instagram, @houseportraitsbykwr, where you can follow his work.
Kyle’s story reminds us that it’s never too late to try something new. Whether it’s learning to watercolor or simply exploring a creative side!