In 2011, I launched Rooted Expressions, my business of sharing and selling my craft of creating wearable silk scarves and jewelry along with my fine art. Rooted Expressions represents the creative passion stemming from my roots. My two grandmothers were instrumental in planting the seeds of my passion for fiber art. At the age of eight, my Gramma took me to a watercolor class. Watercolor, like silk dye has a beautiful, graceful flow that is not easily expressed in any other medium. Also at the age of eight, I was taught to sew by my other grandmother, thus starting my connection to fiber.
Understanding the complex variety of fabrics, patterning, and constructing is important to my process. These are experiences that are rooted in my expression of color, pattern, and texture that appear consistently within my silk art. The moment silk painting was introduced to me, it was immediately a perfect marriage of both watercolor and fiber, the two mediums I have loved since childhood.
In 2006, I was standing in an art room in Greenwood, Indiana watching my colleague give a demonstration on silk painting to her students. At the time I was 24, in my second year of teaching, and considered myself a ceramic artist.
As fate would have it, that year I had to teach one fiber arts class due to additional interest in the class. Whenever I didn't know how to teach something, I would observe Ms. Shake and then teach the same lesson to my students the following class period.
Anyways, back to standing in the room. She had already stretched a crisp white scarf onto a frame and was talking about how dye bleeds, spreading on the silk fibers. I was somewhat paying attention.
Then magic happened.
She touched the brush to the silk and the most vibrant, beautiful magenta flowed out onto the silk. I was hooked. The following week, I made my first silk scarf along side my students. Within just a few months, I walked away from clay forever and started painting on silk.
I haven’t stopped since. I continue to learn and grow my silk painting skills. I have found such joy in this medium and that is why I love to share my knowledge and experience with you!
Rooted Expressions Studio Mission
Create
My studio is my place where I can be free. I am free to express my ideas, take risks without judgement, and focus on my highest work, my art. Through my work, I hope to communicate my passion and joy of art with you.
Share
As a life-long educator, I am dedicated to teaching. I want to share with the masses how it feels to be empowered to share and celebrate your creative energy. The classes I offer are for artists of all levels, my mission is lead, inspire, and mentor all creatives.
Grow
Rooted Expression Studio is a journey. A journey I want to share with you. Our journey is an evolution of discovering our passion for creating, gaining confident artistic voices, and giving ourselves the time and space to be the artist we have always wanted to be.
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