I’m a textile artist, Mama, and Art Therapist. Two months ago, I made a big change in my life. I transitioned from a 15 year career working as a children’s therapist for hospice to full time work on my handwoven textiles. The daughter to a mechanic and an artist, I was raised with a deep understanding and reverence for the power that lies within one’s own hands. From a very young age, I found magic in making things.

My other love — helping people — was discovered when I began volunteering as a candy striper in the local hospital. I found great joy in helping others. This intersection of making art and helping others led to my pursuing a graduate degree and career in Art Therapy. I spent one and a half decades working with kids and families impacted by illness and loss. After becoming a mother 5 years ago, I started to notice the emotional wear that working around death and dying had on my spirit. It started to deplete my energy, whereas for years, this work nurtured me.

It was around the same time that I discovered weaving and used my work on my loom as a way to decompress and integrate the loss that I encountered through work on a daily basis. Weaving was the medicine I needed to cope with the huge changes that come with being a first time Mom while working an emotionally and spiritually demanding job.

As my art business grew, I started to envision a new story for myself. A year ago, I made a vow to pursue my art full time and to honor MY heart. In my textile work, I carry the hearts and stories of many children whom I have supported over the years.

What sets my business apart from others is the fact that I design and make each piece by hand. I also manage my own website and all aspects of my business from retail accounts, website sales, and in person events on top of the designing and creating of all products. It is very important to me that my hand be in each and every piece I create. My strong belief is that the magic of each individual piece exists because of the intimate connection my own spirit, and hands, have had within each product.

I make woven clothing, woven textiles and pillows, and specialize in handwoven metal jewelry. I started my textile business 3 1/2 years ago and within this time have drawn a devoted following to my work as well as many web sales and retail accounts. My work has been published in San Francisco Magazine, Knitwit Magazine, and on Refinery 29. I have been part of trade shows and small, curated artist-based events in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. My customers included like-minded people, of all ages, who believe in small, artist-made products as well as the specialized boutique clientele of my retail accounts. My goals for this year are to grow my retail accounts and invest in raw materials to help grow my business.

Will allow me to purchase bulk quantity of raw materials for my products, allow me to increase the quality of my website and marketing materials, allow me to attend a large scale trade show to increase retail accounts.