We’re Welcoming Spring with Paper Flowers and Natural Prints
Ican still see snow out my window here as I’m writing this but goodness knows Spring is in the air and I am so ready for it! And this publication is all in the Spring spirit as we feature works of colorful floral prints and mind-bogglingly gorgeous paper flowers.
It happened somewhat by happy accident, but this season we brought together three tales of new beginnings, businesses rising out of the strife of COVID and flourishing in its wake. I think this works wonderfully for a spring when I am just itching to get back outside, walking the forest trails, and searching for the wild flowers.
Happily, my wish for flowers was granted early this year with our first featured artist, Poy Granati, who makes, sells, and teaches workshops on how to make paper flowers. And when I tell you all that these flowers are just amazing… the first images I saw of them I thought they were real! But right about now, with yet another winter storm looming overhead I wish I had bouquets and bouquets of unwiltable flowers. Poy shares with us her beginning in making these flowers and how the growth of her studio sprung up out of the loss of her fulltime job during COVID. She writes about the values of networking and what she learned from her marketing and PR education, how that has served her to land some truly impressive opportunities.
Our next feature, Akosua Karikari, has perhaps the most involved COVID story of all, as she was a nurse working on “the frontlines” as it were, then and now. Akosua writes about her experience in the medical world and how the skills she gained saving lives helped her to become an effective entrepreneur. She talks about how proud she is to be able to employ artisans in her home country of Ghana who hand make each product in the wake of the
pandemic. And as her print and textile company expands to sell her designs all over the world, she is so proud to share this little piece of Ghanaian culture with the world.
The final featured seller this spring is Jessie de Salis, with her beautifully designed handmade prints and textiles. A true COVID story as well, Jessie’s artisan journey began when she moved to the remote countryside of Cornwall during the pandemic. There, in true romantic fashion, she set up her own print studio in an old abandoned barn and began printing her designs by hand on canvas and other textiles. In her article she shares some valuable techniques on how to care for your time and mental health while remaining productive and on top of all the responsibilities that come with running your own business. I know I found some truly helpful advice here. One recommendation that I know I will be trying out when I encounter my regular bouts of writer’s block and artist’s block is a technique that Jessie learned at the Bauhaus School of Art, where you open a window, light a candle, and take time to do morning meditation before going to work on your art. When you need to be creative every day, taking the brief time to make each day sacred and establish a productive space can be the difference between getting stuck in a creative rut and creating something beautiful. I am so happy to have learned this and many more suggestions from Jessie’s wonderful article.
So, as Spring and (soon) Summer approaches I wish you all well. As Poy beautifully signs off, “Live Artfully,” may inspiration come in fluttering droves.
Allyson ARTIST & EDITOR IN CHIEF ALLYSON@HANDMADESELLER.COM @thehandmademagazine