Tissage is a one-woman show and I am a woman of many skills. Some of my art education has been glamorous and some of my skills I learned from a book or a family member.

As a teenager, I had the great privilege of studying painting at a small school on a hillside in the south of France. It was an incredibly affirming experience that I would wish on all young students. Although I rarely paint these days, it taught me a love of subtle color and trained my eyes to see inspiration everywhere.

I taught myself how to make soap, knit and make candles from various books. I learned to make stained glass at summer camp and carried the skill through graduate school where I made a stained glass book inspired by a medieval text. Metal sculpture was my passion in college and I'm still proud of my welding skills.

I spent time in Italy between college and graduate school, where I relearned how to weave and gained a new love of silk painting and metal-smithing. About 10 years ago my mother taught me the basics of beading and wire work. Millinery came next and my most recent project has been learning how to sew. Apparently I can never have too many summer dresses.

Everything in my shop is handmade by me, from the simple and affordable to the labor intensive and complex. I love to work with beautiful materials and watch my work and taste evolve. A big part of that evolution has come from custom work, which always inspires me.