February: Building Structure into Creative Practice

Theda with Bottle Cap Pearls

This month, I’ve been focusing on the rhythms of my days, creating a structure that supports both productivity and joy. Balancing time between the studio, Sky Garden Gallery projects, and my commitments to Hidden Beach requires intentionality, but it’s rewarding to see everything coming together.

One thing I’ve found helpful is setting clear boundaries around my creative time. Mornings are now sacred for studio work. Whether I’m stitching, dyeing, or sketching, this uninterrupted time allows me to immerse myself in the process. Afternoons often shift to collaboration—mentoring residency artists or planning upcoming events, like our new Art Salon Dinner series.

Adapting to this structure hasn’t been without challenges. Some days flow effortlessly; others feel scattered. I’ve learned to be flexible and forgiving, recognizing that creativity isn’t always linear. Taking short breaks to walk Sky Garden STX or sit quietly under the canopy of the Saman tree often helps me reset.

This balance of structure and spontaneity has deepened my connection to my practice. I’m reminded that nurturing creativity is as much about showing up consistently as it is about staying open to inspiration when it comes.

As February ends, I feel grateful for the steady foundation I’m building. It’s a reminder that success doesn’t come from rushing toward goals but from weaving intention into the fabric of each day.

Building Space for Banana Fibers…

As I look forward to the completion of my studio, I can’t help but feel excited about the possibilities that will unfold once I finally have the space to work on projects I’ve only dreamed of. One of the things I’m eager to dive into is processing banana fibers. The idea of turning something so common in my environment into a material I can work with feels deeply satisfying—almost like a full-circle moment of creation.

Banana fibers are strong, flexible, and have such a beautiful, natural texture. But up until now, I’ve lacked the dedicated space to properly process them. Once the studio is built, I’ll have the room and the right environment to experiment, to let the fibers dry and cure, to extract them in ways that preserve their strength and integrity. In this new space, I’ll finally be able to explore the full potential of this material and see where it leads me artistically.

Stay tuned, because once this studio is up and running, I’ll be sharing the journey of working with banana fibers—and who knows what else will emerge in this new chapter of my creative practice!

Work in Progress

As an artist deeply passionate about sustainability and the beauty of the unexpected, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of giving new purpose to discarded objects. There’s something incredibly satisfying about taking something that might otherwise end up in a landfill and transforming it into a work of art that sparks wonder and curiosity.

I am still sourcing the materials to embellish the braids so I expect to be working and completing this piece, while I am in residency at Touchstone Center for Crafts this Spring and Fall.

more to come…