My first Nature Tapestries Workshop was held Tuesday, Feb. 10th, 2026 in 2nd grade classrooms at the Melrose Avenue School in Jamestown, RI. It was a collaboration with the GEMS-Net program at URI, linking classrooms to career exploration, STEAM experiences, and artistic practices.
I opened our time together by sharing a treasure box of natural objects and telling the story of how a simple stick sparked my journey into creating wildcrafted wearable art. Then I invited the kids to imagine their own designs. We explored the foraged materials together—protective skins, seed carriers, and textured treasures—making observations and sharing ideas about how each might live within their tapestries.
Orange peels, milkweed pods, pistachio shells, maple samaras, sticks, bearded lichen, varieties of pine cones and seashells, dried grasses, acorn tops, and slices of fallen tree branches filled the baskets, ready to be chosen. Each child received a cardboard canvas stamped with a Wrapped in Nature seal, then visited the “nature buffet” with paper plates to gather their first selections. From there, they moved to the gluing station with an adult before returning for more materials—layer by layer, bringing their wearable designs to life. We concluded the session with an opportunity to share the title of their work & a pose, in their nature crafted tapestry!
Class #1
The Nature Picnic by Bowen
The Life of a Star Beginning by Jackson
Remembering my Joy by Bella
Nature Moonlight by Blake
Something in the Universe by Arlo
Acorn Army by Julian
Nature-ful by Mila
Orange Sky by Lily
The Nature Beach by Libby
Pattern by Tucker
Backyard by Toni
The Random Sailboat
Something in the World by Sabrina
Class #2
Beach Sand by Garret
The Sunset Yard by Grace
Magic Tree by Lucas
Caves at the Beach by Lily
Frog of Wonder by Adeline
Stick by Zoe
Walking the Tightrope by Andrea
Witchcraft by Ros
Stick World by Connor
Quadrants by Thomas
A Nature Walk by Atlay
Light & Dark by Grace
Orange by Quinn
What an opportunity and experience this was for me.
Thank you to Charlene and Rachele for finding me and weaving me into your important work through GemsNet. To Leanne and Faith—thank you for opening your classrooms for this experience and making everything absolutely seamless. And to the Jamestown PTO, thank you for providing the funding that connected my work with your students. Building the work is one thing as an artist, but finding pathways to share it and sustain it—while staying aligned with my mission—is another challenge entirely. Thank you for opening this doorway and recognizing the value in my craft. I believe that, in itself, is a meaningful gift to your students.
And the kids.
Inquisitive. Kind. Great listeners. Thoughtful. Open to the experience.
I felt deeply respected by them, and they showed genuine appreciation for the natural materials. I was especially impressed that they took only what they needed, returning for more when necessary. I expected scarcity thinking—taking too much and using too little—but instead they demonstrated abundance. Nothing went to waste. They worked collectively while creating individual tapestries, proving that there truly is more than enough.
This beautiful environment exists because of those who educate and guide these young people. Jamestown—you are nailing it. I’m so impressed by your community. The students in the last class all came up and hugged me (what a gift to receive so many hugs in one day!).
Thank you for your thoughtful leadership and for such an inspiring experience.