Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Wiggins.
Hi Kendra, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Rosie Orchard came about very organically. It’s not something I necessarily planned out or had any sort of business plan for. I moved to Midlothian when I got married in 2015. I was a recent MFA grad and was pursuing my art career. Landing in town that did not have an art community felt isolating in a lot of ways. After I became a mother, I was adjuncting at various community colleges and a University near by. I really enjoyed teaching and participating in a community of creatives. After having my 3rd child in 2021, I took a break from teaching. I found myself at home with my kids doing what I naturally did in my own art practice. If I was painting I would get paint out for them. We would pull out art materials and work at the kitchen table together. I loved bringing them along with me, and seeing their process and creative freedom. Children are natural artists and I found so much joy in seeing their discoveries and enjoyment of the materials.
Around this time my mother-in-law suggested that I offer summer art camps, and I decided to give it a go. I was already making art with my own kids, so decided to open up some space for other kids in out community. There was such a positive response and I had a lot of fun with it. When the summer ended I had people ask if I would continue classes in the Fall, so I did. It continued like that for a while. I came to a point where I had to decide if I was going to pick up classes at the University or continue growing this little local art business I had started. I had 3 young children, and loved that I could create my own schedule and bring them along with me, so decided to jump fully in to growing a local art studio. That’s how The Rosie Orchard came to be. My two daughter’s middle names are Rosalee and Orchard, so I brought those into the name, since doing art with them is really where this whole thing started.
I wouldn’t have been able to grow like I did without the support from a few special people, who I am immensely grateful for. My husband has been my biggest supporter, and in a sense this has felt like a family endeavor. He grew up in Midlothian and was a creative kid who loved art. There wasn’t much for him in a small town. I also didn’t really have access to art making until I went to college, so we have talked a lot about the importance of providing an art space for kids in the community. Secondly, my mother-in-law sparked this idea and allowed me to use her barn as a space for the first few years while I grew and explored my class options. I am very grateful for that early support. And third, when I decided to get a storefront downtown, my investors were my sister and brother-in-law. They provided a lot of support for the upfront cost of getting my own space. The Rosie Orchard is truly an effort of love and has grown because of family and community. I want anyone who comes into the studio to feel that sense of community and have an encouraging space to explore their own creative journey.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In a sense it has been very smooth. The business fits all my strengths and really feels like me, so I just do what I do best. I’ve decided to just be me, so taking the pressure off to build something that meets everybody’s expectations or wants is very freeing. The biggest struggle for me is learning how to be a business owner. Both of my degrees are in art. So while I’m realizing I am an entrepreneur, I am not coming in with any business knowledge. I have learned a lot and continue to. I think the hardest part for me still is the administrative computer work. I love the hands on time in the studio: making the space creative and welcoming and creative time in the actual studio. But prioritizing the office hours to run a business is something I have to continually work on. The other struggle is running a business while also having a family. It’s definitely not always easy but I love that my children get to see the hard work put in to doing something meaningful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love making and working with all kinds of materials. My first love in art was oil paint. The colors and rich texture just made sense to me, like a visual language. But I’m inspired by life all around me, so have incorporated mixed media practices into my work. I enjoy thinking with my hands, so whether I am sewing, painting, carving, drawing, weaving, etc… that is when I am most at peace. I have learned so much about myself by being an artist. My art has changed since becoming a mother, mainly due to time constraints. I love painting large and cannot wait to have the space to do that again, but currently I work on smaller things right now, that I can pick up here or there when I have a minute. I dream of long days in the studio again, and know I’ll be there someday. Right now my work centers around children, immediate needs, and primal responses. I don’t feel like I have to prove myself anymore, which is freeing. If my work for the day is 5 minutes of making a tiny clay sculpture along a class, or painting a corner of my studio because I had the idea then I’m happy. Art is more about life to me these days, so I’m just trying to nurture it and those around me.
What were you like growing up?
I was extremely shy as a child, unless I knew you well. My family was large so I had siblings to play with and have many good memories of spending the full day lost in imaginative play with my sisters. I didn’t grow up around art. I remember getting in trouble when my mom would find areas in the house I had drawn on, like the wall by my top bunk bed. I was a very good, obedient kid, so looking back I know I wasn’t trying to be bad or do something wrong, it was just this urge to draw on objects. It makes sense now, I had a desire to create at a young age. I remember being in Sunday school one week and making clay beads that we strung together to make a necklace for a Mother’s Day or Christmas gift. It was the first time I remember making something completely from raw material into a thing, and I remember loving that. I still remember the shape and color of the beads that I made. It’s a silly memory but it must have been pretty formative, since I’ve built a business around introducing kids to art and the love of making.
Contact Info:
- Website: therosieorchard@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therosieorchard.shop?igsh=MWU0czQ1aWFuZnMzMg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FpQ2HuTxS/?mibextid=wwXIfr
