Today we’d like to introduce you to Reina Waller.
Hi Reina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hey there! I’m Reina, the artist behind Rise & Earthshine.
Finding my creative niche has been a lifelong journey; as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been immersed in the artistic world in one way or another. As a child, my parents always encouraged and nurtured my creativity, and really helped me cultivate my love for the arts at an early age. My mother was also an avid gardener, and her love for nature strongly influenced my artistic background. If I wasn’t drawing or painting, you could usually find me collecting flowers, catching frogs, or making mud pies as a little girl.
Throughout my teenage years, I discovered a new interest for photography and went on to graduate from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography in 2014. I worked as a wedding & lifestyle photographer for a handful of years, and while I enjoyed it, I ultimately decided that it wasn’t what I was truly passionate about. I began working as a full-time graphic designer in 2018, and still hold that position today.
Mid-March 2020, I started working from home as my place of employment, like many others, had no choice but to close their doors to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world faced such immense uncertainty, I found solace in taking daily nature walks in the surrounding areas of my neighborhood. Wildflower season had just begun, and without thinking twice about it, I was picking fist-fulls of flowers to take home. This simple act brought me a remarkable amount of joy and gave me something to look forward to each day. After each walk, I instinctually tucked my findings away in books to press and preserve. I didn’t have an artistic vision for them at the time, but I knew that I wanted to remember those unprecedented times in my own way, as morbid as that may sound.
Weeks passed and my flower collection quickly overtook my work-from-home space. I made my very first “flower flag” on a whim in April 2020, using a once-forgotten canvas banner that I found hiding in my art supply closet. Seeing the unification of my love for nature and love for art right in front of my eyes for the first time truly sparked something in my soul, and I knew then that I had found my artistic calling. From field to flag, this genre of art that I found myself in proved to be an incredibly delicate one. There was a long period of trial & error with my creative process as I discovered what pressing methods worked best for me, and what adhesives would help retain the color and integrity of my natural materials. I made a variety of pressed flower art throughout 2020, but only shared my creations with family & close friends while I worked hard to perfect my craft. In January 2021, I finally decided it was time to put myself and my art out into the world, thus bringing Rise & Earthshine to life.
Along with making my social media debut, I also opened my Etsy shop this year and began reaching out to local storefronts to establish connections within my community. As of today, I am a member of the Denton Community Market, have been a part of the Every Witch Way Market, and will be joining the Mosaic Market in late November. I also set up a display at the Salvage Shoppe (Denton, TX storefront) in October and even have some of my pieces in another artisanal shop called the Dime Store in Denton, TX!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
2021 has been a year of growth and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. The vast majority of the challenges that I’ve experienced along the way have been internal struggles. Like many artists, I battled with imposter syndrome when I was in the beginning stages of pursuing art professionally. I often wondered if I was a “good enough” artist or if my ideas were original enough; I wondered how I would be perceived and how my art would be received. At the core of those mental challenges, really, I was just afraid of failing. This journey has forced me to take a hard look at my shortcomings and insecurities, and by doing so, has brought forth a newfound confidence in myself and my work. I’m grateful to have overcome those obstacles that I put in front of myself, and having an amazing support system in my family and friends has only helped lift me up further.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Rise & Earthshine specializes in & is known for handmade “flower flags”! I am primarily a pressed flower artist, and my flower collection is almost completely made up of flowers that are handpicked and pressed by me (literally about 99%). I spend a fair amount of my free time scavenging for flowers, leaves, weeds (hey, they can be beautiful too!), and even bugs to use in my art. Foraging is one of my favorite parts of my creative process; having a hand in that process and sourcing my materials directly from nature is what sets me apart from the rest.
This year, I have expanded beyond flower flags, however. Rise & Earthshine now offers pressed flower pins and cards, stickers, prints, and t-shirts, and I’m brainstorming new ideas every day! My background in photography & graphic design has also proven to be an invaluable tool in bringing my ideas to life. I designed my logo by hand, and all of my stickers, prints, and t-shirts are my original designs, as well; that is something that I’m very proud of!
Contact Info:
- Email: reinawaller@gmail.com
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/RiseAndEarthshine
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riseandearthshine/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riseandearthshine/
Image Credits:
Reina Waller
