Welcome back!
I took a break from our maker-feature blogs during the holiday season, and whatever January was, but I'm excited to start back up again. Given that it’s currently negative temperatures in Iowa, I am longing to be out in nature right now. When I think of products that celebrate nature, one artist immediately comes to mind: Root & Branch Paper Co.
Warm Wishes from Root & Branch
Based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, Root & Branch products have been a part of the Warm Wishes community for the past year and a half. I think I first became aware of Jessie Tyree Jenness, the artist behind Root & Branch, through social media. Or maybe through my own shopping, which so often seems to be the case! I was immediately drawn to the colors, patterns, and functionality of Root & Branch products.
Brand values
Jessie describes Root & Branch as "nature-inspired and made to delight. I love to think of my work as celebrating the beauty of nature while celebrating the relational aspect. I believe if we see ourselves in relationship with the earth and with the communities we find ourselves in, it's just natural to want to take care of those spaces and people."
Behind the scenes
Jessie: "I spend a lot of time out in nature, taking endless photos of plants and then identifying them and researching. All my products start in the sketchbook. I use a combination of traditional printmaking and digital illustration tools. I will initially sketch my drawings by hand, then apply them to a lino block and carve and print. I'll scan the linocut drawing in and add texture digitally. Then I print the final products digitally! This process is super slow but I love the quality that the linocut lends to my work. The digital aspect lends itself well to be easily duplicated for items like greeting cards, stickers, and more.”
Sidenote: did you see the middle school art class linocut prints we had up in our store earlier this year? Love that they're using similar processes to Root & Branch!
Something new I learned
Jessie spent five years living in China teaching art classes to children and studying Mandarin. "This was one of the best experiences of my life because it broadened my worldview in a way that will always stay with me. Also it gave me a deep appreciation for Chinese food!"
Why does Root & Branch work with independent shops like Warm Wishes?
Jessie "When I first started Root & Branch in 2018, I decided I wanted the bulk of my focus as a brand to be on selling wholesale to indie shops. I love small businesses. The relational aspect of working with independent retailers is so meaningful. Seeing my products carried at a small shop feels like a true honor. I owned a brick-and-mortar shop for a couple of years, so I know the level of intentionality that goes into curating a shop. Building those long-term relationships with shop owners has been such a joy because it's not a simple transaction, we are working together to grow our businesses and enrich our communities."
Check out our current Root & Branch products here. To learn more about Jessie, check out Root & Branch's website or follow on social media. Jessie is one of the few artists I've seen sharing candidly about how tariffs (or threats thereof) are affecting her wholesale work with Canadian retailers.
See you hopefully next month as we feature another one of the independent artists we work with at the shop!
xo Klang