I am so excited to introduce you all to Wild Chi Studio, my plant-based labor of love, that is both a major lifestyle shift and a long-awaited passion project. As many of you know, I LOOOVE growing plants, helping people, and making stuff. Well, Wild Chi Studio is the perfect blend of all those beloved activities.
There’s really no short version of how I got here but what you need to know is that I was crushed when I was compelled to close my 3-year-old business, Arta Custom Framing, in November 2020 due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. But, the truth is, one of the most remarkable outcomes of the pandemic was that it was a catalyst for showing me where I really need to be, which is making a positive impact on earth health and that of my community.
Months and weeks prior to November, 2020, I had found myself in tears about how much waste I was producing with the framing business and knowing that even with the best practices and kindest of intentions, deforestation to produce frame stock, sand depletion for glass production, and soil degradation for cotton matboard, were unsustainable costs of doing business that I couldn’t live with. With fleeting moments of reflection that I was afforded between sanitizing the showroom, responding to online appointment requests, and production, I was reminded that I’ve always exalted in time in the garden and that I could literally lose time while there. My framing clients continually showed me that they trusted and appreciated my approach to working with them. And finally, I realized that I already have the power to make an impact on the planet – I just had to commit!
So, then what?!?
Since I’m putting everything out there anyway, I may as well admit that I had always wanted to learn the healing art of herbalism and, last March when the State of Maine required non-essential businesses to close, I signed up for an online herbalist course. As they say, there was no looking back. Conflicted by my desire to keep Arta afloat and show up for my creative community, I worked 7 days a week to keep the projects and benefit group art shows going until I couldn’t. Our sales were down almost 70% from the year before and it was simply an impossibility to soldier on. Knowing a luxury niche industry such as mine wasn’t going to be able to ride out the storm, I had to make the incredibly difficult decision to close the showroom and sell off equipment and supplies because I wouldn’t have space to store them.
Zoom ahead to today…
Wild Chi Studio is the place where all the positive energy I can generate is going so I can provide you and our community thoughtfully crafted formulations, nutritive enhancements, and personalized wellness protocols. Considering the whole person and the whole environment, I intend to help restore the health of the planet one person and one plant at a time.
You will find here, at Wild Chi Studio, mindful support, nourishing recipes, resources and products to help you and your loved ones reach deeper and more vital health.
I welcome you and hope that you will stay and follow along on the journey!
Yours truly,
Abby
Abby, I love the way your web site looks; and even more, I love your passion for what you are doing. The closure of Arta was surely a blow to you, but you have, once again, reinvented yourself by focusing your positive energy on what moves you.