The Story Behind My Rainforest Collection
Nature has always been my greatest source of inspiration, and throughout my years creating leather art, I have found myself drawn to the beauty, diversity, and wonder of the natural world.
Although I discovered leatherworking in 1977 while I was a college student, another important influence came later during my 30-year teaching career, including 20 years as a kindergarten teacher.
Of all the themes I taught over the years, the rainforest was always my favorite.
What began as a science unit quickly became an immersive experience that lasted nearly sixteen weeks. As the unit progressed, our classroom was transformed into a rainforest filled with tropical sounds, colorful wildlife, and hands-on learning experiences. Every corner of the room invited exploration and discovery.
The children didn’t just learn about the rainforest—they became passionate about protecting it. Together, we made soap, candles, bookmarks, stickers, and other rainforest-themed items. We held bake sales and created a rainforest museum for families to visit. The money we raised was donated to the Rainforest Action Network to help support rainforest conservation efforts.
As I guided my students through the unit each year, I found myself becoming just as fascinated as they were. I was captivated by the incredible variety of rainforest wildlife and the vibrant colors found throughout this remarkable ecosystem.
The brilliant plumage of tropical birds, the striking patterns of exotic butterflies, the unique features of rainforest animals, and the beauty of tropical flowers all sparked my imagination. The rainforest seemed to be a world where every creature was more colorful, more unusual, and more extraordinary than the last.
Those experiences stayed with me long after I left the classroom.
When I began designing my Rainforest Collection, I found myself revisiting the same sense of wonder I felt while teaching those units years ago. As I researched the animals and flowers featured in the collection, memories came flooding back of the excitement on my students’ faces as they learned about these amazing creatures.
Each piece in this collection celebrates the beauty, diversity, and color of the rainforest. From tropical birds and butterflies to exotic flowers and wildlife, every design is inspired by the creatures that captured both my students’ imaginations and my own.
Creating this collection has been a joyful journey back to a subject that I loved teaching and a reminder of how powerful nature can be as a source of inspiration.
I hope these pieces encourage others to look a little closer at the natural world and appreciate the incredible beauty found in even the most distant corners of our planet.
The rainforest museum was also our year end graduation celebration. We would put on a play. The Great Kapok Tree was my Favorite. I had 12 students in my class but everone wuold bring their entire family parents, grandparents, cousins. About 60 people total. Each child would guide their family through the 20+ rainforest activities, then time for the play.
One of the highlights of our rainforest unit was the Rainforest Museum, which also served as our kindergarten graduation celebration.
Although I typically had only about twelve students in my class, graduation night would draw nearly sixty people as parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins all came to experience what the children had been working on for months.
Each student became a rainforest expert and personally guided their family through more than twenty rainforest-themed activities and exhibits throughout the classroom. It was wonderful to watch their confidence grow as they shared what they had learned.
The evening always ended with a play, and my favorite was The Great Kapok Tree. The story’s message about the importance of protecting the rainforest fit perfectly with everything we had been learning.
Year after year, I watched children become fascinated by rainforest wildlife, concerned about conservation, and excited to share their knowledge with others. Their enthusiasm was contagious. By the end of each unit, I found myself just as captivated as they were by the brilliant birds, colorful butterflies, exotic flowers, and unique animals that call the rainforest home.
Even though those classroom rainforest adventures are now years behind me, the memories have never faded. The vibrant colors, remarkable wildlife, and sense of wonder that filled our classroom stayed with me long after I retired from teaching.
As I began creating my Rainforest Collection, I found myself revisiting many of those same creatures that captured my students’ imaginations all those years ago. In many ways, this collection is a celebration of those memories, the beauty of the rainforest, and the joy of discovering the natural world through a child’s eyes.
With my rainforest collection I will continue to promote conservation by donating 10% of all rainforest themed products I make to the Rainforest Action Network.
The rainforest inspired me as a teacher, and it continues to inspire me today as an artist. While creating this collection, I knew I wanted it to do more than celebrate the beauty of rainforest wildlife and tropical flowers. I wanted it to support the conservation efforts that first became so important to me in the classroom.
Just as my students and I raised money for rainforest conservation through our Rainforest Museum and fundraising projects, I will continue that commitment through this collection. Ten percent of all sales from my rainforest-themed products will be donated to the Rainforest Action Network, helping support efforts to protect rainforests and the incredible plants, animals, and communities that depend on them.
For me, this collection is more than a series of designs. It’s a way to honor a subject I loved teaching, celebrate the remarkable beauty of the rainforest, and give back to a cause that has been close to my heart for many years.
Looking back, it’s amazing to think that a classroom filled with curious kindergarten students would inspire a collection decades later. Yet every time I create a tropical bird, butterfly, flower, or rainforest animal, I’m reminded of the excitement, wonder, and appreciation for nature that filled our classroom. I hope this collection inspires you to look a little closer at the natural world, celebrate its beauty, and join me in helping protect one of Earth’s most extraordinary ecosystems.
