Toss your computer like a rind and taste an embodied, human-scale life dedicated to art

In January I launched the website for an artist couple in Taos, New Meixco: April and Tyler Dunbar.

April is someone I’ve known over a year now. We first started collaborating on a different website for her former spa, before April sold that business to a practitioner who had expressed interest.

It was Megan, actually, who referred me to April originally.

“I told her right away what I’ve told you,” Megan had said. “That most spa-like experiences in our area do not have compelling online presences. I mentioned your work and she wanted to be in touch right away.”

April is brilliant. The longer I get to know her, the more surprises I discover.

For instance, while I’ve known that April is a modest herbalist and healer, I was recently surprised to found out she’s had three past healing artists businesses in herbalism. I also was surprised to find out this winter that she studied architecture and design the last three years, and shocked even more so when she told me she has three kids. For some people, children are front and center to their identity! But with April, this was something she casually mentioned when talking about the kids not having school and being home during the holidays.

So perhaps it’s not at all surprising that after finding out of April’s three past businesses, three years of architecture studies, and three kids—it turns out that April hates computers and chooses to support her family with a new business and dedicate her life to art with wool.

Every handmade, hand-wet wool felted piece is layered with local Alpaca and Navajo Churro Sheep from the Northern New Mexico region.

Her husband Tyler is a woodworker and builder of upcycled materials and burn scar furniture.

It’s folks like these I love to support: hands-on healers, educators, and artists who’d rather toss their computers like a rind and taste embodied human-scale work.

April recently got back from the three-day Southwest Arts Festival in the Coachella Valley. She’s also made her rounds to trade shows in St. Augustine, Florida, and wherever else she has been called.

This is my first build project involving WooCommerce functionality for an online shop. April, who has described herself as “tech-averse,” was diligent in the process of the tedium and toil of love to establish her shop setup.

April was so kind as to leave me this testimonial:

Working with Shayna Grajo has been a true pleasure. I had very little experience going into the process of building an official website, and Shayna guided me through the entire process with such flexibility and ease. I felt incredibly taken care of, and never at any point did I feel disheartened due to my lack of knowledge. Shayna made me feel comfortable every step of the way. I will continue to reach to her for all my website questions and fully trust her guidance and patience.

April Dunbar, Fiber Artist & Co-Founder of Wild Earth Inside