April Williams, is an artist with hair. She skillfully visualizes each look, and executes with precision and creativity. Her shop, April Williams Salon and Spa, is a beautiful place to get beautiful.
Here is what we talked about at my second post isolation hair cut: The therapeutic benefits of exercise, pampering and having a creative outlet for stress relief.
“You’re busy. 2 kids, the salon, employees and clients. What’s your non-work creative outlet? ” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “It used to be making hemp jewelry and sewing before life got busy with business and family. Also there was that time Rob tried to make ginger beer.”
She went on to tell me what happened. Waking to a huge noise only to discover an explosion of glass and ginger beer all over the room containing her sewing machine!
“When the salon closed because of Covid, I asked Rob to inspect the sewing machine. Yeah, it was a mess! But he cleaned out the ginger beer gunk and glass, and got it going again! Suddenly I had time to remake Georgia’s baby clothes into doll clothes and I did matching skirts for them. Then some pillows for the salon. When Sylvan wanted in on the creativity, both kids drew a picture, chose fabric and we made pillows out of their creations. There’s less time since we’ve reopened but I’m happy be sewing again! I need to have a creative outlet. Whether it is hair, sewing or renovating that vintage trailer out there!”
“April, my newest thing is a column, Creating Space for Simple Local Life. I’m excited and terrified” I said while, she merrily snipped my hair.
“Cool! Why terrified?” she asked.
“It’s the -Can I do it- kind of Terrified!!”
She smiled behind her mask as she said. “Don’t worry, you’ll be great. Just go for it. Send me the link when it’s published.”
As I left the salon with my new do I thought to myself “If Rob could get all that ginger beer out of that sewing machine I suppose there is hope for me too!”
*Thanks to Georgia for modelling the creations she made with her mom. Sylvan, at 3 wasn’t interested in paparazzi but did agree to have his pillows photographed.
Have you discovered a creative outlet during the pandemic? Leave a comment and tell us about it. It might inspire someone else to explore something new.
The pandemic did lead me back to my sewing machine also and an unfinished quilt top of 10 years old if not more! Happy to report quilt top finished and another started for a nephew’s new baby soon to arrive! There is a relaxing, cathartic state to the feel of fabric advancing under your fingertips and the rhythmic sounds of the machine…now to hours spent in the fabric store…love the article Deborah. I too know you’ll be great at this!