Celebrating Women Who Make

Throughout MadJax, and especially within the Maker Space, women are showing up to experiment, refine their skills, teach others, and make room in their lives to keep creating.

They do not all approach making the same way, and that is exactly the point. Some focus deeply on one medium. Others move between many. Some create to build a business. Others create to tell stories, teach, or simply follow their curiosity. Together, they reflect the many ways women show up as makers.

Meet the Makers

Kat Peace is a painter and artist-business owner who stays closely involved in every step of her creative process. Her work blends artistic expression with a hands-on approach to how her art is experienced and shared.

Richane Robbins is a mixed media maker who experiments across collage, assemblage, prints, and found materials. Her process is rooted in curiosity, resourcefulness, and a willingness to explore new skills and techniques.

Molly Schaller is a lifelong maker whose background in the arts and crafts industry continues to shape her work today. She creates jewelry, fiber art, gelli prints, and more. Molly uses handmade objects as a way to tell stories and foster connection.

Shelby Rowe is a multi-craft creator who works across mediums, including wreaths, laser designs, 3D printing, and t-shirts. Her creative practice is driven by a love of learning new skills and turning ideas into finished pieces she can share with others.

Many Ways to Be a Maker

Richane during a table saw workshop.

Shelby has crafted for decades and believes that being a maker means following curiosity wherever it leads. She is drawn to learning new techniques and seeing how different tools and materials can transform an idea into something tangible. “I like seeing the finished project and having someone appreciate my work,” she said.

That same spirit shapes how Richane approaches her creative work. “I’m a dabbler,” she shared. “I love learning new skills and putting them into practice—sometimes teaching others along the way.”

For both Shelby and Richane, making is not about staying in one lane. It is about remaining open to new skills, new tools, and new ways of creating as their interests grow.

Making as Identity and Story

Photo from Kat Peace while making magic at MadJax.

For Kat, being a maker is closely tied to her identity as both an artist and a business owner. She values staying hands-on in how her work moves from initial concept to finished piece, allowing her to remain fully connected to the creative process.

“I love that I can have an idea and see it come to fruition,” Kat said. Working this way also connects her to the women in her family who made things by hand, carrying those traditions forward through her own artistic practice.

For Molly, making is grounded in meaning and connection. Each object she creates holds a story. It could be a piece of jewelry designed for a specific person or a print created alongside students learning new techniques.

“What I love about what I make is the story that is embedded in each handmade object,” Molly shared. Through both her personal work and teaching, she uses making as a way to build relationships and strengthen community.

Shared Space, Individual Paths

Shelby learning embroidery during workshop.

Although Shelby, Kat, Molly, and Richane create in very different ways, their work unfolds side by side.

That shared space in the Maker Space at MadJax does not flatten their differences. Instead, it allows each woman to continue developing her own creative identity through tools, workshops, and community.

Just as important is the community surrounding them. Being in a shared environment where people are learning, experimenting, and encouraging invigorates these makers and others.

There Is No Single Way to Be a Maker

Molly’s gelli printing process.

The impact of these women extends far beyond a single season. They continue to create, experiment, and inspire year-round, showing that making is not about perfection. It is about curiosity, identity, and the confidence that grows every time a woman says, “I made this.”

Want to see yourself in a space that supports women makers like these?

Visit us during an upcoming Creative Corner and discover what you might create next.