The desert winds dance through the long stems of the creosote, kissing the sandstone walls, swooping over the rivers as they carve the canyons, swirling over the globemallow and sage to meet the yucca as it blooms. The prickly pear has reached out to touch the prairie fire paintbrush as the woman dissolves into the land.

Cat Widner’s work is derived from the land, each bead a metaphor for the grains of desert sand, the colors reflecting those we see outside, each metal piece formed to carry the organic and geometric shapes we find in nature. Her desire to create is intrinsic, it is a necessity. It belongs in the space between human and nature, it speaks to the connection, the relationship, and the love that lives there.

Honeysuckle Handmade Studio is a vehicle for me to practice ART AS ACTIVISM. Those who support this business and support her in turn support non-profits that focus on social and environmental justice. These are two aspects of life that Cat feels a lot of passion for and believe in wholeheartedly. Widner’s jewelry, books, artwork, and accessories are all made with a strong concept and a lot of love and care.

Cat’s efforts to keep my art practice aligned with a sustainable approach to making pushes her to source materials from other small businesses, use high-quality materials, and shop local when possible. She volunteers in organizing two local art markets in SLC. Cat loves cultivating relationships with the maker community and feel so lucky to be part of it.

Art has always been an essential part of Cat’s life, through childhood and now. She had the pleasure of attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to earn her MS in Teacher Education and BFA in Printmaking and Drawing, with a minor in Art History. She was an art teacher for 8 years, stepping away in 2020 to pursue Honeysuckle Handmade Studio as her full-time job.

*second photo by @Mtndweller