LOCAL

Jerod and Miranda Schwab, Hand-Eyed Tie-Dye

Sarah Kirby skirby@siskiyoudaily.com
Miranda and Jerod Schwab of Hand-Eyed Tie-Dye and Dyed Arts

Wearing art that can never be recreated kindles the passion of tie dye artists Jerod and Miranda Schwab who have been in business in Siskiyou County since 2011. Owners and operators of Hand-Eyed Tie-Dye and Dyed Arts, the couple love what they do and do what they love. Native Northern Californians, the Schwabs enjoy keeping their business local. Jerod originally came up with the name with his brother. The two enjoyed the play on words, and the name stuck.

The business began out of a small 10 by 10 pop up tent that Jerod would take to small festivals in the area. According to Jerod, if one combines the amount of time that his uncles have been making tie-dye art, then it is longer than Jerod has been alive. He says that both uncles are fantastic artists with distinct styles, and his interest in tie-dye piqued when one of his uncles gave him a tie dye kit. Many of Jerod's family members said that his shirts were so good that he could sell them if he wanted, so he decided to try it out part time, which developed into a full time passion that became a business through the help of the Jefferson Economic Development Institute (JEDI). ,

“I took a class through JEDI called ‘It's Your Business’ and JEDI was so helpful that they paid for the gas to get to my business class. They helped me dot all my i’s and cross all my t's . I wouldn't have been able to start if it wasn't for JEDI. They have done my taxes since I've been in business. I started doing farmers markets a year later, and that has been the staple of my business," Jerod said.

   Jerod met Miranda after he  got his business up and running. He said that Miranda took to tie-dye right away, and she was a big help in the development of the business which grew in three years and begged for expansion. Miranda has taken micro business courses in high school. While she didn’t know what she wanted to do, she knew she was interested in owning a small business. With the expansion of the business, the Schwabs got a larger canopy with more racks to show off their large selection of tie-dye apparel.

“I guess a lot of the tie-dye I had seen in the past was mediocre or tie-dye print, but when I met Jared, I saw that tie-dye could be an intense art form. I didn't realize that you could have such a wide color spectrum with tie-dye, and that one can use the entire spectrum of color on one garment. My mom inquired about a custom order of skull and cross bones, and I didn't think it was going to be able to be done. But, sure enough, a week later Jared showed up with a skull and cross bones tie-dye," Miranda said.

Jerod recalled that he has always been artistic and enjoyed using his hands while creating art. Along with making tie-dye T-shirts, dresses, hats, baby clothes, silk scarves, sarongs, underwear, and more, the Schwabs have ventured onto tie-dye art that they stretch across a canvas.  Jerod said he began doing this the same time as his uncles, even though they had never discussed the idea together. The couple feels that stretching the tie-dye across a canvas allows for a cleaner, more sophisticated look that renders their pieces with a more “official” art feel. The fact that making tie-dye is a spontaneous act is attractive to the Schwabs.

"Every pieces is unique. It's a snowflake. Everything I do is a one of a kind piece of art. I never make two identical pieces. A painter has a lot of control over what they do, but at some point the art has control of it. To some level, it's a matter of what the fabric wants to do and how the dye travels through it. It is a special art form where one never knows exactly how things are going to end up. It's appropriate to call it spontaneous," Jerod said.  

One of the greatest pleasures that the Scwabs enjoy about their business is the freedom it gives them to express themselves and to play with the environment that their business is set in. They enjoy being involved in the community, especially through participating in the Yreka Farmers’ Market and being part of a micro-economy in Siskiyou County. Plus, they feel that Mt. Shasta draws them to the area with a powerful influence on their lives, and they both cannot imagine living far from it.  

The Schawbs encourage others who are thinking about opening a business to talk to those who are doing what they are interested in doing. They also recommend finding a niche in the community because there is always one, and last but not least, they remind entrepreneurs to not be afraid, even if they feel like they have failed, because that is part of renovating and growing with one's business. However, it's interacting with people that makes tie-dye a special business for the Schwabs.

"It's always so exciting because tie-dye is so unique. It's like a signature, so when someone is wearing tie-dye it's not like it blends in with all the others you see. Instead, we know that's ours. It's good to see people happy and enjoying themselves in something that we made," Miranda said.

Services that the Schwabs offer includes tie-dying people's garments for them. Specifically, if a garment has gotten a stain on it or black mold, but the garment has sentimental value, then the Schwab's can bring back life to the garment through tie-dye. Although it's a small act, the Schwabs feel it is very special to be able to do this for someone. The Schwabs also provide bulk and contracting services. They can make customized pieces out of just about anything that is made of a natural fiber, and overall they are here to serve the people and collaborate on artistic expression.

The couple is also happy to work with other businesses to make products, and they have even begun playing with dying local wool. The Hand-Eyed Tie-Dye & Dyed Arts booth can be found regularly at the Yreka Saturday Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. The couple can also be contacted through their Facebook page or by calling or texting them at (530) 340-5191 or  (530) 340-5339.