About the Studio

What does Olifantenpad mean?

Olifantenpad (pronounced *oh-lih-fahn-tuhn-paht*) is Dutch for “elephant path,” also know as a desire path: a route formed by people choosing their own way rather than following the path someone else laid out for them.

To me, Olifantenpad is more than just a name. It represents the choice to forge my own path, to follow what intrigues me, excites me, and aligns with my values.

I've always been drawn to artistry, creativity, and self-expression. I want to build a life around those things, and to share them with anyone willing to listen, learn, or create with me.

Olifantenpad is a reminder that I don't have to follow a path simply because someone else made it. I can choose my own, make it as I go, and invite others to walk a little of it with me.

My name is Jessica, I am an artist, natural dye lover, and a lifelong student, the Earth my teacher. I have a passion for discovering the colors hidden in the world around me as well as an admiration for bringing back the folk traditions that people have practiced for millennia.

My natural dye journey began a few years ago. Since then my passion has spread like kudzu. Natural dyeing is endlessly exciting; every new shade, every unexpected result, and every experiment remind me daily why I fell in love with this practice in the first place.

The materials that I use are those that I can forage, grow, or save from everyday scraps, this allows me to feel closer and more connected to that land I live on.

Before natural dyeing, I was a professional stained glass artist in Las Vegas, where I had the opportunity to teach classes. That experience introduced me to a new passion: sharing what I know, helping others discover a new skill, and continuing to learn alongside them. It showed me that creating art can is more than the final project or finished piece. It is also about curiosity, connection, experimentation, the joy of discovery, and the excitement of doing.

I believe that there is never an end to learning. There are more plants in the world than I might ever know, the potential is endless and that is so exciting.

Through Olifantenpad Studio, I hope to share that excitement with you. Whether that means you take what you learn and experiment on your own, join me for a class to dip your toes into a world you haven't yet explored, or simply find a spark of inspiration to follow your creative path. Your potential is just as endless as natural dyeing.

I am so glad you are a part of this journey, wherever your own Olifantenpad takes you.