Hello! My name is Kaitlin Bonifacio and I am the one-woman show behind Yuzu & Rose.  Yuzu & Rose is named for my two greatest muses - my daughters. As a mother, wife, small business owner, and creative, I know what it means to be busy and I spend most of my life wearing many hats at once, just like almost everyone else I know, and likely you too. However, in my practice and in my workshops I strive to cultivate, if only for a couple hours at a time, an atmosphere of slowing down, of honoring the creative process, of connecting with nature and tradition, and finding the intuitive sense of small group community that we all need to thrive. Whether with a group of strangers, co-workers, or nearest friends and family, this fostering of community has become the strongest reason that I teach and is as inspiring to me as sharing the specific skills and techniques that we cover in every class.

 

This same sense of slowing, of honoring, and of connecting is the inspiration for the Yuzu & Rose retail line. In a busy and high tech world where anything can be mass-produced, the idea of a handmade item, thoughtfully designed with traditional techniques and safe, simple materials, has become something rare and valuable. Whether a piece for your home, a gift for a loved one, or something special for a new baby, Yuzu & Rose pieces are dyed one at a time using plant-based pigments, and are designed to bring joy to your day and peace of mind about the choices you've made for your family and space.

 

Coming from a home that valued art and creativity, I have always been drawn to color and to making. For as long as I can remember, I’ve operated with the idea that if I can imagine something, I can find a way to create it. My mother is a textile artist and my father a fine art painter, and the quite literal marriage of these crafts is apparent in the work that I do. My first hands-on experience with indigo was on a trip to Japan and came to be quite serendipitously. This introduction had me hooked and prompted me to study textiles, Japanese Shibori, and natural dyeing while back home in Honolulu where I was also inspired by the endless natural colors all around. During my second pregnancy I made myself a Shibori baby wrap, which received enough attention that I began selling online and Yuzu & Rose was born. After relocating to Santa Cruz I was longing to break into the local creative community, and on a whim I signed up to teach a workshop in one of my favorite small shops in town. After that first day, I realized that this was what I was meant to be doing. Creating community, inspiring and empowering others to create, and in turn exercising my own “beginner’s mindset” kept my personal practice fresh and inspired. That shop, The Craftsmen Collective, is now my studio space and home base where I teach the majority of my workshops. I return to Japan every year and continue to be inspired by the traditions and history of Japanese Shibori and textile art, as well as the ever-changing natural color palette of Coastal California here at home.

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Thank you for taking the time to visit. Please reach out with any inquiries as I am always eager to talk about my work, events, traveling in Japan, mom life, or meet a new friend. Looking forward to sharing my passions with you soon!