Rebecca Revel
Rebecca Revel
The Weavers Studio
Rebecca first met PLOW founder Brit Epperson at VC firm Slow Ventures, while the architect was developing the firm’s new workspace, immediately discovering shared values in family, friendship and hard work.
The two share a background in similar rural communities, Brit in Oklahoma and Rebecca in southwest Montana, where her mother was a shepherdess and weaver.
Rebecca now divides her time between her California studio and Bozeman, Montana, where she chose to base The Weavers Studio.
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“I named The Weavers Studio in honor of the feminine tradition of weaving—an art that transcends cultures and generations, connects the weaver and their community to nature through textile, and has empowered women throughout history.”
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An accomplished event-planning entrepreneur and venture capital executive, Rebecca Revel brings together strategy, design-forward marketing, and curated touch-points to activate communities.
Her work at the legendary VC firm Lowercase Capital, as it refocused its efforts on creating positive impact in the area of climate change, democracy and social justice, informed her decision to start The Weavers Studio, a mission-driven services and lifestyle company that balances work with a contribution to meaningful environmental and social progress.
Why is design or creativity important to you?
I think of the two separately. Creativity is like a conduit to the soul, a means to tap into your innermost world to express yourself, whether that’s intimately or in sharing it with others. Creativity is part of our internal journey, coming back to ourselves and finding belonging.
Design, I think, is more structured and intentional. As a broad term, it influences how we interact with the world and how the world influences us. It can be anything, like a specific typeface in marketing materials that is chosen to make us feel a certain way or architecture and the places we live in. Design is more strategic.
What was your turning point as a creative person?
I come alive at the intersection of community and design, so that’s expressed in events. Prior to founding the Weavers Studio I worked in venture capital, but I was always looking at an end-goal through the lens of events; you’re capturing peoples’ time, which is a valuable resource, and can be very powerful, but needs to be done with intention and soul.
So, my creativity grew from there, thinking about how to create a container to hold peoples’ attention. That was when I started to think about design as a strategy.
An extension of this turning point happened while working in proximity to issues like criminal justice reform, when I realised I could use creativity as a medium to balance my work with giving back to the community.
Which three values most inform your work?
Sustainability, justice and opportunity.
I use the word “opportunity”, another interpretation could be “access”. Everything that I’ve accomplished and am able to do is rooted in my access to things such as a warm home, education, and therapy. These are privileges I’m afforded primarily because of the circumstances I was born into. To this end, the value of opportunity is expressed by donating a percentage of profits to organizations that have scale in creating opportunities that build equity and justice, and make resources like therapy widely available. In addition, our programming around healing and creativity will have reserved spaces for people who might not be able to afford access otherwise.
“Creativity is part of our internal journey, coming back to ourselves and finding belonging.”
Do you have a memory of a space that has created a profound impact on you or your work?
Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party. I visited that exhibit with my Mother when I was young and remember poring over every setting. It stirred something deep inside me about the collective power of women, these figures throughout history being recognised and celebrated in this ceramic art. I still think about that space a lot.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in the women who surround me, from you (Brit) to my mother. To name a few other examples–
My former boss, and friend and mentor, Crystal Sacca. She is not only an incredible wife and Mother and artist that I look up to, she's also a complete powerhouse who is always catalyzing meaningful change in the world through creativity, community, and investment.
Amanda Hearst–everything she does, she does with integrity. She always puts her values first. This is expressed through her two companies, Maison de Mode and Well Beings.
Alana Mayo, the President of MGM's Orion Pictures. This label focuses on inclusive storytelling and underrepresented voices. Equally important, she is a powerful, graceful woman who always lifts others up and pushes the envelope for greater good.
Samin Nosrat and Wendy MacNaughton— these two friends bring so much joy to the world, and lift up artists and draw attention to social issues in such sweet but strong ways.
I could go on and on, honestly. Katie at Eothen florals blows my mind with her earthy magic, Natalie Brookshire of Natalie B. Designs... she just finalized the adoption of her second child, and her strength and resilience and transparency about her path to Motherhood brings a tear to my eye, often!
How do you nurture creativity?
I journal. Holotropic breathwork always brings me inward, and inspires me to connect with the vision I have for how I want to move forward. I ride my horse, I get out in nature.
I do my best work in the morning. My husband calls me Winston Churchill because I get on my computer early in the morning, kind of black out and crank out my best work by 11am.
What does being productive look like for you?
Getting things done without burning out, and uplifting others in the process. I would apply it holistically. I find more and more that I feel most fulfilled at the end of the day when I look back and feel full of love and passion, and aligned with what my purpose is; and that I wasn’t too hard on myself in the process.
What are your three favorite objects and why?
An Egyptian Bram, which is a piece of clay cookware imported from Egypt that has been used forever. I love it because it’s both beautiful and a workhorse in the kitchen. You can cook a whole chicken in it, or store lemons or bread.
My dining table, which is also a workhorse: it’s both a desk and a gathering place for people.
I have a couple of necklaces that have been gifted or handed down to me by my grandparents. Wearing these are a reminder to ground in my own strength and connect with my roots.
What’s your hidden superpower?
I prefer to be a supporting team member, instead of the star of the show. As a result, I’m always learning and growing in new ways, because I really look up to other people and admire them for what they bring to the table — I’m humbled by other peoples’ talents.
How are you leveraging design or creativity to create change?
Design and the desire for change touches every part of The Weavers Studio. While we curate beautiful gifts and experiences, I work with companies whose values align with my own; give a part of the company’s profits to organizations that stand for sustainability, justice and opportunity; and work with local non-profits to hire from within communities that are most in need of work - especially mothers who need flexible work schedules.
Connecting with Rebecca…
Shop her gorgeous gift boxes online / Follow Rebecca and The Weavers Studio on Instagram