Francesca De Grandis

Outlaw Bunny, AKA Francesca De Grandis, taught herself to play guitar at the age of fourteen, then immediately started performing in a major metropolitan area's clubs. She has toured the U.S., released a best-selling music album, and taught the creative process to newbies and pros in a variety of artistic fields. She believes we're all skilled artists, given the right genre and the right support. When Multiple Sclerosis made holding a guitar too difficult, she took up mandolin. Her focus also shifted to fabric art and freeform bead-weaving.

She says, "There are many aspects to every person. I want to express all parts of myself. So I need to create without having to stick to one specific aesthetic or look. After designing something, I won't be trapped by its aesthetic when I move onto another project; I innately have a lot of very different visual styles, depending on my mood and creative goal. Fabric art allows me to explore that range.

I also like to paint different things: silk scarves, cotton neckerchiefs, pillowcases, silk hoops, whatever. What's important for me is to make something that can be part of a person's daily life. I am especially fond of Jacquard's TeeJuice, Green Label Silk Dyes, Black Waterbased Resist, and Gold Waterbased Resist, all of which nurture exploration.