Schuyler M.’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

Schuyler M. shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Schuyler, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Absolutely.

Often when I don’t rush myself to get something done, I find there are better avenues that wouldn’t have been found otherwise. I didn’t expect my career in fiber arts to be immediately successful in a year.

It usually takes months to years to finish enough pieces to sell that have long life spans. I value longevity. You can’t find quality, rushing through work expecting blind, fast work to maintain its shape& color, much less elasticity.

It takes years to find photographers who see the vision of each theme. It takes years to refine just one theme at a time. It takes years to find places to sell within your own budget. Audiences change & so does your sense of expression over time.

There is nothing to take pride in rushing yourself. Too many people take pride in being a perfectionist, admitting that they never finish anything as a result of constantly starting something new with no follow through nor any intent to see it through to the end.

It’s better to be a completionist. It’s even better to take your time. It always pays off.

Anyone trying to convince you otherwise, doesn’t wish to see you succeed.

I’m able to learn from all the projects that I valued enough to finish-flaws& all- just as I do from pieces I paint over, unravel & remake. I’m allowed to see how much I’ve improved from finished& reworked projects from each mastery I possess, whether it be music, lyrically or through craftsmanship. Research, reevaluation & constant consideration benefits patrons, colleagues, associates & most importantly, myself.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Schuyler(sky-ler). I am the owner of Scylla Fiber Art.

I have been building my brand to showcase my love of storytelling through illustration, multimedia art, prose poetry, crafting & up-cycling past knit & crochet projects.
Scylla (sea-la) -formerly known as Skyllaros in oral story telling- was a nymph turned into an enigmatic deathless sea monster. Her tragic story only came to pass due to the jealousy &envy of the sorceress Circe, punishing the unsuspecting nymph as a result of her unrequited love for the infatuated god Glaucus.
Most stories of women or femme characters in ancient Greek mythology only serve as tragedies based on the violation of women.
Nothing more. Nothing less. No more. That’s enough of that
Scylla Fiber Art is a result of me continuing to make creations in spite of the trauma it took to get here.
No piece is rushed, every color scheme, every theme is carefully curated to make me happy.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I’ve had to survive dangerous environments by playing dumb to make it to the next day. I’ve had to use incompetence to my advantage to survive hostile hierarchical environments.

I’d like to say that’s something that must be released, but until society truly makes it safe to say no without your life being in jeopardy, how will we know when what I say I let go must be picked up again?

Until women are safe in privacy & in public when will I sincerely be able to say I can release a survive method that never failed me like humanity has?

There’s a level of detachment women have no choice of having in order to survive a cold world.
Being aware of the dangers around me doesn’t exactly grant me distance or protection from them.

Whether I play small or dumb, there’s still a high probability I’ll be black listed or black balled, no matter how mindful I am of my surroundings.

Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
There is a longing I have for uninterrupted silence in the nighttime.
I miss time away from the city.
There’s a particular moment in my youth, at camp, where we had a genuine half hour of sitting in silence looking up to the stars.
There was a time where there were no helicopters nor sirens, no visible pollution.
Pine trees that somehow also smelled of vanilla. The only sounds crickets a light breeze.

I miss that level of peace. I haven’t had anything like it since. When I find myself surrounded by people masking, when I feel opposition expecting me to react with meeting them on their level, I find myself back there. I miss being present without motive. I miss the feeling of safety even in the dark. I can’t say its not possible to experience it again, yet I can’t say there’s possibility for me to relive anything similar.
My class standing, being exploited & underpaid for as long as I’ve been, being surrounded by nothing but deference doesn’t exactly fund revisitation of such a tender moment.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
Asking for help will get you far… Working solely alone will get you ahead faster… Testing people isn’t okay… Inviting yourself into rooms you aren’t welcome will get your foot in the door…

Wrong. All wrong.
I learned from a very early age, asking for help doesn’t always guarantee results. Not everyone is giving for the right reason. Unfortunately, even when you do receive assistance the chances being indebted to them, are high. Not everyone who has more money or assets than you deserve it, worked honestly for it, nor gives freely. Unfortunately there are more people who operate in tainted transactions. Your good intent doesn’t guarantee their investment to have a positive impact.
Be careful. You may poison your fresh well.

Working alone works best after you’ve learned the importance teamwork as an individual. This does not mean exploit yourself until burnout. This means you need to recognize compartmentalization enough to apply yourself. The result of finding that balance is your versatility. You can prefer to work alone & still maintain a solid repertoire with your colleagues.

Testing people is valid. You don’t want to find out they have a completely different identity years down the line after they get what they want from you. More & more articles of misfortunate events coming out everyday. It’s time to test their character & your individual strength.

Inviting yourself in events and rooms you aren’t welcome in can cost you your life. Unless you can afford such a hefty price, always do your research before entering properties, private or public. Enough impulsivity. This world is too dangerous for such foolishness.

All in all don’t let your pacing get you down just because those posing to be better than you got to where they are by doing fraud.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I already am.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scyllafibrart/#
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schuyler-myvette-3aaa8ba0/
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/82qZdJGBhOj7oQICKg

Image Credits
Photographers : Daniel V. , Mei Ling Marzonie
Models : Daniel V. , Zechariah E