Plymouth artist Jaimee Cooke creates sustainable products inspired by nature.
Story and Photography by Kate Rogan
Jaimee Cooke is what you would call a local “maker.” An elementary school art teacher who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and a master’s degree in studio art education, she fills her free time by creating everything from macrame plant hangers to digital drawings for art prints, apparel and tarot card stickers. She named her creative business Jaimee Makes, alluding to the diversity of her
artistic mediums.
The Plymouth resident took up macrame during the pandemic and absolutely fell in love with the craft. “I never would have considered myself a fiber artist, but now it makes up 50 percent of my work,” says Cooke, who frequently combs local beaches for driftwood to include in her art, including her recently launched boho beach-themed macrame designs.
“All of my work is inspired by nature,” says Cooke, who makes an effort to be as environmentally conscious as possible. She makes macrame fish tail keychains, for example, using cord from recycled textiles, and her products are packaged in compostable clear bags made from corn.
If asked to choose one product that best represents her as an artist, Cooke would tell you it was her tarot card line. After falling in love with houseplants two years ago, she began dreaming up new illustrations for the cards that integrated her passion for plants with the original meaning of the tarot card. “It’s been such a unique and stimulating challenge,” says Cooke, who says the cards are now one of her bestselling products.
From the days when she was a student selling hand-woven bracelets out of her high school locker room, and now being an artist and entrepreneur with a growing list of local boutiques selling her products, Cooke has always followed her heart.
“There is a song that has been on repeat in my studio lately, called ‘Praise the Morning’ by Twan Ray, and he sums it up perfectly,” she says. “The song says, ‘As long as we keep dreaming, we won’t ever hit the ceiling’ and that really resonates with me and my brand.”
To purchase items from Jaimee Makes, visit jaimeemakes.com.