Alumni Spotlight: Shannon Carey '13

In our Alumni Spotlight series, hear about Wooster alumni - their lives and careers, meaningful experiences, and how Wooster impacted their lives.

Shannon Carey ‘13
Attended Wooster:
2008 - 2013

Post-Wooster:
Belmont University (BFA in Art Education) Boston University (MA in Art Education)

Career:
Middle School Art Teacher & Event Florist/Entrepreneur

What are you currently doing?

Currently, I am pulled between two universes: my day job of teaching middle school art in Darien, CT, and my secret life as a bespoke wedding and event florist. My college advisor would say this dual identity is just the reality of being a working artist who splits their time between working a formal job and the remainder of their time freely exploring and looking for meaning within the creative world.

My art teaching practice is joyous, adventurous, and messy. My classroom looks like a tornado hit it at all times, with ample student artwork cluttering the walls. My classroom neighbors probably dislike the noise at which we create, but what is art making without the spirit of community?

My studio practice as a wedding and event florist is largely a secret to my students and others I know in my capacity as a teacher, but it is a rather impressive little habit. I have a wonderful studio on the Norwalk River across from Maritime Rowing, and there, my team and I (yes, I have managed to convince people to work with me) bring to life 15 - 25 weddings and events per season using 100% American-grown flowers, truthfully it is closer to 90% locally grown flowers because we have such a wonderful local flower community in Connecticut. The work is peaceful, restorative, and enlightening. Each season, I learn new things about myself.

I began Three Roots a short four years ago after my terrible wedding flower experience and my firm belief that I could do it better than anyone else in the area. In our short tenure, I have been fortunate to work with local businesses like A Little Something White in Darien and national brands such as Anthropologie and Tiny Miracles Foundation. This February, the team and I will be presenting on sustainable floristry at an agricultural conference hosted by the Tennessee Office of Agriculture; I guess my willingness to spread the message about flowers knows no bounds!

However, the work I am most proud of, time and again, is the weddings I get to work for Wooster alumni. There are few moments better than reconnecting with old friends and partnering with them through the floral design process. Hearing how their lives have carried on since our time as students, meeting their life partners, and playing a small role in their next chapter is a special sort of joy.

Three Roots is known for being imaginative, intentional, and kind; all attributes I am positive I first began to understand during my time at Wooster.

How did Wooster impact your current career and new business?

A few moments during my Wooster years point toward my obsession with flowers. Beginning my freshman year, I would create art about and around flowers. Ms. Acheson introduced me to the world of Georgia O’Keefe, and I was entranced by her meticulous command of organic forms. In my sophomore year, I took the inspiration further and began building dresses inspired by Georgia’s paintings. The guidance and freedom I was granted in Ms. Acheson, Ms. Northup, and Ms. Chodaff’s art classes allowed me to begin exploring creative avenues I couldn’t have previously dreamed of from obsessively printing flower linocuts on Ms Acheson’s classroom walls, to building ice sculptures in experimental art with Ms. Northup I was able to begin building an artistic voice I didn’t know I possessed! 

Then came SIS…Who first had the idea to let seniors spend 6 to 8 weeks exploring an intense personal interest? Whoever began the SIS program at Wooster is responsible for my career trajectory. In the spring of 2013, I proposed an SIS focused on working with my hometown flower shop to learn the small business skills necessary to run one successfully. Quickly into my tenure with the Rodier crew in downtown Ridgefield, I got caught up in floral design, high-ticket client acquisition, and event management. None of what I was supposed to be learning, compared to the glitz and glamour of designing the flowers and planning events tasks such as bookkeeping and social media management, sounded so dull! My disposition worked in my favor as I was often thrown in front of our most demanding customers because I could disarm them and welcome them back into the shop after whatever may have put them off their shopping experience. If a major sale had to be made, say an event order, the owner would have me sit in on the meetings to learn negotiation skills, but I was often more interested in how to make that customer feel seen to close the sale. Had I not had the SIS opportunity I did while at Wooster, I would not have known that I had the skill set for event management and floral design that I do.

You have already touched on teachers’ impact on your life, but do you have more to add about that?

You cannot speak of Wooster without speaking of the incredible teachers who lend their time, talents, and wisdom to all of us. Four specific teachers come to mind, but I could share about so many more teachers I had a chance to connect with while at Wooster.

I was NOT an easy student, sometimes skipping tests to hide in the art center or talking back to teachers who shared truths I didn’t want to hear. However, under my prickly exterior was a middle and high school student who just wanted to like school and find community. I was exceptionally fortunate to have a few teachers who saw through my facade and welcomed me not only into their classrooms but into their hearts, allowing me to begin seeing myself in a new light.

Reflecting on my Wooster experience, I have special gratitude for Ms. Northup (high school art teacher, advisor, and second mom), Ms. Acheson (middle and high school art teacher, SIS advisor, and sounding board),Mr. Cataldo (middle school history and chief complaint listener), and Mr. Hackett (high school English and quiet supporter).

If I shared my stories about these superhumans, I would have an enormous encyclopedia demonstrating what it means to love and support your students in ways that go above and beyond expectations. However, some highlights include Ms. Acheson and Ms. Northup throwing me an 18th birthday party during jobs, Mr. Cataldo helping my friends and me pull practical jokes on peers, and Mr. Hackett always knowing the best way to ask if I was okay. I have no shortage of wonder and amazement for the care these educators showed me.  

Since I first heard the Wooster School prayer in 8th grade, I have been reflecting on these words and consistently working to grow in these attributes. They are so ingrained into my life that I now ask the same of my students. If I were to choose one however, it would be truthful. As a student I was truthful that it could sometimes be confused as cruel. However, as I have matured and learned about myself, I have been able to become more gentle in my tone and grow in my ability to be a truthful person who does so gently and kindly. I consistently work with my 8th-grade students to help them understand the importance of sharing and living in “truth,” even if difficult. I regularly encourage them to consider why the truth may work better for them than a flippant middle school tall tale, and it is always encouraging to see the light click in their mind. It is hard to express how impactful all these words have been, though, because they are so ingrained into my day-to-day that to tease out how they show up would become overwhelming.

What was your senior job?

I was the art center job captain! I probably would’ve rejected any other job the administration attempted to assign me.

If you are provided an opportunity to try something new, learn more about a topic, or grow in your capacity as a human, take it! There is no greater time in your life to take these risks because, guess what, you’re at a school surrounded by teachers and mentors who will help you land on your feet! You are flexible, adaptable, and energetic enough to pursue any opportunity that comes your way, take it, and keep growing!