Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Magee.
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
It’s a very winding story, but let’s start with I grew up around people who loved plants. My grandfather was the foremost among them. His greenhouse was one of my favorite places to be. The plants he grew, orchids, bromeliads, camellias to name a few, were ornamental objects, but highly revered in my family. After burning out in the film industry in my late 20s and moving to New York City, I got very interested in herbal medicine, especially around women’s health. I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disorder, and realized I knew so little about how my body actually worked. I decided to move again to pursue herbal studies and attended the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville. Being around so many plant nerds does wonders for the soul! I learned so much about the green world and what our plant kin has to offer us if we approach with reciprocity. I ended up getting back into the film industry in 2019 to help financially, but my heart is at the intersection of people and plants. I’m launching a Plant Sessions office hour this summer where you can come and ask your plant-related questions and I’ll help you find an answer. The joy for me is helping people open up to the natural world around them with curiosity and care.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Finding clarity within my path has always been the hardest thing. The thing that pays the bills right now is not the thing I love doing (though I love aspects of it!). I’m still allowing things to unfold and trying to follow my joy in the process. Part of that is being open to lots of different creative projects, whether with plants, textiles, or photography and seeing what comes out of it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My hands are never far from a project, whether it’s a quilt, beading a necklace, weaving, or working with plants. I’m learning how to tie these things together in my creative practice and am working on quilts featuring native plant species. I love that there are so many mediums where we can learn more about the Earth in ways we might not expect.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Being originally from the South often surprises people. I was born and raised in New Orleans in a very large family, and the South is in my blood.
Contact Info:
- Website: Lisammagee.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/LMBotanicals
