about
meredith buck
meredith buck is an artist and kumu ulana lauhala based in hōlualoa, hawai'i, and tokyo, japan.
born and raised in the washington DC metropolitan area, meredith always loved anything related to arts & crafts, and nature & wildlife. from age 14, she began practicing and studying fashion design at home and in school, but quickly found her passions to be at odds with one another. how can one be an active participant in the fashion industry while caring deeply for the environment and wildlife?after six years of fashion design studies, meredith took 4 years to learn wilderness survival and deep nature connection through 8-shields programs in northern california. through these programs, meredith found the bridge between her passions. by crafting with elements from the natural world, she could create beautiful and useful items -- while also taking care of the plants and animals that provide materials.when meredith moved to hawaii to reconnect with her family's post-plantation roots, she learned the hawaiian cultural art of lauhala weaving. working with six different kumu (instructors), meredith learned the entire process of weaving, from tending to the hala trees to weaving fine hats and mats. it was the ultimate way to create works of art and care for the land in the process.to bring it all together, meredith went back to school to finish her degree, and graduated from the academy of art university with a BFA in 3D design and patternmaking for fashion design.around the same time, meredith was given the blessing to teach lauhala weaving. she now teaches a small group of students called ulana club, and curates a resource list for those interested in lauhala weaving called ulana library.when she's not creating woven or sewn works of art, meredith still lives and breathes creativity. she is a knit & crochet designer, illustrator, photographer, and musician. in her free time she loves taking long walks, healing, learning about nature, experimenting with style and beauty, and gaming.if you'd like to get in touch with meredith, please use the contact form on this site !
