It’s 10:30 in the morning, and Christina Pasiewicz (Graphic Design ’15) sits at a table in Starbucks, typing a response to an email about her start-up photography business, Rooted Tapestry Co. Like many young professionals managing a small business, her office space is mobile, connected to a creative environment and good Internet connection.
“I used to rent an office space, but I realized I didn’t use it to meet with clients. Now, I often work from home or at Starbucks,” Christina said.
As a photographer and graphic designer, Christina’s work constantly has her traveling anyway. “Many times, I meet people in their own homes,” Christina explained. Not only is this one-on-one connection important to get to know her clients personally, but it also helps build a sense of trust with clients.
I love getting to know the families I’m blessed to work with. There is a relationship that grows between a family and the person they are entrusting to preserve their memories. From our first phone call to the final in-person delivery of their printed heirlooms, being able to serve each family on a personal level is my favorite aspect of my job.
Using her photography skills, Christina has completed a variety of shoots, from newborn and family photography, to weddings, to business portraits. Her passion, however, is family history; this passion is the reason she started Rooted Tapestry Co. in 2018. Rooted Tapestry’s services include printed heirloom pictures as well as sweetheart albums and family and personal history albums.
“My love for family photography began in high school when a friend from church asked me to take her family photos,” Christina said. “I inherited my dad’s love of family history, and especially over the past few years have clearly felt led to preserve people’s family history via photographs and albums.”
As a small business owner, Christina Pasiewicz must divide her time between her photography and graphic design work and other aspects of entrepreneurship such as networking, marketing, and managing finances. As part of her degree in graphic design, Christina has taken several courses that have helped prepare her for a job in the visual arts. “I’ve used my skills . . . to design all of my branding as well as create beautiful custom albums for my clients. I use my skills in Photoshop and InDesign on a regular basis as well as the design principles taught to me throughout all of my years at PCC.”
However, Christina acknowledges she gained more than just academic skills through her classes. “I’d say looking back that one of the most valuable skills I learned was the importance of truly caring about the individuals that come across my path, something I observed on a regular basis from my teachers at PCC.”
She specifically remembers the influence of Dr. John Cirone, her Public Relations teacher, and Mr. David Lunsford. “What I learned the most from them was their underlying purpose to reach people [for] Christ through business and the practical ways in which that is done,” Christina said. “They were both practically and spiritually minded and demonstrated that the two very much go hand in hand, especially in business.”
Building upon these principles, Christina Pasiewicz participates in a community of creatives and small business owners both in Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia. Christina is a member of the Young Professionals Chamber of Commerce in Columbus and regularly attends TuesdaysTogether hosted by the Rising Tide Society, an organization geared toward enabling and encouraging creative entrepreneurs. Through attending meetings that encourage “community over competition,” Christina continues to learn not only in her field of photography but also in the field of business. “Making connections—getting your name out there—means so much,” she said.
Christina’s photography has been highlighted on the website Elegant Wedding and in various magazines such as Southern Bride and The Celebration Society.
With these recognitions, Christina Pasiewicz looks forward to many more opportunities to capture memories for families and friends. “My ’why’ behind Rooted Tapestry is to proactively preserve these days both behind us as well as right before us. I want to snatch these little fleeting moments so you can hold them for years to come. These days are treasures—my desire is to handle and care for your moments with your loved ones as if they were my own.”
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