Timber Heard of Talitha Kumi Jewelry organized a raffle for participants to win a one-of-a-kind necklace and bag benefitting The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s Community Supported Artists Program. Her motivation this holiday season is to give back to a community of artists who have the dream of growing their local businesses.

Mississippi-based fashion designer Timber Heard grew up with the dream and passion of becoming a fashion designer. In 2021, Heard launched her own jewelry brand, Talitha Kumi Jewelry, and created one-of-a-kind beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings. She then learned how to hand sew and upcycle handbags with beads, jewels and custom designs.  

Heard expanded her business through the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s Community Supported Artist Program, garnering the attention of a fashion boutique that produces runway shows at Paris Fashion Week.

Since starting her business in 2021, Heard has received invitations to have her work featured on the runway of Paris Fashion Week. Her work was also featured in famous magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

For the holiday season, Timber wanted to help pay it forward and assist other artists within the community to encourage them to grow their businesses. She graciously organized a Giving Tuesday campaign by donating a one-of-a-kind custom necklace and a handmade bag of a combined $300 value to benefit The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council (YAC) as part of Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good.  This national day of giving was scheduled for today, Nov. 28, recognizing the start of the holiday season. Building upon the spirit of giving, this campaign inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity.  Heard, who benefited from this sense of community through the Arts Council, felt this national day of giving was the perfect opportunity to highlight the Arts Council.

“YAC was gracious enough to grant me the Big Bad Business Grant,” says Heard. “It was back in 2021 when I was a new business. It was the first business grant I received, and I was so grateful. YAC matched the grant amount to my business needs and helped me become established as an LLC, a legal entity.”

Heard’s journey reflects the importance of support for artists. Arts are a source of economic impact for communities in Mississippi. In the newest Americans for the Arts economic impact study, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), it was revealed that the nonprofit arts and culture sector represents a $2.3 billion industry that provides 23,117 jobs in Mississippi.

By purchasing a raffle ticket for Giving Tuesday, your donation can help YAC continue to grow local arts-related programs such as Art Incubator, art camps, and much more.  

For more information, please contact the Yoknapatawpha Arts Councils by phone, (662) 236-6429, or visit our website at https://oxfordarts.com.