Shannon Balcom, Creative Director

I've always identified with the creative types but have never held a title or profession devoted to the act of creating. Like many women my artistic outlet resides in clothing selections, pintrest board curating, and the occasional apartment redecoration. I live in London and work in a creative agency as a project manager alongside some of the most brilliant minds in advertising and I'm always inspired by the work our teams produce. Yet at the end of the day, I'm not the one behind the camera so my creative touch is left to be exhibited in a delicately crafted email. I don't think I'm alone in this dilemma. As a millennial I  understand that it's more than likely that my office location will always be somewhat tied to my Mac book rather than on the set of a production house.

Root & Roam was born out of a conversation, one that I could never get away from. I had it repeatedly with friends where they expressed a desire to write more, take up photography, or truly learn a craft. Meanwhile, I had friends who were actively creating amazing work but had no time to document it on any media platforms. So Root & Roam was created to be a place for the everyday woman to grow her craft in a supportive environment. It's a place where we can support local artists by sharing their stories and take risks with those we know will build us up. 

What is community to you? 

Community is offering grace first. It's listening to and learning from everyone you come in contact with because you never know what story they have to tell. It's being imperfect and knowing that when you fail someone will be there to help you dream again.