Sometimes art isn’t illustrated as a tangible object. It can be seen, but it can also be felt as an emotion. I had the honor of speaking with someone whose habit of art is represented in a generous heart. Randi Sewell, owner-artist of Precious Pallets, exemplifies the meaning of art as an expression of love for something bigger than herself.
Sewell, born and raised near Norris Lake in Anderson County, and her husband have been fervent in their desire to become adoptive parents for over a decade.
“About six years ago my husband and I decided we wanted to pursue the adoption of a little baby from China. The process, as you know, is painstakingly long – but since we had struggled with fertility in the past we didn’t mind the wait.” The child the Sewell’s were planning to adopt was the inspiration for the name “Precious Pallets” – he actually had a cleft pallet so they decided to name the business for him.
In the midst of adopting the child, Randi Sewell became pregnant. The rules for China’s adoption system state that you cannot adopt if you are already pregnant, so they were put on hold for about six months. After their own child was born they would have to restart the process of adoption and try again. Three weeks later, they lost the baby. The tragedy, though heartbreaking, gave the couple a new hope and led them to pursue local adoption. “We’ve been in the waiting stage for a while,” she stated, “but we know to trust in the Lord and be patient.”
The Sewell family has been more than involved with a family in Honduras for roughly six years. “They’re practically our own. We spend a lot of time between Tennessee and Honduras where these kids we have sort of “adopted” as our own have been living their entire lives. They call us mom and dad. They are our family.”
It’s difficult to adopt from Honduras because wide-spread corruption has overtaken the system. Multiple family friends with experience in the matter have advised not to get involved in the adoption system due to the chance of being taken advantage of and stolen from in the process. Though this is a sad realization, the Sewells do not plan to stop trying.
“Instead, we’ve decided to go visit as often as we can. I go down there about once every four months, sometimes on a long weekend. Now that they’re a bit older we talk nearly every other day on the phone or on Facebook.” Sewell hopes that as the children begin to turn 18 they’ll be able to receive student visas to complete their schooling in the states. “We’ve also entertained the idea of moving down there someday, if the Lord leads that to happen.”
On the homestead Sewell has always loved painting as a hobby, but never for more than simple enjoyment. For her full-time gig she coaches volleyball at Anderson County High School, which is where she made the connection to find her supply of pallets. It all got started when she and her business-minded sister got together to discuss marketing her art a bit more.
“I had made a couple of painted wooden pallets so far and when we were together one day, my sister told me to start selling them. I did, for about a year. Once we realized it was going well we started showcasing Precious Pallets on Facebook and Etsy. At the time it was nearing Christmas season and within 5-6 days, we had a slew of over twenty orders coming through the door.”
Ever since then, Sewell is always working on something. I enjoyed speaking with her in regard to the process each pallet must undergo to reach its final state. “I really enjoy working with my hands,” she told me, “There’s a lot of cutting, sanding, building – it is hard work but it’s certainly peaceful.” Pallet-reconstruction is definitely not a fast process, which ensures that each piece is made with love and care. Sewell usually does the work in stages – she’ll have “cutting day” where she and her husband go out back and cut a whole stack of pallets up, then the next day she’ll go on and sand them all. Once the wood is cut to size and prepped she begins the final stage – painting. Because of the delicate hand it requires to correctly letter paint onto a piece of textured wood, the final stage definitely takes the longest amount of time. “I don’t want it to look messy,” she explained, “I want it to look clean and well-done.”
When someone purchases a pallet, they’re supporting the Sewell ministry – it’s more than just making a sale. “I want people to understand how rewarding it is for me to be able to do this. It’s been so humbling to see how God has just provided for everything in the process,” she said.
In regard to the rest of Knoxville’s vintage-refurbished-upcycling community, Sewell claims she’s not the most involved member.
“So far it has been just me. I was a part of the traveling bazaar a couple of months ago – that was really the first time I’ve done anything with the rest of Knoxville’s upcycling community.” It makes sense that she’d rather keep the business small and under control, as many crafters in the area know it can catch like wildfire if you let it. The Precious Pallets brand was created as a way to raise funds to go visit family in Honduras and support the eventual adoption, not act as a second income. The feedback she’s received from native and transport East Tennesseans has been welcomed but humbly unexpected.
Precious Pallets offers a wide range of designs but mostly focuses on Knoxville scenery, Biblical references and quotes, and custom designs.
“My most common request is for the Knoxville skyline. I’ve always seen artists do renditions of it from the North side of town, but rarely from the South side. I went to the South bank of the Tennessee River one day to take some pictures, and made the design from what I saw.” The angle from the South side of town includes Neyland Stadium whereas the North side doesn’t. Many items she seems to sell a lot of are on the smaller side, like a little piece of pallet painted to say “Love one another” or some other short phrase or verse.
Sewell also enjoys a new sort of artistry called string art, which consists of a piece of wood covered in small nails placed skillfully in a design with strings connecting them into a unique shape. Common designs include the outline of Tennessee, a heart, or even a custom piece designed in the mind of the client.
“My next show I plan to do more pieces like that,” Sewell shared, “I’m excited to start working on Christmas orders and exploring the possibilities of string art and pallet art in that genre. I’m a really good copycat. As long as I have the idea, I can design something to fit the customer’s needs.”
There is always a special beauty in the old being made new. “I’m amazed that I can hand someone a piece of upcycled wood and that I can make money from it, from something so enjoyable to me. People these days are just so drawn to this style of art and it’s a blessing for me to be a part of it.”
Sewell focuses her business in the Knoxville area due to the excessive costs of shipping a wood pallet. “It’s more expensive to ship a pallet across the state than to actually make it.” she said, “I aim local.”
If you’re interested in working with Randi on a custom piece or to view what she has for sale, visit the Precious Pallets Facebook page.
