Jennifer Risk is a multi-faceted creative with experience in costume design, garment construction, draping, pattern drafting and historical research. She began her artistic journey as a small child in her grandmother’s sewing room before going on to work as a Dresser and Stitcher at Opera Santa Barbara as a teenager, then as First Hand at Portland Opera for 4 years. She has also designed productions for St. Luke’s Players, Portland Playhouse, Santa Barbara Revels, and Santa Barbara City College.
In 2014 she wandered out of the green room and into the classroom. She earned an MA in Geography (social science) from University of Georgia in 2016 and a PhD in Geography (social science) from The Ohio State University in 2021.
She has developed curriculum and taught workshops on a range of topics from time management to imposter syndrome to the role of grief in the creative process. A fibre nerd to her core, Jennifer spends her free time knitting, quilting, and reading about fashion history.
