At Parkway West, some staff members work behind the scenes, unnoticed by many. Among these individuals is print room assistant Gretchen Williams. Many students may have never met Williams, but she’s a familiar face to teachers who need to print dozens of pages for their classrooms each day. 

This past summer, Williams was encouraged by her daughter, Nell Williams, to begin an online business by opening her own Etsy shop, Gs Beaded Boutique. With an art degree, Williams naturally began crafting for her friends and family. 

“Art has always been very important to me. The more color, the better. It’s an outlet for me. I like to get ideas and try to make something I would buy,” Williams said.

To further her business, Williams participated in the West High Craft Fair from Oct. 25-26. Williams filled six boxes with 15 different types of beaded crafts, including keychains, bookmarks, wristlets, phone charms, lanyards and more. She created different themes for her pieces: West High spirit to Star Wars and food. 

“It was really successful, [and] I was really excited,” Williams said. “It was great to talk to the vendors and be on my own turf. The feedback was nice from the customers, and the kids were so excited to make their own pens and spin the wheel.”

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Max Chung

Bustling with customers, print room assistant Gretchen Williams’ booth, featuring stands and tables full of beaded crafts, was a huge hit at the craft fair.

Despite the success of the fair, crafting isn’t just a business to Williams—it’s a way for her to connect with her family. Williams’ daughter, Nell, graduated from Parkway South High School in 2023 and is now a junior at Harvard College. Despite the physical distance, art represents a unique connection between Williams and her daughter.

“Creating projects is something we always share,” Williams said. “[Nell] is either working on scrapbooking [or] journaling, especially now that she’s overseas, doing a study abroad. Between all the hobbies that I have and all the hobbies that she has, we somehow get projects done with our materials, and we sew together.”

Balancing her craft business with her responsibilities isn’t easy for Williams. With her two children and two jobs, including her roles as an administrative assistant in the print room and a title abstractor at a company, Williams faces constant demands. Both of her jobs require typing, and the strain on her wrist led to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, making crafting more difficult.

Williams’ craft business represents all of her personal fortitude, for she has faced more than just physical challenges. In 2021, her husband, Clarence, passed away. After his passing, crafting has allowed Williams to refocus her life and reflect on her time with her husband.

“Doing any kind of crafting or creating just gives me a moment to be in the moment and do things that I enjoy and that bring me peace. When I’m sitting there, I think about [Clarence] more. It’s good to cry and to reminisce about the special times we had. I think it’s really helped me cope,” Williams said.

Williams’ experiences have ultimately shaped how she approaches her passions and the future.

“I’m just going to continue doing what I enjoy — and the same thing with my kids. We have a different perspective on life now, since Clarence’s passing: [to] just do it and go for it. If you don’t like it, then you don’t have to do it. I think that’s what I’ve hopefully modeled to [my kids] — that I’m doing what I enjoy doing,” Williams said.