Today we’d like to introduce you to Satya Faye.
Hi Satya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey as an artist has really been a journey of remembering myself.
I’ve always been deeply drawn to creating, to nature, to adornment, and to the little bits of magic hidden in everyday life. Leela.Devi grew from all of those pieces of me. What began as creating with my hands slowly became something much bigger.. a way for me to turn feathers, leather, color, movement and pieces of the natural world into wearable art.
My feather wings came to life through experimentation, intuition and honestly, a lot of following whatever made me feel most alive!! I never wanted to simply make accessories. I wanted each piece to feel like a talisman, something that could remind the person wearing it of their own wildness, beauty, freedom and power. That’s where “Feather Medicine” really came from.
Building Leela.Devi has been incredibly organic. I’ve learned as I’ve gone, evolved my work again and again, taken chances, made mistakes, followed strange little nudges, and said yes to opportunities that scared me. Over time, my wings have found their way onto beautiful humans, into boutiques around the country, into markets and creative spaces, and even into places I once only dreamed of visiting.
Most recently, I took my work on the road through the Southwest, visiting some of the places and shops that have supported my art and allowing the desert to completely crack open a new well of inspiration in me. I came home feeling like both my work and I had entered a new chapter.
I think that’s how I’ve gotten where I am today.. not by having a perfect plan, but by continuing to trust the pull to create. Leela.Devi continues to grow alongside me, and at the heart of it all is the same reminder I want woven into every piece I make: You are the altar.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, definitely not and I think that’s part of the medicine of it all
Being an artist and building a creative business asks you to believe in yourself over and over again, especially during the seasons when things feel quiet. There have been incredible highs, but also slow months, financial uncertainty, creative blocks, comparison, burnout, and plenty of moments where I’ve wondered … Can I really keep doing this? But I am always reminded that this is my path.
One of my biggest challenges has been learning how to honor both sides of myself the wildly creative artist who wants to follow inspiration wherever it leads, and the businesswoman who has to think about pricing, materials, deadlines, invoices, marketing and sustainability ( still mastering this side haha) I’ve had to learn boundaries around my time and my work, and more importantly, learn the value of what I create
Life itself has also happened alongside the business. Grief, change, relationships, healing, starting over in different ways and somehow creating has always been the thread that brings me back to myself.
The difficult parts have made my work more honest, and every version of me along the way has left something inside what I create
So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road but I wouldn’t want a perfectly smooth one…There’s a lot of beauty in becoming
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Leela.Devi is my world of wearable art and what I lovingly call Feather Medicine.
I specialize in creating one-of-a-kind feather adornments and statement “wings” using ethically sourced feathers, leather, metals, chains and other natural elements. I offer natural feathers or hand-dyed by me. I can truly create any color palette ~ I am in love with color alchemy. My work ranges from smaller everyday talismans to long, dramatic ceremonial pieces that move with the body and completely transform the way you feel when you put them on.
I think what I’m most known for is that movement, the feeling of putting on a pair of wings and instantly becoming a little more wild, embodied and free. I’m deeply inspired by nature, ritual, travel, feminine expression, ancient adornment, color, texture and the idea that what we wear can be more than decoration. It can be a form of self-expression, remembrance and even ceremony.
Every piece is created by my hands, and because I work with natural feathers, no two are ever exactly alike. I don’t really create by following trends or formulas. A lot of my process is intuitive! I’ll begin with a feather, a color story or a feeling and let the piece tell me what it wants to become. That keeps the work alive for me.
What I’m most proud of is seeing these creations take on lives beyond my own hands. Watching someone put on a pair and immediately light up, seeing my work carried in beautiful independent boutiques, or spotting my wings traveling, dancing, celebrating, being worn for ceremonies, festivals, weddings or simply on an ordinary day ~ that will never stop being surreal to me.
What sets Leela.Devi apart is the intention behind it. I’m not interested in making something just because it’s beautiful. I want it to make you feel something. My work is an invitation to adorn yourself like you are sacred, because you are.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Oh, absolutely. No dream is ever built entirely alone!!
First I want to credit my Fianće! He has watched this dream grow from the inside. He has believed in the vision, encouraged me to take it seriously and, most importantly, invited me to really give it my all. Having someone look at the thing you love and say, Go for it, I believe in you…. is such a gift!
I also want to credit one of my soul sisters and one of my very first friends after moving to Nashville. Long before Leela.Devi existed, we would spend hours and sometimes entire days creating elaborate headdresses together, getting lost in feathers, textures and whatever wild idea we dreamed up next. She was one of the first people who really inspired me to be seen, to express myself fully and to not be afraid of taking up space as an artist. Looking back now, I can see how much those days planted seeds for what would eventually become Leela.Devi.
And truly, all of my soul sisters have been such an important part of this journey. I’m incredibly lucky to have women in my life who have cheered me on, worn my creations, shared my work, celebrated every little win and reminded me of who I am during the moments when I’ve doubted myself. There is something so powerful about being surrounded by women who genuinely want to see you bloom. Their love and encouragement have been woven into this dream from the beginning.
My clients deserve so much credit, too. I genuinely feel like the most magical humans find my work. They don’t just purchase something I’ve made, they connect with it, wear it into their lives, share their stories with me, send me photos from adventures and celebrations, and continue coming back as my art evolves. Some have supported me for years. There is something incredibly intimate about making something with your hands and then watching another person make it part of who they are. Their excitement and belief in what I create has carried me through more moments than they probably realize.
There are so many friends, shop owners, fellow artists, clients and beautiful humans who have shared my work, opened doors, offered encouragement or simply reminded me to keep going. Leela.Devi may come from my hands, but there is an entire little constellation of people who have helped it become what it is today and I carry so much gratitude for every one of them.
Pricing:
- My Feather Medicine Wings range from **$44–$222**
- I also offer custom orders wild or mild
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.Leela-Devi.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/leeela.devi
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/leeela.devi
