Life and Work with Amber Hage-Ali

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Hage-Ali.

The Terrorium Shop started as a strange little hobby. Amber (owner) would collect found mementos from her travels when she was little. As she got older, she began exploring with recreating the way she found these mementos; serving as three-dimensional memories.

When I first moved to Colorado, I lived in Colorado Springs, in this tiny little cabin right across from Bear Creek Nature Preserve. I would like every single morning. I remember finding this half deer skull with a plant growing out of the eye socket. It was covered in earth and the tiniest of critters were surrounding it. I remember that moment like it was yesterday; witnessing the process of decay and regrowth was absolutely beautiful. That was when I started incorporating living plants into my pieces. I really enjoy the idea that you become a part of that process through our Terroriums with every interaction you have with your piece.

When Amber moved out to colorado she met Ian, a lover of preservation also. Ian worked as a taxidermist at a local taxidermy shop. Their first holiday together Amber gifted Ian one of her creations to Ian. And The Terrorium Shop was born.

We participated in craft markets for two years before making the leap into a brick and mortar space.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh man, was it a struggle. There were periods where we had 2-3 markets a week, and lugging buckets full of terrariums around is not easy. But we had a goal in mind and that was to eventually open a brick and mortar. No matter how tired we were we kept going. One thing I have learned is how important it is to make time for yourself. Take time to step away from work and do something special, for just you.

Please tell us about The Terrorium Shop.
We take naturally deceased animals and combine them with living flora to create beautiful mini-worlds, showcasing the processes of decay and regrowth. My partner Ian does the dead things and I do the alive things.

As a brand, I am most proud of creating something truly unique and constantly striving to come up with new innovative ways to display something I am so passionate about; nature.

What sets us apart is we take two completely different markets, oddities, and plants, and combine them into a new category. Ian likes to call it “macabre floral” but I see it differently. It’s truly beautiful seeing nature in all of its stages, showcasing my favorite moments exploring mossy river beds, snow-capped peaks. Not everyone has the accessibility or luxury to escape to the mountains every weekend, we strive to bring a piece of that experience to the city.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
Networking has happened so organically from participating in craft markets. I have met a collection of amazing women entrepreneurs and belong to two FB groups that connect women entrepreneurs in Colorado (the Denver boss babe collective and Colorado girl gang), these resources have connected me with so many amazing women.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3611 w. 49th ave.,
• Website: theterroriumshop.com
• Phone: 7206308758
• Email: theterroriumshop@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theterroriumshop/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theterroriumshop/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheTerroriumShop

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