The who
About the Sylvan Serpent
The Sylvan Serpent brings wonder and inspiration into our daily lives through fantastical creations for the home. The art covers a variety of mediums, all celebrating our attraction to the wild and arcane, drawing from alternative cultures, fantasy worlds, and the Pacific Northwest.
These creations provide reminders of the beauty in this world and help people share their passions and struggles. Find things to surround yourself with inspiration, no matter how quirky, and inspire others to share their passions.
The Sylvan Serpent can be found online (coming soon) and at art shows, as well as low-scale wholesale to other local businesses (also coming soon). Feel free to reach out if you are interested in partnering or making custom bulk orders.
Life
Designed & crafted by a local small business
Weird
Yeah, not your typical flower prints
The Focus
Connect to the natural, the fantastical, and each other
Four goals of the Sylvan Serpent
Celebrate passions
Embrace being nerdy, alt, queer, and other. Recognize the diverse ways we live and the variety of interests people have, especially the weird ones!
Inspire imagination
Creations that tell stories of the forests, haunted places, and phantasmagorical realms. To share tales of overcoming odds and embracing the darkness.
Support connection
Bring others together with goods that encourage expression, values, and signal interests to help find your people. Who knows, you might find someone else who likes to shout “all hail the eldritch gods” at the stroke of midnight.
Rehome, repair, reduce
I help to rehome items sold to reduce waste and provide affordable goods. I strive to assist in repairs so my creations live out many happy years, and reduce non-sustainable processes to support a healthy home for us all.
Founder’s Story
Kelsey Wood, PhD
The Sylvan Serpent opened formally in 2025 as a small business operating out of Seattle, Washington, with Kelsey as founder and designer. Kelsey’s academic research background is woven into their art, emphasizing the behaviors of animals, reflecting how humans and nature influence each other, and appreciating the complexity of life.
Kelsey has a BA in Liberal Arts: Psychology and Counseling, a degree blending the understanding of people with literature and creative arts. With a passion for animals and well-being, they went on to earn a Masters in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a member of the Edinburgh Art Society. Afterwards, they pursued a PhD in behavior informatics at Newcastle University, England, taking a big data approach to understanding dog welfare and behavior.
During this time, Kelsey engaged in science art, taking courses in science communication, UX design, attending nature illustration conferences, and illustrating a grant project. They returned to the US and worked in web design while establishing the Sylvan Serpent.
Their goal is to find a way to help people remember what they love, what brings a smile and that little spark of excitement, and to provide symbols that speak to our shared experiences. They especially like to highlight the ability to use fantasy and horror to tell stories about overcoming fears and challenges.
Sustainability
Getting greener
I am dedicated to making consistent improvements to the sustainability of the entire production cycle as the business grows.
I’m working on sustainability metrics and targeted improvement goals and will update my progress here.
