Some creative paths don’t begin with a plan—they begin with awareness. For Ula Dziedzic, founder and emerging artist behind Sun Kissed Fedoras, the shift came during a quiet, meaningful moment: creating a wood-burned wedding plaque for her niece. The tool felt familiar. The process felt grounding. And an idea surfaced that wouldn’t let go.
What began as a personal gesture became the starting point for a body of work that now lives at the intersection of art, ritual, and everyday fashion.
“I have done wood burning in the past. Now I had the tools and my drawing ability, so I decided why not on hats!”
A Creative Life, Shaped by Place
Ula’s work carries a sense of movement—both geographical and emotional. Born in Poland, raised among the forests and mountains of New Hampshire, and now living in Arizona, her artistic voice has been shaped by contrast. Each place offered a different way of seeing and relating to the natural world.
New Hampshire left its mark through nature in motion—rivers, wildlife, wind threading through trees. Arizona brought something quieter, but no less powerful. Where lush green once dominated, space now takes center stage—and with it, room to breathe.
“As an animal and nature lover, I especially love the mountains in New Hampshire—the wildlife, the rivers, the wind. Arizona brought something quieter, but no less powerful. The desert’s openness, its stillness, its honesty.”
Learning to Listen
Living in the Southwest deepened Ula’s connection to land in unexpected ways. Through conversations with Navajo families, she began to understand the landscape as something layered with memory, responsibility, and change.
Stories emerged of rivers that once flowed freely—places remembered as much as they are seen. Still, life persists. Near the Saguaro River, wild horses roam freely, a sight that continues to stop her in her tracks and return again and again in her work.
“I find myself telling the story behind each piece more than ever before. I feel a deep connection to the land—the rivers that once flowed here, the majestic wild horses that still roam near the Saguaro River, and the Native American stories and symbolism passed down through generations. It’s inspiration at its finest!”
How Her Work Takes Shape
Wood burning on a hat isn’t something you see every day. Sun Kissed Fedoras began as an experiment—an intuitive response to seeing simple symbols burned into leather hats and wondering what more the medium could hold.
Ula tells us that each hat responds differently to heat. Lighter leather produces soft, whisper-like imagery, while darker tones create bold contrast and depth. Rather than forcing outcomes, She allows the material to guide the process.
Despite the immediacy of fire, the work unfolds slowly and intentionally. Long before the tool is turned on, Ula considers how an image will move across the hat, how it will wrap and reveal itself on the piece. Placement, balance, and finishing details are chosen with care, each element reinforcing the story the piece is meant to tell.
“This process takes days—giving the creative juices time to flow as I envision the image and the story behind what I want to create. From choosing the band and the charms or turquoise, to finding the feather that speaks to me in that moment, every detail matters.”
Wear What You Feel
At the heart of Sun Kissed Fedoras is connection. Ula’s hats aren’t just meant to be worn—they’re meant to be felt. Each piece carries an emotional, personal, and sometimes even spiritual resonance. She hopes wearers feel something immediately, before they can explain it. A butterfly might awaken a childhood memory; a horse might feel grounding, protective, or deeply familiar. A meaning emerging through recognition.
“As an artist you are sometimes called to do something different, something you feel you just need to do and it’s not like any other piece you’ve created. It’s your vision and your experience - it's your connection.”
Growing Forward
As an emerging artist, Ula remains open to where the work wants to go next, allowing curiosity to guide growth rather than rushing toward it.
New pieces are already on the horizon, approached with the same intention and care that define her hats.
“If your creative mind is calling you… just do it, follow your heart! Express your inner thoughts it’s very powerful and keep doing YOU! You are unique to what you create! No one can do what you do! If you love it…that’s your answer.”
Love this story?
Visit Sun Kissed Fedoras on OHM Yeah! and shop beautiful handmade hats by Ula:
https://ohmyeah.com/store/sun-kissed-fedoras/
