Bringing you beautiful non-toxic home fragrance products that reflect the places you love.

We are creating a beautiful alternative to common candles filled with headache inducing fragrances and ingredients that are bad for you.

The Founder
As of 2022, we are officially Roots & Wings Candles! Founded in 2019 as Pittsburgh Candle Works, Roots & Wings Candles strives to bring a sense of home, no matter your location. We work with local artists, partner with other small businesses, and bring creativity and mood to your home through our hand-poured soy candles. R&W Candles is a small, woman owned and operated business, with a keen interest in giving back to local communities.


Pittsburgh is where it started
Established in Pittsburgh, PA in the summer of 2019, we have roots but we also have wings to explore. We moved back to Arizona (my home state) in 2021 and make and ship candles from our home studio in Cave Creek, AZ. Pittsburgh will always have a special place in our hearts and we stay connected in many ways.

The Candles
Roots & Wings candles are:
-handmade, soy wax candles
-made of supplies that are manufactured in the USA whenever possible
-created with labels that are unique, original and thoughtful
-made of clean burning ingredients that are safe to have in your home
You want to be comfortable with the products you use in your home. That’s why I use soy wax sourced from American grown soybeans; the highest quality fragrance oils and cotton wicks. The candles are hand poured in my home candle studio – so they come right from my home to yours!
The label creation has been a special process. I knew the scent of candles in your home is just as important as the look of them. That’s why I’ve teamed up with local artists to create small works of art on each and every label.

The Mission & Vision
Our Mission is simple:
to create joyful experiences through artistic, high quality soy candles.
Our Vision is community:
RW is working to positively impact our community by
-supporting and promoting artists
-spreading joy with good smells and delightful gift giving

The Artists
Signature Pittsburgh, Seasonal & Holiday Collections
Shelbey Tharpe is a fine artist and native of Pennsylvania living and working in Pittsburgh. Her interest in art has been life long. Growing up among woods, creeks, and fields gave her space for exploration and imagination. An avid hiker, the natural world and trails have heavily influenced her work. “We can’t always see the beautiful things that lie ahead of us. We must keep moving, head up and eyes open, and find our own way.” See more of her work at shelbeytharpe.com.

Graphic Designer Extraordinaire
This is Luke and he likes warm hugs. He considers himself to be many things, but has obviously watched Frozen one too many times, which means he regards himself as foremost a father. Born, bred and buttered in Pittsburgh, PA – he lives in the South Hills with his growing family of humans and, of course, dogs. Luke has been working as a freelance graphic artist for 5 years under his business Rusty Dog Studio.

Neighborhood Collection
KLoRebel Art is the work of native Pittsburgh artist and small business owner, Kirsten Lowe-Rebel.
With a strong connection to time and place, Kirsten’s artwork reflects the architecture, landmarks and grit of her hometown of Pittsburgh. She continues to add to her stock of skylines and urban landscapes when she travels to new destinations. See more of her work here.