Packing up!

Well the studio is in a whirl wind! Boxes, bubble wrap and product all over the counters, floor and any other space available.

Its showtime for me and Im starting to go through my pre-show jitters. What do I pack what do I bring duplicates of........how the Hell Im I going to get all that in the van. Oh the challenges of art shows on the road.

These next two shows offer more challenges then usual. I am traveling to the Seattle area and doing two weekends of shows. Not only the unknown lies ahead, I haven't done these shows, but the fact I will be out of the studio for a month, means more product must be taken. I am so looking forward to the adventure, but the unknown still makes my knees knock! :0)

So I take off on my "little" road trip on the 26th of July......Not only will I be doing shows but I will be staying with my "BFF" for 3weeks. Yippee....... A good time for sure.......

I have new ceramic designs to unveil and a new children s line to showcase:
http://www.1000markets.com/users/justjewel

If you are in the Seattle area come and see me. Mention this blog and recieve 10% off you purchase. Show dates are listed below.


Aug. 1-2 http://www.coupevilleartsandcraftsfestival.org/
Aug. 7-9 http://www.anacortesartsfestival.com/

Peace and love!
Julianne

A write up on me!

This is from a blog that someone wrote up about me: I owe Ed praise for coming up w/my new "tag line" ........Dishes that smile...Just love it

Every meal can be a fiesta with the whimsical, functional ceramic art found at Eclectic Clayworks: http://www.1000markets.com/users/eclecticclayworks. Your day will be brightened whenever you open a cabinet and see one of these joyful ceramics smiling back at you.

The shop’s owner, Julianne, lives in beautiful Ventura County surrounded on one side by mountains and on the other by beaches. The best of both worlds. She has always painted. Walls, furniture anything she could put a brush to. Then, one day, her dearest girlfriend, Wendy Lee Lynds, suggested they go to a “paint your own” ceramic store. They loved it and continued dropping in. The store’s owner was impressed with what Julianne and Wendy Lee were creating and asked if they would design products for her store. After thinking about it the two friends decided, “Hey! We could do this ourselves!” Julianne’s aunt, who managed an art gallery at the time, set up appointments and Eclectic Clayworks was launched.

After a while Julianne and Wendy Lee, with love and support for each other, moved forward on their own. Beginning with many craft shows, then juried shows Julianne is now more focused on web sales but still does a very few selective juried shows. This summer she’s doing two shows in the Seattle area: The Couperville Arts Festival (August 1-2) http://www.coupevilleartsandcraftsfestival.org/ and the Anacortes Arts Festival (August 7-9) www.anacortesartsfestival.com both 0n Whidbey Island. If you’re anywhere in the Seattle area come August visit Julianne on Whidbey Island. Mention this 1000 Markets profile and she will gladly give you a 10% discount.

Julianne’s new ceramic line “Give Back To Africa” was inspired by her humanitarian efforts in Africa last year. She donates 15% of every purchase to benefit the woman and children in Zambia in the fight against AIDS. This collection can be viewed on her Eclectic Clayworks site.

If you are looking for things fun, funky and artsy for little ones they can be found in her new children’s line Just Jewel: http://www.1000markets.com/users/justjewel. It’s charming!

“I’m also branching out and joining those who blog,” Julianne tells us. “Check me out at: www.eclecticclayworks.blogspot.com."

Julianne welcomes new challenges. They can be a bit risky and sometimes a little scary but the rewards are well worth it.

Finding Marketing business consuming

I have made myself a promise this morning as I was laying in bed . "I will not obsesses about getting myself marketed." Well at least for today. I find that my head spins with numerous ideas..........I could do this or try that. Between all the social network sites, chat rooms, forums and keeping new items rotating in my stores I'm starting to neglect my passion......My art. It seems to get later and later before I find myself in the studio.

The joy is waning......And all for what......So today I am going to the studio earlier and trying to not "FREAK OUT" about not doing anything today about marketing myself. Wish me luck........

I little about me.......

Place I can be found:
http://www.Eclecticclayworks.etsy.com
http://www.1000markets.com/users/eclecticclayworks

Lets get to know one another!

Before I go much further in this let me say right up front I have never blogged before! :0) My dear friend has said I would enjoy the process........uhm......Well I trust her in so many different areas in my life I thought she would be trust worthy in this area as well.........Of course this is still open for debate at this point! I do know I write the way I talk and sometimes it just doesnt flow that good, but I am who am and I want this to be a real picture of me. So if you have to re read a few lines over again to understand what the heck Im trying to say..........sorry! :0)

I thought I would give you a brief picture of who I am........

I live in So. California, Ventura County. I have lived in the area most of my life. I love the availability of having the mountains on one side and the beach on the other side. I have recently started hiking in the beautiful green hills laced with wild flowers of different varieties. I am trying, and doing it, to conquer my fear of snakes. We have lots of rattlesnakes in the area! Oh my!!!! :0)

Im in my LOW 40's..........Mother of 2 grown children and married. I have one girl, 23 and one boy 20. Both are college students and live at home. I love my kids and really Im enjoying our adult relationship. Its fun and just cool to be able to lessen the mothering skills and be more of a friend. I know we never can really stop being mom, but it does lessen some!

Ok now on to my life as an artist...........I have been painting, drawing, creating for as long as I can remember. Of course its grown and devloped and changed over the years. Ive painted walls, furniture and now ceramics. The ceramics have grown to cards, canvas and clothing.....But more about the progression of Eclectic Clayworks in future blogs. I have to keep you coming back! :0) I love creating things that are beautiful and useful, especially dish ware. I always admired my grandmother and my mothers "special" dishes. You know the ones you just look at, but don't use! Not that you can compare the value of my "new" pieces w/100yrd old antique dishes, but my point is that we should use the things we love! They should be enjoyed and with out fear of not being able to afford replacing them. Again, I try to make my dishware beautiful and affordable........Its meant to be enjoyed!

So please enjoy looking through my collection and come back often. I am always loading new items. I also do lots of custom work........Just ask and lets see what we can come up with!

P.S. The picture above, my husband calls this design my self portrait! I have a different story behind the design.........But thats for a latter date.........