Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Scott.
Hi Julie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I used to walk through art fairs thinking, ‘I could do this.’ Then one day I realized the only difference between the artists with booths and me was that they had actually applied. So, I started applying and showcasing my collages and cards at local festivals. People really responded to my collages and stitched notes with quotes that I make using handmade Italian paper. Each quote is typed by hand on a vintage typewriter, then I stitch four blue lines and one red line with a sewing machine so they resemble notebook paper. A customer reached out to me, distraught that he had gone through his stash and couldn’t wait for the next market and where could he get more. He came to the Artisan Center where I worked to pick them up and said, “If you work here, why can’t I buy these here?!” My partner at the shop poked her head from the back and said, “Yeah Jules, why can’t we have them here!?” So I started selling the stitched notes at the Artisan Center. A buyer from a large store saw them there and emailed asking if I offered wholesale. I didn’t. My friend looked at me and said, ‘You write back and tell her you do!’ Everything just grew from there. In January I moved to Morocco with my typewriter and two suitcases and have spent the year figuring out how to source supplies, ship thousands of cards across continents, and keep the business running from a rooftop studio in Marrakech. The sewing machine has been surprisingly the hardest part. One of the unexpected gifts has been traveling to Amalfi, Italy, where the paper I use is still made by hand. I’ve toured the paper mill and now pick up my orders directly from the source. I’m still making every card by hand, just now from my rooftop studio in Marrakech instead of Colorado. Before I moved to Morocco, I started a blog about the experience of falling in love with Morocco and the adventures I’ve had here, personal and professional. So many people were asking me for a way to follow along with this adventure I’m on. Writing and drawing for the blog has become another creative outlet I never expected.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m not sure anything worthwhile is ever smooth! But each time a challenge pops up, I figure out how to handle it. knew that moving to a new country while trying to keep a creative business running, one that had taken years to work out all the kinks, wasn’t going to be smooth. I paid as much in customs fees as the cost of the first order of papers and learned it’s best to go pick them up in Italy. Darn, I have to go to Amalfi or Rome. I blew the fuse on my sewing machine when I first plugged it in and realized I hadn’t thought of differences in electric current. I now know twenty places in Marrakech that do not sell the correct size fuse. Not one store had a transformer to convert the power either, but I found one on a trip to Malaga, Spain. Some shipments leave Morocco without a hitch. Other times I’m sitting on a rooftop in the old medina over breakfast filling out unexpected customs paperwork. Every problem has turned into something I know how to do now.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I make cards and collages with handmade papers with quotes. I have always believed it’s important to try to spread beauty into the world. To share it with others when we see it. I love paper and have collected handmade papers as long as I can remember. I love that it holds stories and messages and drawings, maps, dreams. Words have always mattered deeply to me; I’ve always had quotes stuck on my walls. I’ve found that the right quote at the right time can really connect to someone, can give them hope or reassurance or inspiration. It’s a simple little thing, but handmade and tactile, asking you to slow down, to feel. So, it’s a way for me to spread beauty and kindness, and to connect with people and help them connect with people they love.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I was lucky to be working as a card buyer at the Artisan Center while I was developing my own line. I had an inside look at how the business worked from the buyer’s perspective. Anytime I wasn’t sure what to do, I would reach out to a card artist I admire and ask how they do things. I’ve asked other buyers in other shops questions. I think you just have to not be scared to be a beginner and not know and ask lots of questions. People are generally very happy to help and share knowledge. I also follow tons of card artists on Instagram and they tend to share lots of info there. I would say just get connected to the community you belong to and lean in to the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://studiolupino.com
- Instagram: @studiolupino
- Other: https://hiraethhomecoming.com
