Jules Webster, ceramic artist and owner of downtown emporium, The Art Supply Depo, seems to have the entrepreneurial ambition it takes to run a successful business. After graduating from UT in 2005 with a BFA in Studio Ceramics, she started Shine Ceramics in 2006, and ran the ceramic studio at the now-defunct Space 237. But making the hand-thrown dinnerware decorated with birds, fish and flowers inspired by folklore (and a naughty series of mugs replete with smart-ass remarks, for laughs) wasn’t a hobby, it was a job. She admits, “From a young age, I always thought of ways to make money and always expected to work for myself.”
Promoting the arts community
Fearless marketing skills and Jules’s contagious enthusiasm made both early endeavors a success, pushing her closer to owning and operating The Art Supply Depo. The upbeat store’s fresh environment has become a thriving center of creativity. It’s the fusion between her training in art paired with a pro-active interest in promoting downtown Toledo’s creative community. Webster, paying close attention to artists’ needs, makes
hard-to-find art supplies available, attracting a sizable following of both new and veteran artists along the way.
Increasing the appreciation of the process through making art is Webster’s impetus for offering a menu of classes at both basic (i.e. Demystifying Composition) and innovative levels (like Cartooning and Animation), catering to all ages and skill levels. “There are so many things you can teach people about art,” Webster says, excited about helping people build creative confidence. “It’s extremely empowering to teach someone to create something that never existed before they put their hands on it.”
The Depo’s popular monthly BYOB event, Drink and Draw (with live models and great music), is offered the fourth Tuesday of each month for a minimal fee. It has proven to be fun, inspirational and well-attended.
Firing again
But opening the store and the demands of the retail business over the last two years have kept Webster from her ceramics work. Recently, she has returned to making plates with a fresh and more contemporary look, employing graphic patterns and ambitious color. “I see them as an experiment in line and color,” she says. “In the store, I’m surrounded by color and racks of paint. The color excites me. I’m enthralled and captivated by how color and form affect one another. There are so many fascinating combinations.” Jules is currently working on a large installation of plates displayed on the wall of the store to give the illusion of movement. She considers it a work in progress, far from completion, but looks forward to adding more combinations of color and pattern.
Jules Webster’s work is
exhibited at the Art Supply Depot, 29 South St. Clair. Enjoy the closing reception from noon-5pm during the Arts Commission’s Holiday Loop, on Saturday, November 16. Free.
419-720-6462. artsupplydepo.com
The business of creating / cultivating art
Jules Webster, ceramic artist and owner of downtown emporium, The Art Supply Depo, seems to have the entrepreneurial ambition it takes to run a successful business. After graduating from UT in 2005 with a BFA in Studio Ceramics, she started Shine Ceramics in 2006, and ran the ceramic studio at the now-defunct Space 237. But making the hand-thrown dinnerware decorated with birds, fish and flowers inspired by folklore (and a naughty series of mugs replete with smart-ass remarks, for laughs) wasn’t a hobby, it was a job. She admits, “From a young age, I always thought of ways to make money and always expected to work for myself.”
Promoting the arts community
Fearless marketing skills and Jules’s contagious enthusiasm made both early endeavors a success, pushing her closer to owning and operating The Art Supply Depo. The upbeat store’s fresh environment has become a thriving center of creativity. It’s the fusion between her training in art paired with a pro-active interest in promoting downtown Toledo’s creative community. Webster, paying close attention to artists’ needs, makes
hard-to-find art supplies available, attracting a sizable following of both new and veteran artists along the way.
Increasing the appreciation of the process through making art is Webster’s impetus for offering a menu of classes at both basic (i.e. Demystifying Composition) and innovative levels (like Cartooning and Animation), catering to all ages and skill levels. “There are so many things you can teach people about art,” Webster says, excited about helping people build creative confidence. “It’s extremely empowering to teach someone to create something that never existed before they put their hands on it.”
The Depo’s popular monthly BYOB event, Drink and Draw (with live models and great music), is offered the fourth Tuesday of each month for a minimal fee. It has proven to be fun, inspirational and well-attended.
Firing again
But opening the store and the demands of the retail business over the last two years have kept Webster from her ceramics work. Recently, she has returned to making plates with a fresh and more contemporary look, employing graphic patterns and ambitious color. “I see them as an experiment in line and color,” she says. “In the store, I’m surrounded by color and racks of paint. The color excites me. I’m enthralled and captivated by how color and form affect one another. There are so many fascinating combinations.” Jules is currently working on a large installation of plates displayed on the wall of the store to give the illusion of movement. She considers it a work in progress, far from completion, but looks forward to adding more combinations of color and pattern.
Jules Webster’s work is
exhibited at the Art Supply Depot, 29 South St. Clair. Enjoy the closing reception from noon-5pm during the Arts Commission’s Holiday Loop, on Saturday, November 16. Free.
419-720-6462. artsupplydepo.com
