Julia Deckman Studio on James Island
July 2020 - December 2022
At the beginning of 2020 I was working part-time at a local art supply shop, keeping busy in my small studio space at Redux Contemporary Art Center, and was starting to think I’d need to invest in a bigger studio space. Then… covid hit… and I was terrified. I was terrified for all the reasons we’ve all been worried for the past several years, and I was also wondering: what the hell will this all mean for my art career? Will people still invest in art now that the world is falling apart?
The first months of quarantine were extremely eye opening. I dove into my art and more than ever I was realizing what’s actually important to me; what my goals and values are. By June I had been furloughed, but I was actually making my ends meet as a fulltime artist for the first time ever. I began venturing out of the house again, and I saw a lease sign on an adorable commercial space with great windows, right outside my neighborhood.
My life experiences & perspective from quarantine made it impossible for me to ignore this opportunity. Yes, taking on that kind of overhead was a BIG risk, but I had just learned how short life is and how we can’t ever truly rely on a sense of security. The only way to lead a fulfilling life is to follow your passions regardless of risk or fear. So I put a business plan together, secured a loan and convinced my landlords to take a chance on me and my dream of opening an art studio and collaborative retail space.
With the loan I received, I was able to convert 2008 Wappoo Drive into the studio of my dreams. Community engagement was a priority, so building a retail salon where creatives could exhibit their work in an engaging atmosphere was my first goal. I simply reflected on my early years as an emerging artist and thought about the kind of opportunity I would have benefitted from, and I set out to create exactly that.
I still had more square footage to activate, and I settled on developing an exhibition gallery for guest artist shows. Every chance at exhibition helps artists hone creative direction and skills. I wanted to empower emerging artists to dig into ideas that inspire them, to give them a reason to develop these thoughts into a cohesive collection of work, and to offer the joy of experiencing a public exhibition and opening event.
Within weeks of announcing this opportunity, the gallery was booked for the entire calendar year. By the end of my time in this space, I have hosted over 14 artist exhibitions along with book signings, fundraisers and trunk show events.
I also wanted to reach and serve my community members who aren’t necessarily creative. Customers could shop in the salon knowing that every purchase supported local small business, but I also wanted to make the act of creativity more accessible. I planned the studio to also function as an ideal setting for guest instructors to teach their craft. We implemented creative workshop programming for adults, no experience required and all materials provided. We offered classes in floral design, painting, love letter writing, punch needle art, candle making and more.
The icing on this creative cake was the Stono Bottle Shop. I’m married to a wine guy, and have subsequently become completely spoiled. Grocery store selections weren’t doing it for me and I didn’t want to drive over a bridge to find something better. So, I decided to get my liquor license and open a small bottle shop within the space. The making of wine and beer is itself an art form and it was a privilege to offer bottles thoughtfully created by generations of families across the world.
Ultimately, I wasn’t able to sustain this demanding business model. My overhead was high, and I was spread VERY thin. Small business ownership is an extremely challenging and time consuming emotional roller coaster. I wouldn’t have survived without my deep passion for a creative life and the support of my community. When the time came to renew my lease, I made the difficult decision to close this chapter.
I learned more in two and a half years than I ever thought was possible. It was basically a crash course in countless areas of life and business. I became a stronger, more confident business owner and artist. I feel prepared and experienced; qualified to make decisions and tackle whatever is next. The most important lesson I am taking away from this experience is the confidence I have gained in myself as an artist, business owner and creative collaborator. Thank you to everyone who made this time possible and so very fulfilling.
