Open for Business in Beautiful Beaufort!

 

Happy Summer Solstice! 

Thanks for stopping by.  Well, moving and settling in took a bit longer than I thought it would – and a whole lot of trips back and forth to Georgia, and mounds of boxes.  But I’m officially in business in beautiful Beaufort, SC! 

I haven’t posted in a while during the transition, so this post is longer than usual.  BUT – it’s pretty much all pictures.  So come on along! Here’s a little pictorial tour of my artsy endeavors on the coast.

First, there’s the scenery walking from our cottage to downtown.

homes on bay

bay on bay street

Antebellum homes on the left; the bay on the right.

 modern jewelers and verdier house

Here’s the building where my studio is!  It dates from 1889. I rent one of the office spaces above Modern Jewelers.  Count the windows along the side – mine are numbers 4 and 5. 

See the lovely pink building beside us?  It’s the John Mark Verdier House Museum, “the only planter’s home in Beaufort open to the public,” built in 1804. We went on the guided tour and also enjoyed the free Civil War exhibit downstairs. 

 glass door 811 bay street

And here’s my business name on the glass door – you can make it out in my reflection!

I usually go around to the back, however, because I’m in love with this old, old tabby wall.  Kind of a secret garden passageway, don’t you think?

tabby wall

Tabby close-up

And up the stairs.  back stairs and fig tree

(Beware the over-reaching fig tree….)

Suite number 3 door

Here we are! Welcome to my studio. 

mini studio selfie

studio sweep

It’s still a work-in-progress, and don’t get out any white gloves.  But it’s coming together, and I love it.

 2 angled desks and chair

I have a desk to draw on/assemble on and my little drawing table, too – both from early years of marriage.  Jeff gave me that drawing table decades ago! The wonderful green spinning bookshelf was a find in a north Georgia antique shop.  The p-e-r-f-e-c-t and perfectly comfortable wooden desk chair was a find here in Beaufort!  

table and photo corner

The big table with glass top came with the space.  It will be my printmaking station.(See the little fountain on the right side?  In case I need to run my fingers under some water real quick-like…!) 

The corner space in front of the window provides terrific natural light for Etsy shop photos.  photo corner daylightYes, I’ve taken several – I just haven’t gotten around to posting the new items!  I’m getting there, I’m getting there….

glass front cabinet and books

I have a great little closet, but my favorite feature of this high-ceiling-ed, wood-floored space is this cabinet with glass doors.  Swoon.  My boxes for shipping are stored below, and these shelves hold mats and backing, acetate sleeves, and jewelry boxes.

Moving on, this might not be as attractive, but a baker’s rack holds everything I need to get Etsy orders shipped out quickly (Oh – and my first wholesale cards order this week – to an indie bookstore in Massachusetts)!  All at my fingertips. 

bakers rack shipping center

panels and inventory

In the front corner, my illustration and art books and inventory of  printed cards, bookmarks, etc., hang out behind my display panels.

Turning back to the center – an area just for gift-wrapping!

gift wrap table

 

And here are some of my favorite things.  This metal flat file was given a makeover by the husband of my antique dealer friend Keren back in Georgia, at the first-weekend-of-the-month Flowery Branch antique market.  flat fileThis thing weighs a ton.  And it holds mat boards, large papers, and a zillion typewriter keys (in letterpress trays, some of which I think I also got from Keren!)

Also bought at that market was this great green metal cabinet, which I’ve filled with old metal treasures, including more great stuff from Dena’s booth at the same market.  (Dena has the coolest old hardware items.)

metal cabinet for metal

I picked up these two putty-colored metal cabinets putty metal cabinetson different treasure-hunting trips, with my good creative buddies Paula Puckett  and Kim Siegelson.

Now, one reason I’ve set up my panels and display tables in this great space is that I don’t plan on lugging them around for sleep-deprived weekends to shows, at least this fall.  I’m trying something else:  I am delighted to have been accepted to lease a wee bit of real estate inside the historic Fordham Market here in town. 

fordham market

I just set up yesterday.  I’ve been there as a customer before, and now I look forward to selling artsyletters wares there as a vendor! 

fordham display

artsyletters at fordham closeup

So let me know if you are passing through the lowcountry, and I’ll show you around and buy you a frozen yogurt.  You’ll have to do a little shopping before you get back on the road, n’est-ce-pas?  I might have some ideas….

Thanks for coming along on this new journey!

Happy Summer.

30 thoughts on “Open for Business in Beautiful Beaufort!

    • Thanks, Michelle! We will definitely have an in-person rendezvous now that we share the same coast. I know you know the way here, and I zipped down to central Fla. for the first time a couple weeks ago – not far from here to the Fla. border!

  1. This is so wonderful, congratulations on your beautiful new studio and the gallery space, oh and the wholesale order! I am so happy for you.

  2. I am super excited to see the new space! Beautiful, interesting, functional, and so very Robyn-esque. Sorry I missed seeing you earlier in the month. Next time, my friend!

    • Aw, thanks, Kim! I hated that the timing wasn’t right that weekend. Of course, you couldn’t see the floor in my studio yet that weekend either… ;0) – hoping we can get together soon, here or there.

  3. Oh, Robyn, this all looks divine. I could easily work in your studio for a month and never come up for air. So I know you’re in heaven, too, and that thrills me. Beaufort and you are a perfect match. When you meet Lester Laminack – and you will – let him know that we are buddies. I hope to visit you sometime in the fall. Take care and enjoy every minute of ARTSYLETTERS and your summer!

    • Lola! So great to see your name and read your lovely comments. I would LOVE to see you in the fall, or any time your traveling shoes bring you this way. Seth is transferring to Young Harris this fall, so I’ll be making my way that direction from time to time as well. (I’d also be delighted to meet Lester Laminack – I thought he was in NC? At any rate, I’d certainly drop your name! ;0) )
      Hope you all have a fantastic summer too!

  4. Oh Robyn I am so happy for you. The space is lovely and the perfect reflection of you and your art. I have always thought of Robert Smalls (because of my book) when I saw Beaufort but now I will be thinking of you. I wish you so much success!

    I can’t wait to have my own studio space again.

    • Hi, Susan! I’ve sent you countless messages in my head wanting to check on you re. your move, etc., too! Thanks so much. If you make it to this coast, I’ll take you to see our Robert Smalls statue and historic sites and such. :0) Best wishes in your own creating…

    • Laura – helllooooo! I was really just thinking about you this evening; I’ve been out of the loop with all the recent transitions on my end. Thanks so much for taking “the tour” and for your kind wishes. Off to see what you posted this week… :0) Happy Summer!

  5. Oh my goodness, Robyn! What a dream! I had no idea you were working on such a set-up! Man, we seriously need to catch-up on stuff. lol It looks like you’ve made yourself a niche–your own little slice of heaven in Beaufort.

    I am SO thrilled for you! Wishing you all the success in the world with this creative venture–and it looks like you’re well on your way. Yay! 🙂

    • Gisele! We are way overdue for a catch-up! ;0)

      Thanks so much for the wonderfully warm wishes – I’m heading out to the studio now and will take them with me. Have a creative weekend on your end!

  6. Hey Robyn,
    Love your new studio and am looking forward to a personal tour soon. I’d no idea you were a writer and an artiste! You go, girl!

  7. Wow, do you ever have the perfect set up!!! I’m so envious. My work space takes up three floors of my house so I’m always up, down, up, down.
    So happy I found you on Etsy!

  8. Welcome to South Carolina, Robyn! Your studio is absolutely beautiful, and so are your beach drawings. If you haven’t already visited, make sure to explore Hunting Island State Park sometime soon–it is one of my favorite SC beaches!

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