Brand Interview: Jodi Zulueta – Eldwenne’s Fantasy

Brand Interview: Jodi Zulueta – Eldwenne’s Fantasy

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry & Artwork

How long has your company been in business? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals…
Eldwenne’s Fantasy, my online jewelry shop, has been in business since 2008. I’m in the process of creating my new online shop which will be called Ember Kay Dawn Studio – Original Artwork by Jodi Zulueta.

Eldwenne’s Fantasy is about creating moments with jewelry. Each piece is a part of me.  It’s a captured moment, a feeling. My Ember Kay Dawn Studio that I will be opening within the next couple of months is an extension of jewelry into painting.  My soul in acrylics, basically.

My jewelry is primarily made of silver, wire, natural stones, crystals, and shells. It’s a combination of earthiness and antique elegance. Making the jewelry is almost like a meditation for me. Very rarely do I plan out a piece in advance, unless it’s a custom piece someone has asked me to design. I design almost in a stream of consciousness method where I allow my subconscious to carry me thigh the piece.

Similarly, my paintings are mostly about introspection. But at the same time, providing the viewer with the opportunity to think, “YES, I can relate to this!” I learned reverse glass painting from two amazing hob’art colleagues of mine and I have been focusing on it more and more. I wanted to push the envelope a bit and honor my jewelry making by combining both jewelry design elements with the reverse glass painting creating the environment; the ambiance. I love the interplay between 2D and 3D.

Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.
I volunteer at the Hoboken (New Jersey) Shelter by teaching art workshops. I reached out to the director of the Shelter and she was very enthusiastic about it and it’s been an amazing experience. I even bring my 9 year old with me and he learns so much about life, as well as art, through the experience. I’m currently looking to enlist other artists, primarily in hob’art, to create a rotating roster of folks to come in and host workshops so that the guests can experience a wide variety of artistic expression. To see people who have very hard lives, crack a smile and see pride in their faces, at the artwork that they produced is indescribable.

How did you know what typeface (font) would be right for your company wordmark or logo? If your logo has an illustration, describe why that art was the right thing, animal, place, object, etc…
For Eldwenne’s Fantasy, I wanted a sense of airiness, elegance, and a touch of vintage. I explained that to my designer and she and I worked together to come up with what I currently have in my website header.  For my logo, I wanted something bold, simple, but elegant.  The gothic E said it all for me.

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Logo

How did you decide on the right color palette to fit your company look and feel?
I wanted my website header to have an antique feel to it, so we stuck with muted gray, black and white. I’m in the process of rethinking this now, as I’ve had this for so long and I think it’s stale.

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Header Design

How did you decide which type of designer to work with, or did you design your own identity and web presence?
I placed a request on Etsy and sifted through a bazillion responses (well, not exactly a bazillion, but definitely close to 50). I based my decision on examples of previous works and feedback.

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry Necklace

In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?
I definitely didn’t do it the right way. I built my shop and relied on word of mouth, business cards, and a prayer.

How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?
About 2 years. Way too long.

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry Bracelet

Did you do research or study any software, take webinars, teleclasses, before approaching any area of your marketing or web presence?
No.

Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?
I don’t advertise in print. I leave cards everywhere, tweet, and threaten family members.

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry & Artwork

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry & Artwork

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry & Artwork

Do you advertise online using Google, Facebook or on other company sites? Are they effective?
No.

When you printed your products, packaging, business cards and other print marketing did you choose an online printer or visit a local vendor?
I used an online print vendor.

Did you know anything about different types of papers, when you wanted to print your marketing materials?
I knew matte vs gloss and different weights, but on a tight budget I had to settle for matte and not a sturdy stock.

Jodi Zulueta - Eldwenne's Fantasy Jewelry Ring

Have you ever used “green” technology in printing, using FSC certified papers or recycled paper and if not, how likely are you at trying this on a next project?
Never tried it. I’d need to learn more.

If you sell products, are they produced in the USA or abroad?
Produced in my studio/dining room in Jersey City. Home of the spinoff of Jersey Shore, sadly.

Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
Open my own studio space so I can tackle more sophisticated jewelry making, such as metalsmithing.

To Learn more about Jodi Zulueta and Eldwenne’s Fantasy visit the links below:

Facebook: Eldwenne’s Fantasy
Twitter: @eldwenne
My Etsy shop: www.eldwenne.etsy.com
Hob’Art: hob-art.org/artists/Jodi-Zulueta

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