We had the good fortune of connecting with Jill Strickland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jill, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
What started out as a hobby quickly turned into something unexpected. I purchased a kiln at the end of February 2020, and two weeks later the school where I taught closed for Covid. I was teaching Pre-K so there was no virtual learning put in place at that time so I had a lot of time on my hands. Being at home with my husband, 2 teenagers, and our dog was nice for a few days but quickly got old! I found peace in the garage in my little glass studio that I had created. I pretty much went out into the garage and didn’t come back inside until I had made something pretty. With the help of my (at the time) 16-year-old daughter, Peyton, we took what I had created down to the beach for a photo shoot! After she captured beautiful pictures of my art, we returned home and she narrowed them down and edited them. The same day, she created an Etsy shop and designed our own website. Later that day, she decided to join multiple Facebook beach decor groups where she posted pictures of my creations! Some of the posts exploded with over 10,000 likes and thousands of comments and messages! I made my first sale within hours and it has taken off ever since! I honestly did not set out to start a business, it just sort of happened and I could not be more pleased. I tried to juggle teaching and running the business simultaneously but after 2 years I had to make the hard decision and not return to school this year.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I recently discovered my passion for fusing glass. Fusing glass is a tedious process. It is done using sheets of glass, hand cut into strips, which are meticulously placed together in a unique pattern. After perfecting a pattern, a creation is ready to be fused together in a 1400-degree Fahrenheit kiln. In the beginning, there was a lot of trial and error before settling on a pattern that I was happy with! It was always a surprise what a design would look like until I opened the kiln up after letting it cool off for 12 hours! The biggest challenge I faced was the shipping. Shipping glass is very nerve-racking! After a few mishaps, I managed to perfect my shipping technique with massive amounts of bubble wrap and double-boxing everything.

One day Bill and I wish to return to the Keys, where we met, and open up a glass coral gift shop. My love for the beautiful coral reefs of the Keys and Caribbean is what inspired the coral theme for my glass art.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of my favorite places to visit on Saint Simons Island is the pier where you can often spot dolphin swimming. Some of my favorite places to eat and drink are Fancy Q if you are in the mood for sushi, Wolf Island Oyster Co. if you are in the mood for oysters, or my favorite, the tuna nachos! If you feel like tacos and margaritas, La Plancha is definitely a must! Bennie’s Red Barn has fantastic steaks and next door at the Tree Bar you will always find excellent entertainment! Another one of my favorite past times is going to the beach with friends and family to relax. Last but not least, I enjoy doing art shows at Postell Park by the pier, where I have met so many amazing people.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to thank all my family and friends for all of the encouragement and support! A special thanks to my great friend Lori Lenoir for introducing me to fusing glass! Also, my daughter Peyton for all her hard work creating my website, including all of the photography and marketing! My husband Bill and my son Gage for the numerous trips to the post office before I discovered click and ship! And last, thank you to my parents, Ernie and Donna Dalpe for all the Caribbean vacations I took as a child where I discovered the beauty of the coral reefs which my glass art is inspired by.

Website: CoastalCreationsGA.com

Instagram: CoastalCreations.GA

Facebook: CoastalCreations.GA

Image Credits
Peyton Strickland

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