Superlula: Taking the Candy Necklace to New Levels

We recently fell in love with Superlula's Etsy shop. Lucky for us, she lives right here in scenic Hartford! Her shop sells adorable candy-inspired jewelry, but her talent doesn't stop there. From the nonpareil rings to the human canvas, Superlula will work with anything that inspires her. In a recent interview she told us about tattoos, Hartford's charm and the upcoming SWAN day. Check it out, while I go get some ice cream...

How long have you been in the Hartford area?

I started working in Hartford in 02, and moved here in 04. I lived in the South End for a few years, and now I'm in the West End- another great neighborhood.

What do you like about Hartford?

I tend to be a small city person, so Hartford suits me well for that reason. Hartford is full of hidden treasures, as far as small businesses and independent places to get food and drinks, or sit with my book and a cup of coffee. Its a lot of fun discovering them, and adding them to my list of go-to places.

What do you hate about Hartford?

Hartford gets a bad rap, I think. I don't always get a positive reaction when I tell someone that I live here, because people just hear about all the scary stuff... not that Hartford doesn't have its share of scary stuff. But, theres quite a bit to like here. My other complaint about Hartford is the lack of punks. Maybe there are punks, and I just don't see them. The music scene is pretty meh. I can't remember the last time a decent tour stopped off in anywhere in Connecticut.

Tell us about your art:

I've been into art my whole life, and I got my BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in '01. That was a great experience and allowed me to get my hands into a lot of things I would never have had access to otherwise. What I'm doing now, is a jewelry project called SuperLula. I hand-cast resin pieces which are turned into beads, pendants and rings; these are really fun and incorporate lots of glitter, sequins, junk food themes, and tattoo themes. I also use a lot of different types of glass beads, pearls, crystals and fancy stuff for a different kind of jewelry. Part of my goal in this is to have a really wide variety of pieces that appeal to different people. Theres been some demand for health-conscious and vegan themed resin pieces, which I am very excited to get started on, and I am currently making large-gauge earrings out of polymer clay.

Where did the candy idea come from?

Who doesn't like candy! I have a tattoo of different kinds of candy on my shin, and thats the one that gets the most compliments from strangers. Candy is very aesthetically pleasing to me; junk food in general is aesthetically pleasing to me. Its bright and colorful and sugary and adorable.

Besides the jewelry making, what other mediums do you work with?

I do a lot of abstract and semi-abstract paintings in acrylic, some with glitter, sequins, beads and photographs glued on. I really like mixed-medium gluing projects. I will occasionally bust out the sewing machine to embellish something or make something new altogether. Sometimes I draw, sometimes I paper mache, sometimes I mess around with my own images in photoshop. My interests are really all over the place, depending on whats inspiring me at the moment.

Do you find it hard to combine art with business?

I've been doing art forever, but combining it with business is something thats relatively new to me. I'm surprised to find that I don't hate the business end of it! I'm able to keep myself organized, and I'm taking a diy approach to marketing and promoting myself.

Where can people buy or view your art?

My jewelry is for sale at www.superlula.etsy.com, and I exhibit/sell at local events. I post that kind of information on my blog, which is www.superlula.com, as well as SuperLula on facebook and twitter.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I'm really excited to be participating in the third annual SWAN Day CT- that stands for Support Women Artists Now. There is an amazing lineup of female artists, musicians, dancers, and talents from the area, and there is even a documentary being filmed about it. If you can, you should really check it out- its on Saturday, April 3rd, at the Warehouse on Bartholemew Street in Hartford.