Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Rainey.
Hi Julie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
RaineyMills Crafters is small family art business that began in September 2017 after we all retired from office jobs. Phil Miller, Pat Miller and Julie Rainey attended a yearlong stained-Glass class more than two decades ago. They each completed several projects for themselves plus made many glass items for a church fundraiser. They all work with the stained glass, but each have jobs they prefer in the process. Our main focuses are stained glass, fine art paintings and seasonal crafts. We use many mediums to make our items: glass, wood, stones, clay, beads, fabric, canvas, acrylic paint and jewelry.
All three of us are crafty people. Phil has experience with carpentry, woodwork, and building. Phil worked in IT. Pat has experience with ceramics, sewing, and painting large murals. Pat worked at a ceramics store and at Garden Ridge Pottery in the flower department. Julie earned an associate degree of fine arts and a bachelor’s degree with a fine arts minor. Julie worked as a Senior Graphics Illustrator and Publishing Editor. Julie does all the paintings.
Recently, Megan Rainey joined us for a few weeks in the summer. Megan creates our clay items. Megan Rainey took art classes in Middle school and high school and is still in college. Megan loves sculpture and 3D art. She has completed all her ceramic and art classes and when she graduates will become the 3rd generation in the family business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For the last nine years we sell our work via farmers markets, church holiday markets and online. Packing and traveling with stained glass can be a challenge. The weather is an obstacle also. Wind is not our friend on the outside shows and we get some breakage. Rain isn’t good for paintings either.
We also will make custom orders for customers. Since there is only three of us it is challenging to get orders done along with market work. If customers wait until last minute for Christmas to give us orders it is pretty hard to get them done. The Holidays is our largest custom order season.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are most known for our handmade stained glass, paintings and recently mosaics.
There are not as many stained-glass creators as in the past. Many have retired. We do not make the manufactured windows and doors that are installed in homes. Those are made by large companies. We make art pieces and suncatchers you hang in the window. We also make stained glass flower picks, windchimes and fridge magnets. I am most proud that we seem to be growing and expanding each year. Despite the covid shutdown and inflation. This month we put some of our stained glass, paintings, mosaics, and clay items into a new store called Gryphon’s Peak in Jersey Village, Texas.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I hope more artists take up stained glass. In the Houston area we are usually the only handmade stained-glass artists at the markets. We have seen a fused glass and painted glass artist at a couple markets. I think the big shift has already happened. So many people have retired in the last 20 years. It is good for our business (less competition) but not good for the industry. There are only a few stained glass shops left in Houston to by glass supplies and get classes. We are working towards giving lessons in the near future.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rainweather17
