Meet Julie Martin | Nakama Studio Owner & Teacher

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

Hi Julie, how does your business help the community?
I created Nakama Studio for the community of Batavia, Ohio and surrounding areas. At Nakama Studio, we offer a wide variety of classes, camps, parties and events that allow kids and adults to escape the daily stresses of life to learn a new skill, do an activity they love, practice self care, celebrate special occasions and be creative while myself and other members of the community lead them thru activities and experiences that will create lasting memories while also improving their mental health.

At Nakama Studio, we offer a year round reading program that allows kids from newborn and up to earn prizes. We believe in the importance of reading aloud to kids from birth and on, so we love to encourage parents and kids. We have an extra large Free Library Cabinet outside of the studio packed full of books for families to take with them to read to work toward their prizes. We also accept donations from the community of books and art and craft supplies. We have a free arts and crafts shelf inside the studio, so the community can “shop” for supplies to create with and keep as much out of a landfill, as possible.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I enjoy creating an endless amount of things. Just being able to make beautiful things with my hands, brings me joy and that includes artwork, jewelry, macrame plant hangers, crochet items, gardens, arranging flowers from my garden, baking sourdough bread, making a variety of homemade food, health and wellness items and so much more!

My primary focus when it comes to creating for my business, is making Breastmilk and Cremation Jewelry and Memorial Items for people. I have made a variety of jewelry over the past 15 years, but have always found the most joy in creating pieces that have a sentimental value to the recipient. I spent years making metal hand-stamped items for clients before shifting to Breastmilk and Cremation Jewelry and I truly enjoy creating all of the things and especially sentimental pieces. I have a college degree in Nutrition and spent a few years working at Children’s Hospital in the Psychiatry Unit. I always made and sold jewelry on the side and taught jewelry making classes. I have been creative my entire life and it’s always brought me so much joy to create and has always been a great way of coping with my anxiety, adhd and seasonal depression. I consider it a necessity in my life. When my husband purchased the building for his business, I couldn’t think of a better use of the space then to offer a variety of creative, fun and healing classes! It has NEVER been easy! It is definitely not for the faint of heart and I have gone back and forth throughout the last 2 years doubting if things would work out or if I should keep doing it and I still do on a regular basis. Running a Brick and Mortar business is insanely hard work and even harder when you’re a one woman show! I have pushed on and I’ve still unsure of the direction my business will take over the year ahead, but I’m here for the ride.

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.
I tend to be a major homebody, but Kung Food Amerasia in Covington, KY would be a must. We would have to check out Garden Grove Organics while we were in Covington. There would be visits to local coffee shops including Goshen Grind, Bean and Brew in Batavia and The Plane Street Cafe in Bethel. I love thrifting and antique shopping, so those would be on the itinerary. Checking out a few local breweries. My favorites include Braxton Brewery, Streetside, Sonder and Dead Low. There would be visits to a lot of local shops with handmade items, antique shopping, events at Gracious Farm and time creating, of course.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am most thankful for all of the members of the community that have been big supporters of my mission from the start. It’s hard being a small business owner and it’s often folks that start out as complete strangers who support you and your mission more than even those you call friends. I have some amazing supporters in my community that I met after opening the studio. Someone that I now call a great friend, I met when she came to meet with me about teaching a class at Nakama Studio before I had opened the doors. She ended up teaching the first class we ever offered and has been so supportive, helpful and shares the studio with everyone she meets and lets them know how much she loves it and the mission. Her name is Christine and she owns an amazing business, OH Honey Custom Designs, where she uses an industrial CNC machine to make so many amazing custom gifts. She is also an engineer by trade and has led our Engineering Classes for kids at the studio. I definitely have to thank my husband, Doug Martin! He purchased 600 Kilgore Ave. to use as a warehouse and office for his company, Anderson Gutter Company. He asked me to do something with the extra space that he didn’t need, which led to the creation of Nakama Studio. My husband and my kids are my everything and my kids have also been great supporters and enjoy taking so many of the classes at the studio and selling their handmade items at our Youth Vendor Markets.

Website: www.nakamastudio.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nakama_studio_cincy/

Linkedin: Nakama Studio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nakamastudiocincy/