Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Hyman, Shelley Moon, and Ryan Doolittle of the women-owned art collective, Clover + Maven.
Hello Elizabeth, Shelley, and Ryan, thanks for joining us today. Tell us about your newly launched store, Clover + Maven.
Thanks for having us. Clover + Maven is a women-owned art collective in Austin, Texas, co-founded and operated by Elizabeth Hyman (“The Gardeners Wife”), Shelley Moon (“Shelley Moon Designs”), and Ryan Doolittle (“Ryan Doolittle Glass”) that showcases local makers and artists specializing in blown glass, ceramics, home goods, fine art, and unusual hand-crafted jewelry. It was born out of a passion for supporting local Austin artisans while crafting an unparalleled shopping experience in support of Austin’s independent businesses and artistic talent.
Having launched our brick-and-mortar retail store in May 2023, Clover + Maven nurtures over 40 local artisans, the majority of whom are female, showcasing a carefully curated array of works ranging from homewares and skincare to fine art/jewelry, handblown glassware, dried florals, and even dog treats. The snug and warm atmosphere reflects our core values and integrates a small, hand-picked selection of our products into the shopping experience.
Initially, we all became friends while selling our designs and products at various pop-ups throughout the Austin community. In 2022, we started to meet for coffee regularly, exploring other vending opportunities to have a more intimate, supportive role with each other’s businesses. Our deep respect for one another and our heavy commitment to showcasing the creative innovations of Austin’s artisan community led to something even bigger. This unified space was a part of us but would still enable us to scale our businesses.
And that’s how Clover + Maven was born. In April, we put out an open call to local artisans interested in showcasing their work inside Clover + Maven – and we received an astounding 100+ applicants. Clover + Maven held its official Grand Opening in June with an initial showcase of 20 diverse female artists.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Elizabeth Hyman: The biggest hurdle we’ve had to acknowledge and navigate through, in addition to learning how to run a business together, is balancing our time between Clover + Maven and our respective businesses as founders. We’ve all had to make some sacrifices with our businesses, putting things on the back burner while we navigate and work to overcome these challenges that are to be expected with a startup. At the same time, we all operate our businesses differently and have our ideas of how to operate a business. So, merging those ideas, leaning into the areas in which we each excel, and figuring out what those areas are has been and continues to be a hurdle. We all have different backgrounds, and because we are so skilled at what we do (hence the Maven part), identifying those strengths can be challenging. While opening our C+M storefront at the beginning of what is now considered Texas’ second hottest summer since 2011 may not have been the best idea, it was what we had, and we dove in fully committed and with full force. We wanted to give our artists an additional income stream during the historically slow summer sales season.
Shelley Moon: I share Elizabeth’s sentiments on this matter. We consciously chose to temporarily set aside our enterprises to dedicate ourselves to Clover + Maven wholeheartedly. Surprisingly, this transition has acted as a catalyst, profoundly impacting my professional and personal growth. Embracing collaboration and immersing myself in group dynamics, as opposed to solitary pursuits, has proven to be a deeply enriching experience. While managing my own business posed challenges, the journey of co-creation has provided me with invaluable insights into self-discovery and the intricate art of effective collaboration. It reminds me of an African proverb that recently crossed my path – ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’
Ryan Doolittle: Supporting fellow creatives is an adventure in itself! We’re all about lifting each other, even though we each have unique ways of doing things. Figuring out how to make the most of our limited space while warmly welcoming as many artists as possible has been a fun challenge. We must respect everyone’s time and input, which keeps this whole thing going. One tricky part is getting the word out about what we’re up to. We want our makers to have awesome sales, but that also comes with pressure. It pushes us to get creative with how we promote each of our artisans and share C+M’s continued growth. This journey has deepened our appreciation for the incredible range of talents in our community, and it’s been wonderful to be a resource for our makers and artists in helping them along their journey.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Hyman: I am also the founder of The Gardeners Wife here in Austin, which I launched in October 2021. It initially began as an ethically curated collection of small batch, handmade goods created by women artisans across the U.S. as a way to explore and nurture the connection we have with ourselves, our home, and the world around us.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I pivoted to the art of flower arrangement and floral design, eventually specializing in custom-dried floral arrangements for weddings and special occasions.
I also have worked in the hospitality industry for 20+ years, where I helped open multiple restaurants across the East Coast of the United States. I eventually moved to Austin in 2008, where I continued to help build and develop local restaurants. For the past 10 years, I’ve helped develop and expand Kome Sushi Kitchen into a local sushi staple. You can follow me on IG at @the.gardenerswife
Moon: I am also the founder of “Shelley Moon Designs” here in Austin. Before launching the company in 2018, I spent many years juggling to raise my two young children, taking care of my mother, a successful career as a documentary family photographer, and an e-commerce venture focused on baby products on Amazon. The demands were overwhelming, and my natural burnout became an unwelcoming companion. I attended weekly meditation workshops with Conscious Transformation, walking out with newfound clarity and a vision that craved complete freedom, rekindling a long time dormant passion for designing unique hand-crafted jewelry. I have since meticulously nurtured Shelley Moon Designs through grassroots-style vending throughout Austin and its neighboring cities. You can follow my work on IG at @shelleymoondesigns.
Doolittle: I am a full-time glass maker in Austin and own and operate Ryan Doolittle Glass, where I create art and functional wares. For over 20 years, I have worked with molten glass spanning the U.S. and abroad, including six years as a glassblowing sailor for the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. My textual and vibrant work draws inspiration from nature and the whimsical, tastefully capturing the diverse cultural experiences from my travels. You can follow my work on IG at @ryandoolittleglass.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Moon: Growing up in Seoul, South Korea, I was an ambitious child with boundless aspirations. I consistently ranked at the top of my class, striving for excellence in everything I pursued. At the tender age of 9, I embarked on a new chapter when my family and I left South Korea and immigrated to the United States.
I faced the daunting challenge of learning an entirely new language and immersing myself in a different culture. It was undeniably overwhelming, but I persevered, grasping English within a year and adapting quickly to my new surroundings. My upbringing bore the imprint of what some might call a ‘Tiger Mom.’ Under her guidance, I delved into various disciplines – piano, art, and abacus lessons – where my hunger and genuine passion for them was born. Beyond my artistic pursuits, I also found myself drawn to the world of performing arts, mainly through chorus in junior high. During this time, I fell in love with Broadway, dreaming of someday gracing its stages.
However, as I transitioned into high school, I discovered a new profound love for sports, quickly becoming a central part of my life. Volleyball, softball, and badminton became my outlets, allowing me to channel my energy and competitive spirit into a different arena. Over the years, I’ve undergone numerous transformations, but one unwavering constant remains my relentless determination to excel in any endeavor I undertake.
Dolittle: I’ve always been quirky, smart, and loyal to my “people.” From a young age, I wanted to love what I do and not care as much about the money-making aspect of it. Growing up in rural North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia, I was a “wild child.” I was raised by a hippy single mom, a midwife, and a women’s health care worker – my hero! I loved nature, and I camped a lot with my mom. We always had cats, which naturally led to my obsession with animals – my last name is Doolittle!
When I took ceramics in high school, I fell in love with the making process and the ease and fun of gifting my creations to my family and friends. Naturally, this led me to glass in college, my medium of choice ever since and the heart of Ryan Doolittle Glass.
Hyman: I’ve always been creative and a lover of the arts. From a very early age, you could always find me painting, dancing, singing, playing the piano, taking pictures, and writing.
Growing up, I’ve always been a “rule follower” and a nurturer. In many ways, I was very mature for my age, which has played into my career a lot. I went to a small college in Pennsylvania to get my English degree and pursue a writing career with a minor in theater. But, I dropped out and chose to attend art school for photography. Initially, they wouldn’t accept me into the photography program, as I had a more extensive video production and editing portfolio. However, they made an exception after looking at the photos.
Clover + Maven just made its first official debut at Austin City Limits Fest 2023 at ACL Market. How would you describe your first experience at the festival as a collective?
Dolittle: As a collective of innovative women who make their living off their own locally made art and products and are used to doing pop up markets solo, this was quite the event for our first showcase together! We were lucky to have many of our maker-mavens with us at ACL helping at our booth at the Art Market and the folks who visited and loved our wide selection of locally made talent gave us energy and a certain amount of validation, especially for having only been open for 6 months. Overall we were grateful for the opportunity and to our makers who kept our shop running while we were at ACL, we literally couldn’t have done it without them and we look forward to connecting with our community to get the word out about us.
Pricing:
- ● Depending on the product, our pricing varies from as low as $4.00 USD all the way up to $2,350 USD.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cloverandmaven.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cloverandmaven/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloverandmaven
Image Credits
Photo of the 3 Founders: Clover + Maven Photo of wide-view, empty shop: Jennifer Rachid (@heyjinnij), Other photos: Clover + Maven
