Community Highlights: Meet Claudia Squio of ColorWay Arts

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Squio.

Hi Claudia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m a Brazilian-American Food engineer that decided to change my life to do what I most love: crafting and teaching. Our family moved to the US in 2012. Before that, I was working as a Food engineer but I wasn’t happy at all. After a dark depressive time in my life, I decided that it was time to quit my profession and how life works, my husband was invited to come and work here in the headquarters of the American company he was already working for a long time. So, we decided to take the chance and come to the US, and that was the best decision. I remember my husband trying to convince me and saying “you may find your way” there, and how right he was, I definitely found my way here… what I call my “ColorWay” or life. And here comes the name of my business that I created 2 years after moving to US. ColorWay Arts, for me, it’s my Color Way of living, Where I included Arts into my life and got my life back! My dark depressive time was quickly over once I started crafting and having fun doing what I love.

First, I was doing all kinds of crafts, knitting, crochet, sewing, until the day I found Cartonnage (the art of box making) and loved so much that I couldn’t stop. So, from there, I have been teaching thousands of fabric lovers how to make cartonnage through my online and local classes. Cartonnage wasn’t well known here in US, so it was a long work to make it spread around, but it’s wonderful to see each time more and more fabric lovers falling in love with this technique, having fun, and creating amazing handmade fabric gifts with no-sewing. So, in 2022, after being online for about 8 years, we opened our local shop in Grand Haven, Michigan, where we have space for classes, our shop and also where we have the production of our DIY kits and where we ship orders for all over the World.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think so. First, I didn’t know how to speak English enough to start teaching classes and making video tutorials, but I started anyways, and I’m so thankful for all the first students and customers that helped me and supported me to improve not only my language skills but also my fear of being in front of cameras, etc… I see now it has been a long road already and at the same time it looks like just the beginning, I have so many more ideas that I will keep sharing with the world. Another challenge, but also opportunity, was that Cartonnage wasn’t well known here in this Country, so I was the first to start sharing largely, promoting the fun, going to quilt shows, making videos, etc, to spread the word about this amazing technique. That was also the reason I published my book “Cartonnage Basics & Beyond – the complete guide for fabric box making” back in 2017. It was part of the plan to get the word out and see more fabric lovers learn about it and it’s working very well, every year our number of cartonnage lovers have increased tremendously, and the reason is because it is lots of fun!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
ColorWay Arts – we are located in Grand Haven, MI, and we are specialized in a traditional technique called “Cartonnage” that is the art of box making. I’m Claudia Squio and I’m known for designing and teaching this technique using fabric with no sewing required. I’m also known for bringing this technique to the US with more accessible and easy-to-follow video tutorials and instructions. I created the online cartonnage school where thousands of fabric lovers learn how to make those boxes, through online courses or being part of the Cartonnage Club, which is a membership program with over 700 members from all over the World.

Our local and online shop supports the technique selling the DIY kits to make the boxes and other projects, as well as other supplies and beautiful and unique fabrics.

Our local shop also has classes, and customers can book a custom class to have fun with family or friends making unique projects.

What I’m most proud of is first of myself and my family (husband and 2 teenagers now), for coming to a different country, and being brave to create this fantastic business, and second, I’m very thankful and proud of my customers and students for allowing themselves to have fun, for being so creative creating amazing projects that keep inspiring me to design and create more projects, and products.

All the information can be found in our website www.colorwayarts.com.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I guess it was my time playing in my home. I used to play that I was a teacher, I used to play with my mom’s sewing notions, I used to paint, and I even remember packing boxes as if I was a shop owner…. incredible, I really smile when I remember of that and also see that I was able to get back to all of those great times, but now it’s just real, I’m not just playing, or I would say, I don’t work, I just play all the time, and this is true, I love so much what I do, that I don’t even consider it a work.

Pricing:

• DIY kits to make boxesand other projects can vary from $10 – $90, depending on the size/complexity of the project
• We sell fabrics around $4 – $8per 1/2 yard
• Our Cartonnage Club is a membership that costs $19.99 or $27.99/month, depending on the benefits
• Local classes will vary from projects but can be from $25

Contact Info:

• Website: www.colorwayarts.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorway_arts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colorwayarts
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ColorWayArts