Cork coasts: Spotting the coastal Juls in the rough

TO SOME people, sea glass and shells are just that. But to Cork creative Julie Tomlin, they are the crown jewels of our coastline.

Julie (52), a mother of two and part-time senior medical receptionist, started her business BeachJuls in 2016 after discovering her undoubted talent for spotting a diamond in the rough.

Using creative wit and well-known phraseology, she combines the art of words with the adaptation of coastal materials to create unique framed imagery.

Varying in theme, topic and time of year, each product boasts a one-of-a-kind status as “no one pebble or stone is the same,” says Julie.

Detailing the beginning of her business venture, Julie said her sister, who was attending an art exhibition in the RDS, encouraged her to sell the frames, and took some stock with her for her trip.

“She said ‘just give me a couple of bits of your stuff and we’ll see’. I only gave her six, and they sold before it [the exhibition] started to the other exhibitors,” said Julie.

“I had just been giving them away as gifts to friends and family, but you can only fill your wall with so much, so that’s how it started.

“There’s obviously a play on my name. My friends call me Jules and to me the beach jewels are shiny pebbles and sea glass and all of that sort of stuff.

“I have perfected it a bit better since then. I have a signature blue forget-me-not flower on my pieces now, and the quirky quotes.”

Describing her love for the water, and the inspiration that comes from it, Julie said that growing up near the coast in Dublin had a big part to play in what she does now.

“I grew up in Dún Laoghaire [and] I’ve been collecting sea glass for as long as I can remember, I was always head down rummaging around in the pebbles and seaweed.

“Creativity is in my bones, art has always been in my family. My dad is a stained glass artist in Dublin, and my sister is an acrylic artist, so it has always been there in the background.

“I went to college in Dublin to do outdoor education, I learned to windsurf, sale, kayak, rock climb and became a teacher in that, so most of my life has been spent on, in, or near the water. I never did art in my Leaving Cert, but I went back to the Kinsale Further Education College in 2019, and did art there. As the Irish might say, I have a grá for it,” said Julie.

“My kids have been on many trips with me down to the beach when they were smaller, and I would give them 10 cents if they found any blue sea glass. So it’s just a love of the water for all of us.

“My father instilled it in me, [and] I think I’ve instilled it in my children. They’re windsurfers and sailors now, and we go on surf holidays, so I wouldn’t know any other way.”

Finding treasure 

With her at-home studio nestled in the idyllic countryside of Kilbrittain, Julie spends her time creating her coastal art with a picture-perfect view of Coolmain Beach.

“I’m involved in a lot of beach cleanups here and biodiversity groups,” she said.

“I love beach clean-ups because I find all sorts of treasures. Half of the rubbish goes into my pocket, so I have one bag for the proper rubbish and another bag for ‘oh, that’s an interesting shell or stone’.”

As a part-time worker, she says she experiences the perfect work-life balance, with plenty of time to spend scouring the coastline for her next project.

“On Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I go to Garretstown, Coolmain and Dooneen. It wouldn’t be every day, but definitely twice if not three times a week I get out and walk along the beaches,” she said.

“It’s not necessarily going down specifically for something, but I’ve never come back empty handed, [and] I’m not the only crazy person with jars of glass and bags of sticks.

“I find Dooneen Pier, by the Speckled Door, [is] a great spot for sea glass and washed up pottery, Garretstown then is great for pebbles, and Coolmain has lovely delicate pink and yellow shells.

“It’s generally the wild Atlantic Way that I would be looking on, I do holiday on the coast as well, but they would be my local favourites.

“Different beaches have different sources for inspiration,” she added.

'Simple but effective'

Using her precious finds, Julie offers both commissioned and non-commissioned creations, including her ‘family rocks’ and ‘love birds’ lines, which can be tailored to match the needs of the family or a couple purchasing the piece.

“People enjoy that, it makes it all the more personal,” she said. “I get a lot of repeat business for personalised gifts. It’s simple but effective.”

These particular lines centre around composing pebble shapes and colours to emulate each family member or individual and can be ordered online by contacting BeachJuls on Facebook or Instagram.

While re-producing popular products maintains a steady workflow, Julie said she also enjoys ‘the chaos’ of creative control and often explores new themes after finding a particularly odd shaped pebble or shell.

“It’s in the piece when you find it,” she said. “I don’t just see a pebble or a bit of sea glass. I’m like ‘oh, that’s a bird’.”

I don’t know what I would have done with my time if I wasn’t doing this. I love how it makes people feel, [that] they’re getting a sense of creativity.

“The pride, that somebody will have this hanging in their wall too, it makes me feel great.”

BeachJuls offers a vast range of pieces to customers, with non-commissioned stock available from three locations across Cork, the Boat Head Gallery in Kinsale, the Yellow Door Gallery in Baltimore and the West Cork Crafts store in Skibbereen. Prices for the standard pieces vary between €60 and €70.

Commissioned pieces ordered directly from Julie can vary between €55 and €65.

“I need the shops to survive and the commissions obviously take a lot longer, [but] I like a challenge,” she said.