Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorge Cruz and Johanna Morales.
Jorge and Johanna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2008, when the market collapsed in the US and the Recession hit Florida, Jorge and I had the idea of starting a business that would create a new source of income since jobs in architecture and construction had lowered considerably. Since his childhood, Jorge’s dream was to open an art studio for children where they could learn the art of Clay Modeling, with the purpose of enhancing their artistic capabilities, motor skills as well as giving them tools to become better professionals and adult human beings. In today’s world, children have stopped working with their hands, limiting their artistic development and exploration to a cellphone screen, tablet or personal computer. This situation encouraged us even more to pursue this dream.
In 2009, Jorge and I started working very hard putting together an artistic portfolio & website in order to open Clay World to the public. In 2010 Clay World finally opened its doors at a small location in South Beach, Fl. A childhood dream has become a reality & we could not be any happier. Two young passionate architects, Jorge Cruz and Johanna Morales have founded what has become today a very successful business driven by passion & dreams with one main goal: To Give children the importance on their creativity while having fun; sometimes taken for granted by adults. Clay World gives its students an unlimited range of possibilities where the usage of their imagination has no limit.
Clay World not only offered its workshops at its South Beach location, but started offering its services at different Public and Private schools throughout Miami as part of their Afterschool Enrichment Programs. This decision helped Clay World to start growing at a very fast pace. Students taking our workshops at their schools, now wanted to join us for camps, celebrate their birthdays and also attending classes during the weekend at our location.
The more students we had, the demand for a bigger space was required. In 2012 Clay World moved to its current location in North Beach in Miami Beach Fl.
In 2013 we decided to bring Clay World to NYC using the same business structure as the one conceived in Florida. In only 1 year and a half in NYC, we equaled & exceeded the number of schools/students than in Miami. This has proven us how successful Clay World could be and how much it could keep growing.
In addition, we considered to participate in worldwide sugar competitions and this field has opened Clay World opportunities in Europe and different cities in the US.
In 2016 Clay World won a Scholarship with Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Business with the purpose of learning how to grow Clay World by acquiring entrepreneurial skills and putting together a 5 years business growth plan.
This was a breakthrough and eyeopener experience as business owners. We finally were organizing our business financially and not only artistically or customer guided due to everything we had done up to then was following our gut feeling as architects and artists. Following that we received a second grant to improve our marketing and advertisement strategies.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest struggle has been to turn an artistic idea into a Business, but after all these years the secret has been to carry things out no matter the obstacles pushing hard without slacking.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Clay World – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
An extraordinary, fun & design oriented professional business where artists gather to promote a wonderful, creative environment for children and adults.
We have turned our dream into reality by sharing the magic of clay modeling along with buckets of joy, miles of happiness and bundles of creativity to hundreds of children that will help them in their journey to become better adults.
We encourage creative thinking and empower our talented artists to push forward, gear up with energy & enthusiasm to bring children an art workshop like no other before.
With our characters, we love to encourage children’s imagination and take their minds away, into a richly colored world of superheroes, fairies, monsters & all sort of creatures that their INSPIRED imagination may create. We invite adults and children to never stop dreaming and have fun. We tend to overload our lives with work, depriving ourselves from enjoying the simple things in life. It is never too late to bring out our artistic side and inner child! Lets DREAM, CREATE, LIVE & HAVE FUN!
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life,” Pablo Picasso
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Our plan is to keep growing our company to bring our unique workshop to more children through the States and Europe. Currently, rework in Miami and New York City, but as this business is run by creativity there are no limits.
Pricing:
- Summer, Winter, Spring Camp 1 Week: $380 all Supplies Included ( 9:30am to 2:30pm)
- 1 Day Camp: $85 all Supplies Included ( 9:30am to 2:30pm)
- Saturday Classes: $60 ( 10:00am to 12:00pm) all Supplies Included
- 5 Package Saturday Classes: $250( 10:00am to 12:00pm all Supplies Included Classes may be taken any Saturday. If you cannot make it you do not lose them, they roll over.
- 10 Package Saturday Classes: $400( 10:00am to 12:00pm all Supplies Included Classes may be taken any Saturday. If you cannot make it you do not lose them, they roll over.
Contact Info:
- Address: 333 W. 41st Street # 518 Miami Beach Fl, 33140
- Website: www.clayworld.org
- Phone: 210.2644446 210.7491795
- Email: [email protected] [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clayworldstudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clayworldstudio/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/clayworldstudio
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/clay-world-miami-beach
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
