Ep. 28: What No One Tells You About Licensing: Juliana Tipton on Boundaries, Burnout, and Creative Joy

In this enlightening episode, Stacie sits down with surface pattern designer Juliana Tipton to talk about launching a creative career in your 40s, navigating art licensing, and staying grounded through the highs and lows of the design world. From graphic design and higher education to licensing with top retailers like Target and Barnes & Noble, Juliana shares how she pivoted careers, learned to trust her gut, and built a successful business centered around authenticity and perseverance.

 

Today on Art + Audience:

• Juliana’s Unconventional Start: How she launched her surface design career in her early 40s after two previous careers.

• Leveraging Graphic Design: How her background gave her a solid foundation but also revealed the challenges of working solo.

• Licensing Lessons: From being ghosted by a fabric company to finding better partnerships—what she learned and would do differently.

• Pitching and Portfolios: The importance of following up, crafting one-sheets, and using classes from Bonnie Christine and Shannon McNab to hone her process.

• Navigating Red Flags: How Juliana discerns between fear and instinct when evaluating licensing deals—and why good communication is non-negotiable.

• The Truth About Money: Why licensing isn’t always lucrative at first and how Juliana balances surface design with graphic design work.

• Honest Talk About Contracts: What Juliana looks for in licensing agreements and how she scrutinizes the fine print.

 

Connect with Juliana Tipton:

• Website: julianatipton.com

• Instagram: @jultipdesign

 

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: [phone]