Name of your website?Jirralulu Art
Your name?
Carolyn Donnelly
Your Location (city, etc)
Central Coast
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Jirralulu Art displays and sells prints of my photography and mixed media artwork. Currently the images cover four topics: Vivid Garden, Rockpool Art, Sky Art and Beach Art. A theme of my work is 'colour' although I also do grey scale images.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
I have had an interest in photography since I received my first SLR camera in 1987. I studied photography in Sydney in 1989. With the introduction of digital cameras I have combined my photography with my computer skills to explore a different type of artwork. Jirralulu Art has allowed me to express my artistic interest. It is a liberating experience as it is an open book. I will continue to grow atistically through my website.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
My first website, placidmoon.com, was launched early this year. Placid Moon is an expression of my interest in new age spirituality and natural therapies. Placid Moon has a great selection of new age books, meditation CDs, essential oils, silver pagan pendants and items for your altar or sacred space and much more.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
Jirralulu Art came about because my company name is Jirralulu Pty Ltd. Jirra and Lulu are the name of my puppies. Jirra is a pure dingo and Lulu is a very excitable dog that I found in a national park in northern Queensland. They are both very special and together their names form a unique and, I think, lovely sounding word, Jirralulu.
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
My website is unique because I wrote and designed it myself. My artwork is unique because, my mixed media technique is a little different to much of the work that is about at the moment. The prices are reasonable and I sell my work mainly as PDF so receiving the artwork is easy and cost efficient for the customer. The quality of the image is maintained in a PDF and the customer can then print it on whatever medium they desire. I also use the theme 'colour' and talk about the influence of colour. The influence that colour has on us interests me a great deal and I have incorporated this into my site.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
My goal for Jirralulu Art is to keep it as a vehicle for displaying and selling my artwork. Through Jirralulu Art I hope to grow as an artist. I would like to grow my site so that I offer for sale an assortment of artwork in the future that includes paintings and drawings.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
There is a great amount of time that is invested in building and maintaining a website. I have learnt that you do not need to spend a fortune on having a website built but they do take alot of time. If it was all about the money, I'm not sure I would do it.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
I would still write my own websites. I would probably put the money into advertising and developing my own business and website skills.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Yes.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
None.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Getting brave enough to put my artwork up on the net.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Writing articles.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It hasn't
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
I have only just launched Jirralulu Art but I would keep it even if it didn't enjoy the level of success that I would like as it costs little to keep it and I would remain optimistic of it improving along with my artwork.
What is your website address?
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