Julieta Garcia meticulously molds pea-sized amounts of neon green polymer clay. With a precision blade and the wet cotton of a cotton swab, she shapes the clay into tiny frog figurines. After baking and glazing each item with care, the artist uploads photos of the works onto her Etsy shop. 

“I didn’t get my first sale for two months, but then I started uploading on TikTok,” said Garcia, a neuroscience sophomore. “It was someone that had followed me, who also had a small business. They ordered from me and made a little video of it too. It was super cute and motivating because I had been feeling like I (was) never going to get a sale.” 

Garcia opened @juliclayshop on the craft website as a high school sophomore. Although initially conceived out of boredom during quarantine, the shop has now sold over 1,700 items and boasts a following of 13.7k on Instagram. 

“I never really thought that it would get that big,” Garcia said. “As the years went on, I was like, ‘It’s actually something I really enjoy doing, something I want to keep doing and something I want to develop even more.’” 

Each creation on the Etsy storefront includes impeccable detail and a variety of colors. Scrolling through the site, browsers can find vibrant axolotls, frogs, ducks, crocodiles, sometimes sitting on charcuterie boards. The inspiration taken from the natural world ties to the artist’s interests in life science. After experimenting with classes throughout high school, Garcia said she realized her true passions lie in the studies of biology, specifically the brain. 

Computer science sophomore Sri Veda Chinapuvvula said sophomore year proves especially difficult for neuroscience majors. With classes such as organic chemistry and genetics, learning the material prior to class is crucial. Despite this, the artist finds time to roll out and meld each piece. 

“She has a very strict work schedule (and) to make time to even do just a little bit of clay (makes) her not feel burnt out,” Chinapuvvula said. 

Sofia Garcia, Julieta’s sister, said friends and family noticed first and foremost the artist’s tenacity and commitment to her work, a trait that persists in her business. Julieta Garcia also said the ability to produce art for her businesses, continuously communicate with customers and ensure safe delivery of products despite a packed academic schedule adds to the commentary on her versatility as not only a shop owner but as a family member as well. 

“She’s been inspiring to see as a sister,” Sofia said. “Whenever I need her help on a chemistry problem (or) I just need someone to talk to, she’ll be the first person that I text.” 

Garcia said she hopes to continue to create figurines for her clay shop and expand her social media presence by uploading daily vlogs on YouTube while pursuing a career as a surgeon. 

“My main goal is to keep putting myself out there,” Garcia said. “That’s always been something hard for me to do just because I’m not that comfortable speaking in front of a camera… I want to keep growing my shop and getting more orders.”