JOHN ROLFE: ShopTalk

Cashing in on a year revisited

Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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	Staff photo by Gordon Chibroski Backed by her paintings used in the perpetual calendar she created and is now selling, artist Jane Rotondi holds a copy of the calendar, which dispenses with days of the week so it can be used year after year. Rotondi says her calendar is indispensible for keeping track of birthdays, anniversaries and other important annual dates.
	Jane Woodworth Rotondi Age: 41 Position: Owner Business: Clearly Color Design Address: 11 Lanewood Road, Cumberland Contact: 781-2994; office@clearlycolordesign.com; www.clearlycolordesign.com Dream job: "I guess I'm doing it, because I can do it out of my house and still be a full-time mom, and play with my dog, Apollo." To top of story

Q. What is Clearly Color Design?

A. I'd begun to use that name when selling the painted wooden panels, to differentiate from 'Jane Woodworth Rotondi, painter.' And also to protect, copyright and trademark my images on these painted wooden panels, not knowing exactly where I was going with them.

Now I've created and published a perpetual calendar for people to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries and other annual occasions . . . It sounds kind of corny. You can also use it as, for instance, a gardening calendar — marking when to fertilize, trim the hedges, that sort of stuff.

Q. Are there other perpetual calendars out there? A. There sure are — they just don't have the quality or color that you see with mine. Really, I mean it.

Q. Is yours the only one made in Maine?

A. As far as I know. I've seen them from the (Boston) Museum of Fine Arts, for example, but I believe I'm the only Maine artist who's done one.

Q. Was this a long-planned project?

A. I decided to do it this fall. One day I took a deep breath and was cleaning out drawers and came across a dummy of a perpetual calendar I'd designed for the family about 13 years ago.

I thought, "there it is." The shape made sense — I said, "I'm gonna do it." I did a lot of talking to friends and local business owners, trying to figure out if could it could work, and decided I'd never know, unless . . .

Q. What kind of art do you make?

A. I am primarily a landscape painter. I've worked in oils and am now working in acrylics, which have really come a long way since I was in art school. I also use pastels and watercolors.

Q. In art school?

A. At the Rhode Island School of Design. I also went to the Portland School of Art.

Q. Are there landscapes on the calendar?

A. Not really. They're just different images — the snowman for January, the barn for October, some have boats . . . The calendar evolved from images on wooden panels I began painting as Christmas presents for family, years ago. But the panels involved no glass, no framing — they were intended to be simple yet striking. They're a tall, thin shape, 11 inches by 36 inches, more a wall hanging than a painting. Something that can go in a mudroom or a family room or a kid's room.

Q. How does the 'perpetual' part work?

A. You open it up and it's spiral-bound in the middle with a hole at the top to hang it. The image, for example, the snowman for January, is on the top page, and the bottom says 'January' and goes down the days 1-31, and then you flip it over to the next month.

I chose an uncoated stock so when people write on it in pen, it won't smudge, as opposed to coated stock, which people think looks nice, but I wanted it to be functional.

Q. So, it doesn't have the days of the week? Er, I guess that's obvious.--> A. That's right.

Q. Is the calendar Maine-inspired?

A. Definitely Maine-inspired. I wasn't born in Maine, but I've lived most of my life here, and the paintings reflect the memories, senses and images I've absorbed here. I tried to stay clear of the 'scenic' element, therefore I had a hard time with the snowman image. I tend to be a little more abstract than specific, but with this calendar I was sort of forced to go with a monthly or seasonal theme in some cases.

Q. How many did you have printed?

A. The initial printing was 2,000, at Penmor Lithographers in Lewiston. Several people looked at me as if I had five heads when I said 2,000, thinking that was a lot. But I've received orders for 548 calendars, and I think I will be re-ordering in the near future.

Q. What else was involved with getting started?

A. I had to get a new printer, decide whether to register for an ISBN number or UPC code — I ended up going with just the ISBN. There are costs incurred in all of these things, and I've tried to barter when I can.

My Web designer, Carroll Valenzuela, has done a terrific job. My brother, Brad, is a graphic designer who helped me get from painting to print. He and his office, Woodworth Associates, have been a tremendous help in that process, to direct me to a lot of different things, like the ISBN number, that I wasn't clued into. I've had so many friends just help through the process as sounding boards, helping me think things through. They're all probably really sick of me by now.

Q. What were your startup costs?

A. In the neighborhood of $13,000. Not only for the calendar, but also business cards and bookmarks that I am using for marketing purposes.

Q. And they sell for?

A. They retail for $18.95. But it's the only calendar you ever have to buy.

Q. Do you sell on the Web site?

A. I don't have secure ordering at this moment, but you can go there for information and call, fax or e-mail me to order.

Q. How's business?

A. So far I've been very pleased. The calendar's in a lot of local stores, and I have a sales rep group for New England. My mother, Sally, is my Florida rep. And I also have one in Denver. My sister there had taken the calendar to a local boutique, and just happened to talk to a woman there who asked for a sample, so things worked out. A huge bookstore there, the Tattered Cover, faxed an order for the minimum number, 12, so that's very encouraging.

I exhibited at the New England Products trade show in March at the Civic Center, showing to wholesale buyers, which was good exposure. I received a scholarship for part of the booth cost through the State of Maine Economic Development Council, and that helped me out tremendously.

Q. Will you do other calendars?

A. A lot of people have said why not do an annual calendar, but a lot of stores get a little frightened by that, because if it doesn't sell, they're stuck with them. It's possible that I'll do another perpetual calendar with different images.

But I am envisioning new products now, and hope to have something together by the National Stationery Show in New York in May, either cards or pads of paper. I have a lot of ideas — but basically, at this point, I have to choose one and go with it, throwing money in. Not out, I hope!

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