Arcadian Design @ San Francisco : About Us

Sabrina, Ron, Julie & Nicolas

(left to right)

Arcadian Design, founded in 1992 by Julie E. Tuton and Ron Filson, is a small company with a shared vision to send inspiration and joy into everyone's lives through their handcrafted items. Using non-toxic processes to create their whimsical frosted designs and word affirmations they decorate colorful glass stones, bottles, plates and mirrors.

Julie, an artist and a mother of 2 (Sabrina 8 yrs. and Nicolas 5 yrs.) graduated Brandeis University with a double major in Fine Art and Psychology. She has designed jewelry, painted furniture and paintings... Her current group of etched glass inspirational gifts has evolved into a full time business for the past 12 years. Ron, her partner in the business, and husband (and dad) fills in the technical side of bringing her designs to fruition. Married for 15 years, the two love working together and "wouldn't have it any other way."

Magic Stones® were first created for their personal use. They wanted to focus on different aspects of their life that needed improvement, or areas where they wanted more fulfillment. Julie had used affirmations as early as nine years old. Ron had also found the power of affirmation over the years (that is how he believes they met!) They found that a post-it-note taped to the bathroom mirror was soon forgotten when the busy-ness of the day got started. So the idea of something that you could carry with you, and reconnect with throughout the day, was blooming.

It had to be small, tactile, beautiful, and desirable to carry with you. The designs and concept were dream inspired... frosted glass stones, irresistible to the eye, and to the touch. Julie had created designs that worked visually with many inspirational words. Ron brainstormed new ways to achieve the desired effect. Then after a long incubation period... Magic Stones® were born.

They frost the individual glass pieces with garnet dust, after hand masking each word and design, which creates this unique appealing etching. The result is a very soft, tactile frosting of beautiful stained glass, contrasting with a shiny, positive message.

Test marketed at a jewelry fair in San Francisco, they found that many people were drawn to the Magic Stones®. Next, they traveled to Boston for their first wholesale market in May of 1995. The booth consisted mostly of their jewelry line and two small bowls of Magic Stones®. Over 80% of the orders were written for the stones, and they knew they were onto something!

Reorders poured in and Arcadian Design was in need of its first employee. The Magic Stones® were in such demand that their customers kept asking, "what else do you do?" so Julie hit the drawing board again and expanded their product line, which now includes plates, coasters, mirrors, paperweights and more! Because everything is handmade from beginning to end, it is easily customizable for special requests. She loves designing new ways to incorporate uplifting messages on everyday objects... "you can never have too many reminders of happy thoughts around you," says Julie. "I am finally living my dream of creating art that inspires people to be happy."

In 1998, the Magic Stones® were featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show in a segment called "Remembering Your Spirit." The segment included the use of Magic Stones® as a parenting tool, as encouragement to rise above fearful situations, and to draw to you events that you desire. "We couldn't have written a better segment ourselves," said Julie and Ron after viewing the show. Many collectors wrote or called in their inspirational stories. "We hope to publish a book some day to share these amazing stories."

Julie and Ron work together in their new beautiful studio in San Francisco doing everything from design, production, sales, marketing and shipping. Their products are currently sold in galleries, gift shops, spas and resorts, across the country and beyond. They make cherished, meaningful gifts. It is their hope that these functional art pieces will serve people in everyday life to raise thoughts and change experiences in a positive way.

In addition to her role in Arcadian Design, Julie is currently creating a collection of oil paintings that are shown in galleries in the Bay Area (CA) and Cape Cod (MA). Prints will be available on this site in coming months. If you are interested, please be sure to sign the mailing list.