Meet Bear & Wendy Griffin | Co-owners of Artio Artisanals

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bear & Wendy Griffin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bear & Wendy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We wanted to change our world. We were tired of working for others and felt called to create our own abundance by doing what we felt passionate about.

Wendy had been a teacher for 9 years and Bear worked in the tattoo industry for 25 years…lots of time spent away from each other and constantly rushing to juggle work, kids, and the home.
In 2017, within a matter of weeks, we decided to quit or jobs, homeschool our 3 kids, and birth our business. Artio Artisanals, inspired by Artio, the ancient Celtic Bear Goddess, spurred us to begin crafting handmade and home grown magic; crystals, herbs, oils, candles, jewelry and so much more.

Creating our own business has truly strengthened our connection to our family, our tribe, to nature, and to our magic.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We handcraft a wide variety of things that we are passionate about and ethically source our materials. We began with a passion for collecting rocks and fossils and learning lapidary skills. We were also creating apothecary items for personal use; oils, herb bundles from the garden, and candles. These passions were laying the foundation for Artio, and before we knew it, we had made this a business.
We are constantly learning and expanding our skills…horticulture, aromatherapy, wood burning, painting, copper etching, taxidermy, jewelry making, astrology, tarot, and so much more
Our growing community has been integral to our success. The support we give and receive has enabled Artio to expand further than we imagined and we look forward to where it’s taking us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
All the magic spots… Hearth Wisdom Store in Pantego
Fort Witch in Bedford
Maven’s Moon in River Oaks

Stockyards in Fort Worth
The Gem & Mineral Show at Will Rogers May 29-30

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Jessika Davila, owner of Stones & Bones Di Corral, owner of Fort Witch
Stacey Swinney, owner of Ohh Fortuna
Keith & Gwen Albee, owners of KKG Creations
Myra Slaybaugh, owner of Hearth Wisdom Store
Megan Dolph, owner of Maven’s Moon

Website: www.artioartisanals.com

Instagram: @artioartisanals

Facebook: www.facebook.com/artioartisanals