1.Julie, Why are you an artist and what motivated you to take up art over other disciplines as your path in life?
It is not my origin, or the dynamics of humanity. It is an unexplainable search within me, using the vehicle of visual human expression, which in turn drives me to the discipline of art. We find the path or the path finds us. My family has a flair for the arts, my mother had a love for fashion design, and my father was always tinkering with tools creating something. My brother is a painter.
It was the turns and twists of the human form, the courage to tell the masses the horrid truth and story of human follies and predicament. The human forms sculpted and unleashed by the hands of Michelangelo. The virtuous, humanity captured by Raphael. There were the chiaroscuro effects, the rhythm, and faces in the scenes of Caravaggio’s depicting real Christ that some could not relish. For me this was my key to capture the heartstrings of human emotion. It was Monet’s ability to paint nature. He with size of the canvas, stroke, and colors involved the viewer in his coveted experience. It was Diego Rivera’s, Detroit Industry that gave the supremacy of the working class. These examples are vivid in my mind and heart and have helped to persuade me into this discipline.
An artist with a brush, a camera, a video camera, a bag of clay could create an object of adoration that society could only stand to question. In my formative years as an artist, I was an apprentice to an artist. I was amazed at his patience and his technique. As an artist one must have the hand of a painter, the mind of an inventor, the hands of a writer, the heart of a poet and the “skin of an armadillo”. This was a challenge to me and this was strangely something I wanted.
2. What are the various challenges, if any, faced during the entire phase of your career and how do you overcome it?
Challenges were to balance art, family, and myself. Managing the time was in itself a challenge. I am an Artist, a Teacher, a Mother and wife. Each facet of my life is time consuming. I often while waiting for the Dinner to marinate I sit and organize thoughts for my next painting or make studies to help me in my paintings. There have been times I had been on vacation trips with my family and on the sidelines I painted. When the house is silent I try to find the time to paint. I even use the individual family members at times as my models. I use them to orchestrate the message I want to create within my painting.
3.Please, tell us about the different themes of your paintingsand what message do you try to communicate through your art?
Human existence is my palette and tools for creation. I am a narrative figurative painter. There are times that I glorify poverty, there are times that I paint battles within themselves, and there are times that I simply depict emotions of the people. I am an anthropological connoisseur.
4.Your work has a certain fineness and seems to be majorly focused on humanity and human emotions. What is the reason behind this theme?
I love humanity. I am amazed at the dichotomy of human existence. I am curious of the inherent beauty of each culture and its diversity. I always felt that I could understand humanity through painting it. Dissecting human existence with an artist eye has always been my aim.
5.How do you handle the commercial aspects of being an artist?
When the painting is complete, I photograph it and I write about it. There are weekends I spend time on proposals and mailings to galleries. There are weekends I dedicate solely to marketing my work. I am still working on further developing my commercial aspects. This area I need more work on..
6.Which artists inspires you and how?
Many artists throughout the time have inspired me. The works of Michelangelo, Diego Rivera, Caravaggio, Salvador Dali, Monet, however, and Albert Moore, Adolphe-William Bouguereau, Bernini and Vameer currently inspires me. There works are delicate, sensitive, with a sensual aggression of stroke. There art is elaborate, narrative and mostly multi figural.
7. Please tell us about your present and future exhibitions?
I was recently selected to participate in the “Artist Project : Artropolis” in Chicago, Illinois. I have exhibited my work Dade Art Educators Exhibition in Miami, Florida and the Museum of the Living Artist in San Diego Art Institute, exhibition titled “The 49th International juried Exhibition” in San Diego, California. My art work was also selected for the “2nd Annual Painting Drawing and Print making Competition” in Dario Gallery of Palm Beach Community College, in Palm Beach, Florida. I was published in the “2005 New Art International”, by Book Art Publishers. I participated in an exhibition for the “2003 World Trade Center Memorial Competition”. In 2003, 2004 and 2006 my art work was selected for the “46th, 47th 49th National Exhibition of American Art” of Chautauqua Institution, in Chautauqua, New York. My art work was selected for the “Hollywood Biennial Juried Art Exhibition”, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood of Hollywood, Florida.
I received “Honorable Mention” in the 2008 Dade Art Educators Exhibition at Miami Dade College North Campus Gallery, and at the 2006 2nd Annual Painting Drawing and Print making Competition. I have received the “Bellinger Memorial” Award at the Chautauqua Institution, “46th National Exhibition of American Art” in Chautauqua, New York. I received the “2002 George Sugarman Foundation, Inc. Grant recipient” in Novato, California. I was commissioned for the “Butt Stop Public Art” for Springfield Massachusetts Business Improvement District of Springfield, Massachusetts. I had my work exhibited in the “Invented Figure Show” of Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, Illinois and the art piece was also published in a Collaborative Book of Poetry and Art, “Inhabiting the Body”, Moon Press Journal, Chicago, Illinois. In addition, my art work participated in a public art piece Flamingos on the Beach, Miami Beach Coral Gables Art in Public Places, Public Art Piece, Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida. I have received the 1999 New Forms Miami grant that enabled the solo exhibition “Lost Cities: An Artist View of the Inner city.”.
8. Any advice or mantra you would like to share with aspiring artists?
Explore, decide early, concentrate on production and don’t give up. Always reach high; all that can happen is that you will fall. You can always get up dust yourself off and begin again. Work Hard, and the work will pay off. Don’t think of the reward the reward will find you.
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GRANTS / AWARDS
- 2008 Artist Project, Artroplois, Chicago, Illinois
- Honorable Mention, Dade Art Educators exhibition, Miami Dade College, Juried Exhibition.
- 2006 Honorable Mention, Palm Beach Community College, Dario Gallery, 2nd Annual Drawing, Painting, Print Making Exhibition, Palm Beach County, Florida.
- Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers.
- 2005 New Art International, Accepted into the Inclusion in 2006 New Art International, Book Art Publisher.
- 2003 The Bellinger Memorial Award, Chautauqua Institution, 46th National Exhibition of American Art, Chautauqua, New York.
- 2002 George Sugarman Foundation, Inc. Grant recipient, Novato, California.
- Butt Stop Public Art, Springfield Massachusetts Business Improvement District, Springfield, Massachusetts.
- Flamingos on the Beach, Miami Beach Coral Gables Art in PublicPlaces, Public Art, LeJune and Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida.
- Tropical Trailer Award, Florida International University Art, Museum, Miami, Florida.
- 2001 Best Three-Dimensional Effect, Absolut Chalk Street Art Festival, Miami Beach, Florida.
- 1999 New Forms Miami, Grant recipient, Miami, Florida.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
- 1999 New Forms Miami, Grant recipient, Miami, Florida.
- Lost Cities: An Artist’s View of the Inner City, Solo Exhibition, funded by the Miami Dade Cultural Affairs Council and the Miami Board of Commissioners, Miami ArtWorks, Coral Gables, Florida.
EXHIBITIONS
- 2008 Dade Art Educators exhibition, Miami Dade College, Juried Exhibition, Miami, Florida.
- 2007 Kudos Art International Juried On line Exhibition, Juror Peter Trippi Diego Art Institute, Museum of the Living Artist , 49th International juried Exhibition, San Diego, CA.
- 2006 Outside the Classroom: Dade Art Educators Association Exhibition September 23 - December 15, , South Dade Regional Library.
- CG Gallery, Dade Educators Association, Miami, Florida Exhibition.
- The Chautauqua 49th Annual National Exhibition of American Art, The Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts, Chautauqua, New York, Juror Louis Grachos.
- Palm Beach Community College, Dario Gallery, 2nd Annual Drawing, Painting, Print Making Exhibition, Palm Beach County, Florida, Juror Barry Sparkman.
- 2005 New Art Gallery, Deck the Walls, Hollywood, Florida.
- CG Gallery, Small Works Exhibition. Dade Educators Association, Miami, Florida Exhibition.
- “Celebration Exhibition”, K.D. Moore Gallery Evergreen, Colorado.
- 2004 The Chautauqua 47th Annual National Exhibition of American Art, The Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts, Chautauqua, New York, Juror Dr. Donald Kuspit.
Ocean Bank Exhibition, Ocean Bank, Miami, Florida.
- 2003 The Chautauqua 46th Annual National Exhibition of American Art, The Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts, Chautauqua, New York, Juror Michael Gitlitz.
- Annual Student Show, Florida International University Art Museum, Miami, Florida.
- Hollywood Biennial Juried Art Exhibition, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida.
- 2002 University of Alabama, Miami Exchange Exhibition, Alabama.
- WolfeCenter Exhibition, Florida International University, North Campus, Miami, Florida.
- Invented Figure Show, WomanMade Gallery in Chicago, Illinois.
- Collaborative Book of Poetry, “Inhabiting the Body”, Moon Press Journal, Chicago, Illinois.
- Annual Student Show, Tropical Trailer Award, Florida International University Art Museum, Miami, Florida.
- 2002 Flamingos on the Beach, Miami Beach Coral Gables Art in Public Places, Public Art Piece, LeJune and Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida.
- 2001 Group Show, Green Door Gallery, United Artists, in support of th WTC relief, Miami, Florida.
- Stanford L. Ziff Jewish Museum of Florida, Masks Auction, Selected Artist, Miami Beach, Florida.
- 2001 National Juried Competition, Portrait of a Day, Associated Artists of Winston- Salem, Inc., Winston Salem, N.C.
- Works on Paper: When the Artist draws a Shape, GraPa Studio of Art, Miami Beach, Florida.
- Dade Art Educators Group Show,Jackie Hinchey Snipes Gallery, Miami Design District, Museum of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
- Best Three-Dimensional Effect, Absolut Chalk Street Art Festival, Miami Beach, Florida.
- 2000 Dreamscapes and Landscapes Exhibition, Montclair, New Jersey.
- The Chautauqua 43rd Annual National Exhibition of American Art, The Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts, Chautauqua, New York.
- 1999 New Forms Miami, Grant recipient, Miami, Florida.
- Lost Cities: An Artist’s View of the Inner City, Solo Exhibition, funded by the Miami Dade Cultural Affairs Council and the Miami Board of Commissioners, Miami ArtWorks, Coral Gables, Florida.
- 1992 Sanibel Barrier Big Arts Exhibition, Museum of Fine Arts, Sanibel, Florida.
- 1991 25th Annual National Small Sculpture and Drawing Exhibition, Delmar College, Corpus Christie, Texas.
COMMISSIONS
- 2003 Butt Stop Public Art, Springfield Massachusetts Business Improvement District, Springfield, Massachusetts.
- 2002 Flamingos on the Beach, Miami Beach Coral Gables Art in PublicPlaces, Public Art, LeJune and Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida.
PUBLISHINGS
- 2005 New Art International, Accepted into the Inclusion in 2006 New Art International, Book Art Publisher.
- 2003 Hollywood Art and Culture Center, Miami Herald, Herald,com.
- 2002 “Inhabiting the Body”, Collaborative Book of Poetry, Moon PressJournal WomanMade Gallery in Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois.
- 2000 Miami Herald Living Arts, Chalk It Up, featured “Duality of Nature”.
- 1999 Miami Herald Neighbors Section, Sunday Profile, “Artists Work Illustrates Bleak Life.”
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