Artist Statement:My work - a personal expression of my spiritual journey…visual prayers…poetry of unseen places. The divine meets human, heaven meets earth, spirit meets spirit, and the invisible is made visible. Let your spirit go to where the unseen is calling and the invisible is made known. A search for purpose and meaning.
About:Art has played a central role in her life since her childhood in Tachikawa, Japan. Julie’s poignant work portrays spiritual reflections through an artistic expression that is uniquely hers. Memories of that childhood have influenced her artistic journey and expression. It contains an Asian influence in the rhythm and movement of her art.The daughter of an Air Force serviceman, she was born and raised in Japan. Her white-‐blonde hair drew much attention, as most Japanese had never seen this color. She remembers freely roaming the neighborhood, without any fear of getting lost, because everyone knew where the tiny chatty white-‐hair girl lived. She settled in southeastern Michigan and eventually graduated from Calvin College. She worked many years as a social worker, both in hospital settings and as a case manager for young adults with mental illness in downtown Grand Rapids. She believes the journeys shared with all of the people during critical times in their lives, have shaped her artwork. She feels deeply and understands the sorrows, struggles, and pain, as well as joys that we all share. This new body of work that you are viewing now started during her own life’s struggle twenty five years ago. A time of brokenness. God took her to an entirely new level and her paintings changed dramatically. The calligraphic marks that are evident in her work are her prayers. Her artwork has shown in shows in the Louvre in Paris, France, the Vatican, in Italy, and various shows throughout the United Sates. Her work was chosen for the cover of Three Hours, Sermons for Good Friday by Fleming Rutledge. Julie has been studying under the mentorship of leading contemporary artisit, Makoto Fujimura. Makoto's work was described by David Brooks of the New York Times as, "foraging a new king of art, about hope, healing, redemption, refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity is a growing movement, one which find Makoto Fujimura's work at the vanguard".
Her work was chosen for the cover of Three Hours, Sermons for Good Friday by Fleming Rutledge.
Julie still lives in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, a city she has loved and lived in for the past 40 years. Her two children have recently graduated from college and she and her husband are very much enjoying being empty nesters.
Process:Julie’s work is ink, oil, and acrylic on claybord. Each piece contains many layers, sometimes as many as 50 or more. Her studio is a place of worship and sanctuary and you will find her praying, singing, and/or dancing while creating the work. Her prayer is that you will find something here that pulls you into an intimate place with God, where you can experience His presence, grace, and love.
