Julia grew up in Kansas and found her way to Alaska via Yellowstone National Park where she worked for a summer. She worked in Denali National Park for 15 summers as a bus driver / guide / naturalist. She is inspired by the sights and sounds of Alaska; themes of its flora and fauna frequently appear in her work.  Alaska’s State Insect, the Dragonfly (Four-Spotted Skimmer) is a favorite. 

Color is the main focus of much of Julia’s artwork, incorporated with a sense of depth and place.  Deep, vibrant, almost exaggerated colors appear in her watercolor paintings, quilting, embroidery, fiber designs and jewelry.  She tends to create works of art that are useful or wearable although seeks connections between the “lost” arts and modern concepts of the abstract and theories of color and design.

Many of her designs are created for particular people.  This matching of personalities with color & form, mixed with the artist’s spirit, are what set her work apart from others; and provides a constant source of inspiration for her as one design leads to another. 

Julia's education includes much self-education and experimentation in addition to various art classes along the way. She was fortunate to have lots of encouragement while growing up - in the public school system as well as from her parents. She studied architecture, fine art and photography at colleges in Kansas and Oregon. Her most influential teacher was Phil Epp who taught her art classes from fifth through eighth grades; there she learned everything from perspective drawing to leather tooling. 

Julia resides in Talkeetna.  She wears many hats, working and volunteering around town.  She has served on the Board of Directors for the Denali Arts Council, is the Program Director/Founder of the Talkeetna Artists Guild where she curates a non-profit gallery.  She has taught classes for Talkeetna Elementary School Art Week, Susitna Valley High School Art Week, to Girl Scouts in Kansas and Alaska, Elderhostel groups in Alaska and Arizona, and does workshops and private lessons. She and her artist husband Tony enjoy painting, baking, gardening, bird-watching, playing with their dogs and traveling to visit family and friends.  They had the honor of being invited to represent Alaska in the Netherlands, as part of the Holland/Alaska Exchange, 2004.  She is a member of Silk Painters International (SPIN), Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), Surface Design Associates (SDA), and Katchemak Bay Watercolor Society.  Julia was elected to the Board of Directors for Silk Painters International in 2008.

Winter   Sunlight

Julia uses Tony's studio to work on large projects.

Detail of process on "Snowy Visitor at Highway Pass".