Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Martinez.
Julie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always loved art and creating, even at a young age. As a toddler, I would oftentimes add superhero drawings or draw embellishments on the characters in my Berenstain Bear books. It’s very safe to say that I ruined a lot of childhood books! I give a lot of credit to my parents as well as my grandma for encouraging me to pursue art in high school and early adulthood. My grandma used to take my sister and I to an oil painting class with her on Saturdays so that we could spend some quality time as well as learn from our talented teacher. I would spend summers exploring Portland art galleries with my family. I think it also helped growing up in a city like Portland, OR because I was constantly exposed to art and creative people. Once I moved to Dallas, TX I took a long break from art in my life just due to the day-to-day responsibilities. Then with the help of my husband, I realized that my life was void of the joy that I got from painting, so I signed up for a RAW Dallas Art Show in 2018 and then made connection with a group called Ladies N Art Show. I did art shows and events consistently right up until the pandemic hit in 2020.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I love this question. The honest truth is no, it has not been a completely smooth road. My first obstacle was getting over my fear of rejection (I still have to deal with this). When you are running a booth at any art event, you are completely exposed and raw. You have all of your work on display, and it can be hard to get over that fear and to accept that your art is not for everyone, and that is OK! I also struggled with branding initially. I was going by the name of “Synesthesia Art Studio”. Synesthesia is the phenomenon of senses crossing. For example, a person with synesthesia may hear music and see a color associated with that music. I chose the name because I have always been fascinated with synesthesia and I wanted to create art that could perhaps cross the senses. The biggest mistake with this is that I do not personally have synesthesia, so without intending to, I was perpetuating a lie. That was a big learning opportunity for me, which prompted me to switch to my own name, Julie Mtz art.
Anything worth having and anything that brings you joy will take work and an open receptive heart to learning, evolving, and change. I have been blessed to have a really supportive family and friend group around me, and I know wherever I land, they will always be there.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love to work with acrylic paints to create colorful paintings. I make abstract pieces as well as pop art-influenced pieces. For a while, I was only doing fluid pour artwork on clocks and I really loved the idea of functional household art. At the moment I am really enjoying making large custom multimedia pieces that are a combination of fluid pour techniques and resin. To be honest, I haven’t completely settled into any particular niche. I love learning and exploring new styles. It’s a great way to learn what I’m good at, what I’m horrible at, and what I enjoy playing around with. The one style point that is consistent with my art is definitely the bright color choices. I love a pop of bright color!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I am a transplant from the PNW. I am originally from Portland, OR and moved here to Dallas back in 2013. I truly do wish there were prettier views here in Dallas, but I sincerely love this place. The people of Dallas are wonderful and tend to be from all sorts of backgrounds. The sunny weather is a great mood boost, and it’s such a large city that you can never be bored! There is always going to be a new restaurant, bar, or pop-up to check out!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://juliemtzart.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: @jubacca719
- Facebook: @JulieMtzArt
Image Credits
@visualsofeli (portrait photo)
Julie Martinez (artwork photos)
