Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Julian.
Hi Gina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been artistically inclined since I was a child, and while I didn’t go to college to study art, I’ve enjoyed many years of art practice and teaching myself in areas of graphic design, web design, web coding, and fine art painting. I helped start a magazine called Nashville Arts back in 2004 and it was my side hustle during a period in my life when I was a manager for a publishing company.
It fulfilled a creative need that I was missing in my work, and it allowed me to get to know artists and gallery owners all around town. I left the magazine in 2009 and went to work as a senior art director at an ad agency, and eventually worked at three different agencies and a startup company. In 2013 I found my love for interior design and enrolled in O’More College, but it was short-lived once I realized that painting was my strongest passion. In 2016 I left my web design job, traded my keyboard for a set of paintbrushes, and never looked back. I’m now in my seventh year of painting full-time and loving every minute of it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has mostly been a smooth ride and I feel so lucky to be able to say that. I think part of the reason is that I was able to get lots of experience from all those years of working in different fields. Things like working with vendors, negotiating contracts, giving good customer service, and working under deadlines all came in handy.
The only part I’ve really struggled with is the work/life balance. I just love to paint and I do it for most of my waking hours. The pull to the studio is strong, so I have to force myself to take a break every once in a while. It’s a good problem to have!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most known for my colorful Optical Art. I work in a style called hard-edge abstraction, however, my work has also been categorized as Color Field painting as well. My Op Art is a result of many years as a web designer working in what’s called “flat design”, and the precise nature of the stripes perfectly fits with my detail-oriented personality.
I’m currently branching out into realism now after having painted Op Art for 7 years, and I’m enjoying creating a new series I call “WET PAINT!” This is a series of photorealistic paintings of colorful wet paint smears. They are realistic in nature but the subject matter is abstract, and I find that very satisfying for both sides of my brain!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was very shy as a young child, but was always a straight-A student and always drew whenever I could. I enjoyed being outside quite a lot, and I really enjoyed listening to music as a teenager.
Looking back I can see that my curiosity for learning new things really helped me in life. Whatever I was interested in, I could usually figure it out if I had enough time. That’s been my personal mantra my whole life.
Contact Info:
- Website: ginajulian.com
- Instagram: @gina_julian
Image Credits
Shannon Fontaine and Vanessa Haley
