— With work spanning a broad range of subjects and techniques, Julie Powell continually surprises with her compositions and boasts a superb portfolio certain to inspire. Julie was our featured artist last August (in Living the Photo Artistic Life, Issue No. 18), and it’s exciting to finally be able to interview her here in Quill & Camera . . .
Q. What got you started in digital photo artistry?
In truth, I feel I was offered a second chance after a really serious health scare a few years ago. I realized I needed to stop taking life for granted, and I wanted to lead an intentional life, a life I enjoy. At the time, I just didn’t know WHAT that would entail. But I saw all these great photos while recovering in the hospital, and thought, “I really want to learn photography …” So I bought a camera and set about learning to be a photographer. I kept thinking that I wanted to do more, be more, and I was watching a few people around me who had dived into the first “AWAKE” Group, and I was amazed at their progress. So, on a whim really, I signed up for Photoshop Artistry and then moved up to “AWAKE.” I have a background in art and graphic design, so while it all looked cool, I wondered, could this guy really teach me stuff I don’t already know? HaHa … Of course, I laugh at that now. I now realize I knew nothing back then! But since then, I’ve learned huge amounts, not only about my art, but about my life and my personal journey.
Q. What inspires your work?
I get asked that a LOT. I am mostly a happy person, but I seem to enjoy working with dark and moody themes. Mostly it’s my dreams and fairy-tales … the mystical, the cool, the creepy, the kooky … And of course movies and books, sometimes even music. As a child, I loved shows like The Addams Family and The Munsters. I also love fantasy and some sci-fi, so that all tends to creep in. Sometimes I see something or dream something, and it burns so hot in my imagination I just have to create it. Other times I get a spark from another artist’s work and think I would like to attempt something similar, but with my own mark. Kind of like my Tarot Series. I’m sure it’s been done hundreds of times before, but never by me, never coupled with my imagination.
Q. What does living an artistic life mean to you?
Being free, being true to myself. Since going through the original Photoshop Artistry course, then AWAKE, and now the KAIZEN training as well, I feel I have danced from one stepping stone to another, each bringing me someone or something unexpected that allows me to delve deeper into what I want to do. For instance, I had no idea I really wanted to create conceptual portraits (actually I didn’t even know what they were), until I started working with a few different people in the group. Since then I’ve learned more about photography and what makes me happy. I get such a kick out of creating art … You can take a photo, but it’s still just a photo, and what I do borders on a painting … (People look at my stuff and can’t decide WHAT it is sometimes.) I truly enjoy the whole process from start to finish, and I guess it shows. I have people wanting to work with me (and around me) on cool projects. I don’t even have to ask for models these days, they come to me, they all love to dress up and play act, and it’s often as far from traditional fashion photography as these models can get. An artistic life is just so cool.
Q. How do you approach your work?
I usually start off with an idea — a single spark — and write it down in my journal. Then I start thinking about models, props, colors, shots, equipment, and locations. I am meticulously detailed and make all these little drawings and write up copious notes … I will then work out a shooting schedule, figuring out how many shots I might wish to create in a particular session. I often shoot things like flowers, smoke, textures, and various other objects to use in my compositions as well. I have folders full of stuff like that.
Then, once I have all my photos, I sit down with my journal and start to create … The best part! I usually start in Lightroom and clean up the images, make sure the lighting and exposure are all OK, dump anything that I think is not good enough in another folder (duds come in handy sometimes), and then bring it all into Photoshop. I also use other programs like Topaz FX Labs and other plugins, Nik, Particle Shop Painter … I love to experiment with color, textures, adjustment layers, and so on, and work to create what I see in my imagination. Often I walk away and come back later with a critical eye, and other times I just ‘know’ when something is done. I still experience that sense of ‘WOW, I just made that!’ disbelief at times.
Q. What’s your next step as an artist? Where do you wish to take your work next?
I just want more of it! My art does not owe me a living; I have a job, so I am in the fortunate position of doing what I want, when I want. Sure, I’m happy to take on paid portrait work, which never hurts, but it is not as much fun as my conceptual art. My first two years out of hospital were my “Just Do It” years. After that, I rarely said no to anything life thew at me. I travelled and went to workshops, went through course after course, and it was all amazing. I learned things, tried things, and met people I would never have met otherwise. This year is my “Brave-R” year, where I’m going to take risks and put on my big girl pants and get busy creating with abandon. I have entered some competitions (mostly just to see if I can play against the big boys), and I won special merits with two pieces on my first competition ever. I then approached a gallery and put pieces in a exhibit (truly terrifying!), didn’t sell anything unfortunately, but was invited back and then sold something before the next exhibit even opened. I have a major solo exhibit happening next year. I have my Tarot Series to finish, as well as a few other projects in the works. I would like to be published in more magazines, see my work in more gallery exhibits, perhaps even create a few more coffee table books. I would love to work on a project that is so big it takes a group of talented people to pull it off: photographers, models, make up, fashion designers, milliners, prop designers, costumes. That would be such a blast. I have done smaller shoots of course, and those have been so much fun. Something big would be exciting. I would also like to run more workshops teaching people what I do and how to do it. I would love to travel and teach. That would be truly amazing. I’m open — I go where my Muse guides me. And to date she has not steered me wrong.
Q. Any advice or tips for aspiring digital artists?
Just DO it. Seriously, whatever IT is, just get out there and do it. Life is too short to be afraid of your own shadow. Stop complaining you have no time, money or talent. Honestly, it takes none of those things to make you happy. If your art, music, writing, or whatever makes you happy creating it … then just do it already. What is the worst that can happen? If you make a piece of art and it’s terrible, but you had fun creating it, what does it matter? No one got hurt, nobody is going to die, and the world will not come to an end. In the beginning, you will be impatient and you may blame lack of time and equipment, lack of knowledge, lack of talent even, but with hard work and practice you will overcome all of that. And look at other artists for inspiration — not out of envy or jealousy, and not wishing to create someone else’s art. That will never make you happy. Be joyous for them, be inspired by them, but find your own voice. Even if you never make a single dollar, create because you have to, because you are passionate, not because you want to be rich and famous. What’s important is that you make the journey amazing. So don’t beat yourself up. ENJOY and have FUN. If you love what you are doing, it will shine through and others will see it. Even if it is just one hour a day, carve that time out for yourself and stop making excuses. If you keep turning up to work, your Muse will too.