My work is a daily exploration of the language of objects.

My studio practice is grounded in hand skills, fueled by connection, and guided by curiosity. Experiments drive everything, and my materials surprise me all the time. My studio tables are piled with studies in form and surface which I rearrange continually, finding tensions, creating compositions, feeling my way forward and developing the strongest impulses into finished work. I combine anything that interests me, mixing hot and cold connections, carving and fabricating, wood, steel, paper and gold, raw surfaces and smooth finishes. The pieces that emerge reflect my fascination with the boundary between the human-built and natural worlds, the beauty of accidental collaborations between them, and our often funny ideas about what we can and can’t control.

Originally from Wisconsin, Julia studied metalsmithing at the University of Wisconsin and went on to receive her MFA from Miami University of Ohio. In the years since, she has enriched her practice with endless experimentation and by taking part in workshops, residencies and symposia across the US and internationally.