Hi, I’m Julie. I’m originally from Baltimore, Maryland and currently reside in Harrisonburg, Virginia where I attend James Madison University. I’m studying Graphic Design, but I have also dabbled in Interior Design throughout my college career.
I’m a visual person. Always have been. I am gifted with the ability to “see” something in my mind before it is realized in the world. A room. A paint color on the wall. A layout. Furniture placement. Text placement. A photograph. I can see organization, and I can decide whether two different typefaces go well together, just by closing my eyes. I always thought everyone could do that, until I learned they couldn’t.
I consider myself first and foremost an artist. I grew up taking formal drawing classes and I’ve always been quick to try new forms of visual expression. Painting, sculpture, sewing, and my most recent endeavor: screen printing. When I started at JMU, I began to move away from classical art forms and towards design. Interior design first pulled at my heartstrings. I’ve always been concerned with either creating beautiful things myself or making ugly things look nice.
The old dilapidated house on the corner that the neighbors try to ignore—that’s the one I want to live in. If only to fix it, make it beautiful and functional, and move on to the next one. I was drawn to the idea of organizing furniture and rooms as a way of making my living. However after a year or so of Interior Design, and one semester of an introductory graphic design class, I found myself lusting after that art form. I loved the freedom of expression that came with arranging type, shapes and color on the page. I loved the organization. How everything had a place on the page where it belonged. Suddenly, I found myself at the Registrar signing a “Change of Major” form yet again, my third time.
I’m now a graphic designer and I love every aspect of my chosen profession. I’m in the process of starting my own freelance design LLC. I love working with my clients and producing cards and invitations that surprise them. The funny thing is, I also love everything about home design. And furniture design. And abstract painting. I am also thinking about dabbling in real estate.
In the end, what I strive for in life is happiness. Design makes me happy. Creating beautiful things in a world where that can sometimes be hard to come by is my calling.
