We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julie Gladstone. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julie below.
Julie, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on started when I set off to discover my ancestral village in Spain. I found the medieval village of Béjar on a map. It had been 500 years since anyone in my family had lived there, and yet, when they were exiled in 1492 during the Spanish Inquisition, they had changed their family name to “Bejarano” meaning “from Béjar” . They carried this name with them for 500 years in the diaspora where they also continued to speak an ancient Judeo-Spanish language called Ladino, to cook Spanish infused food, to sing Ladino folk songs. and to practice Sephardic (Juedo Spanish) needlework My great grandmother Julia Bejarano was famous for her beautiful voice. She would sing in Ladino while she knit and embroidered on the balcony. I grew up hearing stories about the mysteries of our lost homeland of Béjar, and was always curious to learn more about it. This began a journey of discovery, where I travelled to Spain to learn more about our history. In 2010, I travelled to Béjar where I connected with the David Melul Jewish Museum, wandering through the abandoned ancient Jewish quarters, and rose gardens surrounded by an 8th century fortress wall. A dried up wishing well and a dead baby bird on the ground, a nap in the rose garden were images that stayed with me over the years.
In 2019, the King of Spain was offering citizenship to the descendants of the exiled Jewish population of 1492. This began the second leg of my adventure, where I travelled to Spain pregnant for a residency and solo exhibition sponsored by the David Melul Museum at the Casino Obrero. My exhibition was called “El Fuente de los Desoes” (the Wishing Well) . Through this experience I made some deep friendships and new connections. This experience led to a solo exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Montreal called “Return to the Fortress” about my research and experiences of rediscovering my ancestral history. I went on the more deeply explore the rich textile tradition, musical history and the Ladino language of my lineage during an MFA at OCAD University, which led to many new and unexpected opportunities.
One of the paintings I made for the show was called “View of Béjar: Homage to Ventura Lirios”. In 2022, an organizer of a Spanish Art and Feminism collective reached out after having seen my painting online. Thus began the next chapter in this journey. I was invited to the second annual Art and Feminism festival of Béjar in 2024. I exhibited in a group show called Pender de Un Hilo, and I had the opportunity to be the headline performer on opening night. I performed songs and poems from my EP Life Line in which I re-interpret Ladino folk songs interspersed with ambient soundscapes I constructed out of vocals and field recordings by the Etobicoke creek and lake Ontario. Since then, my practice as an artist has expanded into mixed media, paying homage to the textile, embroidery and knitting work of my matrilineal line. As a result of these experiences, my practice has integrated ntergenerational healing and the transmission as well as innovation of new rituals and creativity as tools of resilience.
Julie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I come from an artistic family and I grew up surrounded by music and art. I was trained in the Royal Conservatory of music in classical piano. I learned how to play guitar from my aunt Bonnie and I grew up singing in family jams at every holiday. I was also a busker on Queen St. W in Toronto when I was 17 and 18 years old. Music would have been a natural trajectory, but I fell in love with painting in high school and I went on to receive my BFA in painting and drawing at Concordia University in Montreal. There are are a lot of visual artists in my lineage as well including Gerald Gladstone who is well known for his public sculptures and his cosmic themed paintings. I went on to receive my MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts, Media and Design from OCAD University and I always have multiple projects and creative expressions in the works. I am also an empath which means I’m a highly sensitive person who can feel other peoples emotions on a physical level. This skill set has let me into the field of energy healing and holistic health. I am currently practicing at a holistic health studio in Toronto called H2Om. I also exhibit and sell my abstract paintings and drawings through my studio as well as through several galleries including Emily Harding Gallery (Toronto), Wall Space Gallery (Ottawa) and OXH Gallery (Tampa, Florida). In addition to painting, I create mixed media and textile works, I have an EP called Life Line and a book called Four Angels, Four Corners, Ten Stones Ten Veils.
My studio is a space of alchemy, in which I channel and transform all of the myriad challenges, emotions and energies that I pick up in my day to day life onto the canvas. My grandfather was an archeologist and he also collected ancient maps. My work is often inspired by the idea of unearthing treasure and trauma and spiritual map making. My paintings are very layered with washes and thick texture which I scrape away, revealing layers underneath. I’m motivated by the idea of alchemy, of going towards the lead in order to uncover the gold. I had the transformative experience of mentoring with Lorie Dechar and being part of an alchemical healing community for over 10 years, where I adopted this approach. In my most recent series of paintings, I have created a luminous ground which glows through scratches and darker, stormier areas.
Some of the comments that I receive from collectors and viewers are that my works radiate light and joy. I see that as a testament to the practice of transmutation that occurs during the creative process, where I’m often negotiating with heavy energies such as ancestral trauma and memory, and through experiencing and expressing these darker emotions, I’m able to create something that is joyful.
Have you ever had to pivot?
In 2017 I was running an art gallery / yoga studio / acupuncture clinic in the Annex Toronto called Gallery 555. I was the sole proprietor of the business and was running a busy acupuncture practice while also putting on monthly gallery exhibitions, and organizing and teaching regular yoga classes and workshops. All of this while also continuing my own personal art practice. I was inspired by a vision of a community space that combined art and healing and it was a very fulfilling and busy time!
However, I ended up closing the business as I realized that I had bitten off more than I could chew. I was working myself towards burn-out and wasn’t finding the time for my own creativity and art career. I decided to step back and focus on my art practice and on my wellbeing. I wondered what would happen if I put the same level of energy and focus into my own art career.
Since then, my world has expanded and transformed in all kinds of ways. The main thing being my sense of time management, personal boundaries and mental health. I’ve since then created several meaningful bodies of work and connected with galleries, curators and collectors around the world. I became a mother and completed my MFA in interdisciplinary arts media and design.
During the pandemic when my daughter was just a baby, I pivoted my side business Living Maps Alchemical yoga into an online format. This allowed me to broaden my reach and to teach students internationally.
Currently I’m thrilled to have a thriving studio practice and exhibition schedule with the support of my online business to fill in the gaps. Although being a full time artist comes with it’s share of challenges, in particular, finding financial stability and consistency, I’m invested in the life long project of creating a sustainable income and lifestyle for my family by applying business and organizational skills to my art career.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I’m currently reading “You are a badass at making money” by Jen Sincero. This book teaches the importance of overcoming mindset blocks around making money, many of which are operating at the subconscious level. I’m still processing a lot of the lessons, such as learning to be realistic and not being afraid to understand your finances. As a creative, I’ve had a tendency to be a little bit loose and dreamy when it comes to finances. But once I made the commitment to making a living as a creative, that’s come with a commitment to getting clear on the nuts and bolts of running a creative business and all that entails; spreadsheets, accounting and all… even if I’d rather be in the studio all day long.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.juliegladstone.com
- Instagram: @julesglad
- Linkedin: Julie Gladstone
- Youtube: Julie Gladstone
- Other: https://www.livingmaps.ca
Image Credits
lfdocumentation