We were lucky to catch up with Julie Torres recently and have shared our conversation below.

Julie , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

When I was around 12 years old, my mom had a pop up store in the local mall for the holiday season. At that time, I was taking oil painting lessons and making art anytime I could. My mom knew how much I loved being creative and understood this was an opportunity for me. She helped me buy supplies to hand paint sweatshirts and then allowed me to sell them at her store. I don’t remember exactly who the first client was to buy a sweatshirt, but I do remember that they sold out so quickly that I had to restock several times throughout the holiday season. I would finish my homework and then turn our living room into my studio. I had almost forgotten how much I loved doing that.

That was the first time I experienced having someone appreciate my work enough to buy it. I was able to pay my mom back for the supplies and then deposit my proceeds in my bank account. I remember feeling so incredibly proud and happy.

I have heard it said that in our adult lives, we often return to the things we loved in our childhood. There was a time in my adolescence and young adult life that I pushed art to the side, not because I didn’t love it, but because I didn’t think I could make a living as an artist. I am incredibly grateful that I have come full circle.

Julie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Often when I’m being introduced, I am referred to as the “lawyer turned artist.” At heart, I was always an artist. I just took a very winding path to making a career doing what I love. That path included law school and then practicing law before I attended art school in my early thirties. I graduated from the Savannah College of Art & Design with a major in printmaking.

Today, I work full-time as a professional artist. The printmaking medium of screenprinting is the foundation for most of my work. My love of textiles and of the arts of weaving, embroidery and crochet work is evident in my art, as is my background in the study of law. I believe this combination of influences helps to set my work apart.

I am the most proud of having a piece of mine included in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Obviously, that never would have happened if I had not made the decision to leave a career in law to pursue my art. There’s a quote to the effect of: “In order to truly see the stars, you have to venture into the darkness.” I think you must risk walking out into the proverbial darkness, into those uncharted territories, to find/see/feel something truly brilliant.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Artists don’t only make art when they feel inspired, at least not the ones that I know who make a living from their artwork. Inspiration and feelings of connectivity tend to ebb and flow. I believe it is so important to keep your hands moving and your mind open no matter how you’re feeling. Having a regular studio practice is very important, as is knowing what you need to do to give yourself the best opportunity to make great work. For example, some of my best ideas come to me when I’m outside running, so exercise and connecting with nature are things I try to prioritize. That comes down to self-awareness and self-discipline, skills that are important no matter your career.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

For a long time, I believed that I was doing the right and responsible thing if I had a plan of action fully fleshed out before I would act. The problem with that approach is that you can end up putting so much energy into your action plan that you fail to give your original idea or goal the energy it requires. This can also apply to putting too much energy into developing contingency plans.

I think what is far more important is to make a commitment to yourself that no matter what you attempt, you will do your absolute best. Sure, it’s good to have some idea of your course of action, but when in life do things ever go completely according to plan? You don’t need to be perfect; you need to be flexible. Trust your capabilities and your ability to adapt. A perceived “failure” almost always presents opportunity for good or for growth. I have been far more afraid of regrets born of things I was too afraid to try than of so-called failures from the things I did try. Our lives are not a dress rehearsal.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.julietorresart.com
• Instagram: @julietorresart

Image Credits

William Twitty, Sam Moore, Michael J. Moore