Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Julia Hagen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Julia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

So far in my painting practice, my most meaningful project has taken shape in an unexpected form: the hot dog stand. As a Chicago native, I’ve always known how much we love our Chicago style dogs, but I didn’t realize just how deep that connection ran until I began my series Every Last Stand in 2024.

I set out with the ambitious goal of painting every Chicago hot dog stand, quickly realizing I had quite literally bitten off more than I could chew. There are over 2,000 stands across the city, and each one carries its own story, following, and sense of community. So far, I’ve painted more than 40, barely scratching the surface, but even in that small fraction, I’ve encountered something much bigger than I expected.

I’ve met families whose entire legacy is tied to their stand. I’ve heard love stories that began on late, drunken nights, and later painted the very stand where a couple met, now hanging in their baby’s nursery. I’ve created pieces in memory of fathers who took their kids for hot dogs, eating greasy meals off the hood of the car in a parking lot. Every time I think I’ve heard the most unique story, another emerges that goes even deeper than I imagined.

What began as a lighthearted idea has grown into a kind of cultural mapping of the city I call home, a collection of stories that continues to give my work purpose.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Chicago based painter and graduated with a BFA in studio art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017. My work focuses largely on the city itself, highlighting local restaurants, bars, and neighborhood spots, as well as larger cityscapes.

I am drawn to capturing light and the feeling of a space. Working in acrylic paint, I aim to create environments that feel more like a memory than a perfect representation of a place. Night scenes and glowing neon signs are a hallmark of my work and contribute to the nostalgic, dreamy quality I am drawn to.

I am currently continuing a series of Chicago hot dog stand paintings called Every Last Stand and plan to exhibit the works I have completed so far at Jackson Junge Gallery in January 2027.

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

When I was in art school, they really pushed us to dig deeper into the meaning of our work, often asking for a clear reason before we had even begun. I have found that, as someone who uses painting to work through things, trying to define the meaning too early has held me back more than it has helped me.

If you relate to this, just make the art. You can figure out the meaning later, or not at all. It is more important to create something than to have a perfectly clear and polished vision from the start. Some of my best work had no real meaning when I began, but has since taken on the most significance.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of my work is hearing how it has unexpectedly connected with collectors and viewers. What may have started as a simple exploration of light in a space I found visually interesting can evoke a memory that represents a meaningful change or period in someone’s life.

That unexpected sense of meaning and emotion is what makes the experience feel like a true collaboration with my audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://juliahagenartist.com
• Instagram: @juliahagen_art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaHagenArt/
• Other: TikTok – @juliahagen_art