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

Juliana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I wish that I had started sooner. The most important thing for someone in a creative field to have is time. Time to create more work, have more shows, experiment more, and most importantly the time to fail and recover from it. That being said, I am forever grateful for every opportunity I was given, and I like to believe they happened at the right time for me. But I do wish I had the understanding to push a little harder a little faster and build on those opportunities.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an artist. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the arts in one way or another but never really considered it a career path until I landed a college scholarship. Even then I knew it was a risky career path and a long shot at best, but the idea that I might have a shot at doing the thing I loved and find joy in forever wasn’t an option I could ignore. My work is primarily paintings of everyday life and women living it through my own gaze. It’s about everything and nothing. I leave it at that, everyone has such a different experience with each piece, shaped by their own experiences and that’s part of the beauty of it. I think a big thing that sets my work apart is that it is my interpretation of the world around me but also the 3-D aspects I add to my work. Like hand-knit details, embroidery, and texture. If I had to pinpoint what I’m most proud of, it’d boil down to two things; The way my work has evolved, and the fact that I’m still doing it. It’s an uneasy path full of highs and lows but it’s been worth every moment.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

This one is simple and yet so overlooked. The best way to support artists is obviously, to buy when you can – whether it’s a 20$ print or a custom piece. A small piece from a local artist as a gift when you need one that can’t be found at every mall is never a bad idea and supports that person’s small business. If you’re not in the position to do that then help their reach! We’re blessed and cursed to live in an era of social media. If an artist you like or know is having a show, post about it! Share the work you love, the ability to sell work rests in it being visible to someone who might resonate with it, so the more the merrier! Many artists, including myself, sell primarily through Instagram visibility. It’s an amazing free marketing resource but every like, share, and comment helps along that path. And even better than that, bring them up! So many of the opportunities I’ve had were because someone mentioned my name when I wasn’t in the room and I will always be eternally grateful for the people who have done it for me.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect would be the creation of it all. To be able to bring something into existence so specific that it couldn’t exist without you. Even on the worst days full of self-doubt, if I sit and paint I know that at the end of it, something exists in this world that’s beautiful and unique because I was able to create it. That’s worth something.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.julianakokolari.com
• Instagram: faux_fauna