We recently connected with Julie Notaro and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Julie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I consider myself a late bloomer. I began pursuing an art career professionally when I designed a line of scarves based on my artwork. Prior to that I was making art for myself and wasn’t showing/selling it much, other than to friends and family. A friend of a friend saw my art and suggested I try fabric design. I took it to heart and got to designing a line of scarves. I set up a kickstarter campaign and raised money to produce the line under the name Wandering Boho. Since then I’ve had starts and stops with my art career, but two years ago I got a retail studio in the Arts Factory, Las Vegas. My studio is fraiche arts and I sell my work to visitors and locals. My work is also shown in some local galleries/retailers.

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

I’m a visual artist specializing in encaustic, mixed media, and acrylics. My creative journey began with collage, sparked by stacks of free magazines from my job at an ad agency. I’d bring them home, tearing, cutting, and gluing pieces into expressive compositions. Over time, this evolved into a deeper exploration of acrylic painting and mixed media techniques.

For the past several years, I’ve been immersed in working with encaustic, drawn to its texture, depth, and luminous quality. My work spans a variety of styles and is often inspired by the vivid landscapes and raw beauty of the Las Vegas desert. Intuition drives my process—spontaneous yet intentional—aiming to capture emotion and uncover moments of beauty in the unexpected.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, creativity is a way to connect with myself and process life—it’s a form of therapy. When I’m making art, I can let go, enter a state of flow, and temporarily detach from the outside world. It’s where I find clarity, release, and a deeper sense of presence. I also love connecting to people through my art. Having a studio that is open to the public allows me to interact with people frequently and I love to connect and learn about people.

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

I think society benefits from looking at creativity as an essential part of life. We are creative beings and when we tap that side of our personality it’s so rewarding and healing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fraichearts.com
• Instagram: fraichearts

Image Credits

Julie Notaro