We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Juliet James a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Juliet, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My most meaningful project that I’ve worked on to date has been curating the “You Feel Me?” Exhibition at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. In June of 2023, I was accepted into the JCAL’s Visual Voices, a three-year curatorial initiative. Myself and four other curators have been taking turns conceiving and curating showcases to fill JCAL’s gallery space in 2 month intervals. After having showcased my own work throughout New York City since 2019 and having curated a few small showcases at an art studio, I was excited to have the opportunity to fill the JCAL’s walls. As an artist and curator, one of my main goals has been to be able to give other BIIPOC artists, especially those from my community, opportunities to showcase their talents. For my first large-scale showcase to take place five minutes from where I grew up and to be able to highlight so many artists from Queens was really a full-circle moment for me. The theme of “You Feel Me?” was also very special to me. Outside of my career as an artist and curator, I work as a teacher to neurodivergent students. They inspired me to create a showcase that was inclusive; one that would be enticing to children and could be explored by audiences of varying abilities. This was why I decided to curate a showcase where all the artwork could be explored by touch.

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

I am a visual artist, curator, and educator, born and raised in Queens, NY. Although I have always loved to create, I did not begin showcasing my acrylic and mixed media work until 2019. After participating in over 20 showcases from New York to Miami, I was inspired to start curating my own. Since 2022, I have curated 13 unique exhibitions, specifically highlighting the stories and talents of artists of color. When I am not creating and curating, I am working with elementary school students who are neurodiverse, often tailoring art projects to adapt to their specific abilities. As a black artist and curator, I am invested in the preservation of black love and black culture as it pertains to art. Being a black educator who works with a predominantly black student body, I care about preserving these things so that children of color may benefit from them. I believe that it is important for children of all abilities to explore their artistic side and to grow up seeing themselves in mainstream art.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

One thing that non-creatives struggle to understand is how much work goes into each piece that an artist creates. I often see so many of my peers receiving backlash for how they price their work and I think that a large portion of that comes from consumers not fully being aware of all that happens before an artist’s piece comes to completion. Aside from all of the necessary supplies that an artist requires, the labor required can be very intense, especially if the artist still has another job that they must commit to. Being an artist is as much of a commitment as any other job, and often requires a level or self-investment that most traditional jobs do not. You have to be extremely self-motivated and it can be difficult to maintain that when buyers are constantly questioning your prices or suggesting that they can get your work done for a better price elsewhere.

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

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative is seeing the growth within myself. As an artist, it’s often difficult to not compare yourself to the work that everyone else is doing, especially when you feel as though you are in the middle of a creative block. However, when you’re pulled out of those moments and really able to see the impact of the work that you’ve done, whether it’s noticing on your own the difference between the piece you just completed and the piece you did two years ago; or if its someone who is seeing your art for the first time and telling you the emotional impact that your piece has had on them, it’s moments like that where you understand that creating is what you’re supposed to be doing and that you need to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.julietjamesart.com/
• Instagram: @_heyjuliet

Image Credits

Margaret Saunders, Jessica Marie, Christian Eatman