Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliet Jarmosco.
Hi Juliet, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Every cell in my body would light up anytime I walked into an art store since I can remember. I always loved to paint and draw but coming from a working class family on the southside of Chicago, that was a hobby, not a career path. So I went onto business school at Indiana University in Bloomington. With a business degree in Marketing and taking a job in Dental Sales out of college, I was still drawn back to visual arts. In 2004, I started up a professional photography business on the side because I could see a way to at least make money while doing my “visual art”. During Covid I told a girlfriend that I looked forward to retirement so I could just go paint and walk the beach. In retirement herself, she called me out and said “You don’t need to wait till retirement- stop putting off what makes you come alive” So I took advantage of Covid and started to paint. Creating something from a blank canvas brought me such joy that I didn’t care if it brought me money or not, It just makes me happy. But naturally when you do something for the pure joy of it, it will probably bring abundance. I am still at the beginning of using paint as my medium of choice, but I can now call myself a professional visual artist. I am continuing to push myself outside my comfort zone. One example of this is participating in Art Battle in November in Grand Rapids. Twelve artists competing with only 20 minutes to complete. a painting with the audience voting on the best painting. Although I did not come out as the final winner, I did make it to the final round and received lots of encouraging feedback. Preparing for this contest has allowed me to go confidently in the direction of my dreams and live the life I have imagined, as Henry David Thoreau has written.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest hurdle has been the “starving artist” mentality that I have carried all my life. That art is just for fun and a hobby, not a real career. The voice in my head-” That’s great that you can draw but what are you really going to do with your life?” Too much evidence has been shown to me at this point with painting sales that this is just not true. I wish it hadn’t been such a block for most of my life, because even if it didn’t bring me income, it would have brought me so much joy. Now it brings me both.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a visual artist. Photography, Filmmaking, and Painter. Currently, painting is my medium of choice. With a strong spiritual side, I specialize in abstract and spiritual art. My art prize display this year was called Divine Alignment”- A series of seven circular canvases – Each canvas was a portrait of a divine priestess associated representing each of the chakras. Crown chakra- White Buffalo Woman, Third Eye Chakra- Quan Yin, Throat chakra- Mary Magdalane, Heart Chakra- Mother Mary, Solar Plexus Chakra- Green Tara, Sacral Chakra- Hathor, Root Chakra- Isis. All divine goddesses from different parts of the world and different times in history. With the dispay of these paintings I have a story of how each woman represents the different chakra. I also find myself being drawn to social justice and humanitarian issues. The art I created during Art Battle represented that. The only thing that brings me more joy than painting is my family and friends. To have my children and family tell me they are proud of me was a full circle moment at Art Battle and Art Prize.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up with 5 siblings on the southside of Chicago, there were always playmates around. I have always loved creating something from nothing. Choreographing dances to music that included my friends that lived on my neighborhood block. Painting and drawing all the time, even during math class when it wasn’t appreciated by my teachers. Playing sports and gymnastics brought me a lot of joy as well. I think there are many aspects to my personality. Some people knew me as shy and others as bossy. I think I have played both parts in my life. Being part of a team and being coached and taking the lead in other parts of my life. I do enjoy my alone time, but people and their stories interest me. As I mature in age, I enjoy the deep conversations about the meaning of life vs the surface talk. To go deep with a few conversations’ vs surface level with many.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://julietjarmosco.com
- Instagram: juliet_jarmosco_art
- Facebook: Juliet Jarmosco Art
- Other: julietjarmoscoart (Tik Tok)
