Zoom, Placrylic Paint & Vines: An Interview With Julie Reby Waas

Interviews
Written By Claudia Elliott

Julie Reby Waas has always been an artist, but it took a global pandemic to bring her designs into full bloom. During the isolating and difficult times of Coronavirus-induced quarantine, she found joy in creating colorful abstractions that would make others smile.

Her geometric shapes and playful patterns served both as creative expression - bringing delight through vivid colors - as well as order for what often felt disordered in life.

Waas' art is a stunning mosaic of friendship and connection that speaks to the idea we are all interconnected. By combining geometric elements, she has woven her unique vision into vibrant pieces found in galleries from NYC to London and Miami.

Join us as we explore her wonderful and awe-inspiring visual journey.

Julie Reby Waas. Image courtesy of the artists.

SAH: Please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.

JRW: I currently live in Miami, Florida with my husband, and I have 3 adult sons. I have been drawing since I was a little girl. I would mindlessly draw on the margins of papers during class, during meetings, while on the phone or anytime I just wanted to relax. 

Throughout most of my life, I never thought of myself as an artist. I thought of myself as someone who liked to draw, but never as an artist who liked to draw.  I have been a practising attorney in Miami since 1986, so that was my identity. 

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began working from home. And while I was on Zoom I usually would be drawing while listening to whatever deposition I happened to be attending.  Then, in February 2021, I decided while listening to a deposition that, instead of using my pens and paper scraps to draw on, I would buy some acrylic paint pens and art paper on which to place my drawings. 

So over the next couple of months, I created several small pieces and showed them to my husband and some close friends. 
They encouraged me to start a website and sell my art.  So, in the Fall of 2021, my website and my Instagram went live. Soon after that, in November 2021, I was approached by the Brick Lane Gallery in London and asked to exhibit in a show in March 2022. I then began receiving invitations to exhibit from several galleries, including Agora Gallery.  Now,  16 months later, I have embraced the identity of ‘artist’

Julie Reby Waas. Finding Middle. Acrylic on paper.10.5x10.5.
Julie Reby Wass. Mosaic. Acrylic on paper. 10.5x10.5.

SAH: What are you working on at the moment? 

JRW: I am working on a painting using Placrylic Paint entitled "We Are All In This Together."
It is an abstract piece containing intersecting geometric forms creating an interconnected Venn diagram.  Placrylic is a patented artist paint invented by English Painter and Chemist, artist Hana. Placrylic paint is made using plant pigments, derived sustainably from food waste, dried plant waste, pest plants and hardy plants that thrive in harsh conditions. 

In September 2022, I was invited by Artist Hana to create a piece using Placrylic Paint which was exhibited at the Placrylic Art Fair in the UK on November 16, 2022. I enjoyed using the Placrylic Paints to create that piece, "Irish Dreams" and decided to make another piece, which I am currently finishing. It's completely different from my other work, which primarily consists of detailed drawings, but I am enjoying expanding my collection.

SAH: How do you go about transforming an idea like that into a finished artwork?

JRW: I first create the outline, which happens quickly because I follow my intuition and just let my hand create the shapes.  I then decide on colours or patterns that I will use, as I go.  It is a very fluid process and I never know how the piece will turn out until it is completed.

Julie Reby Waas. Leafy Dreams. Acrylic on Paper. 10.5" x 10.5".

SAH: What kind of impact do you hope that your work has?

JRW: Through my art, I want to inspire the viewer to see their own journey through life, strong like a vine, colourful and patterned like each phase of life, and coming together to form a whole made up of complex but beautiful pieces. 

I feature vines and geometric shapes throughout my work.  The vines represent strength.  In many ways, all of our lives are like vines that continue to grow in strength despite the obstacles we all face in our lives, undaunted by the path ahead. 

Another feature of my work is patterns which appear like puzzle pieces.  Life is a patchwork of puzzle pieces.  Every piece represents a time, event or season of your life. Some represent joy, some represent sadness or difficulties. Each has its own pattern, tone and beauty. 

As you are going through life, you may not see how the pieces fit together.  When you look back, however, these pieces come together to form a beautiful tapestry of life. 

SAH: Where do you get your inspiration from? Is there a particular artist that inspired your practice? 

JRW: My inspiration comes from my heart.  I've been creating similar drawings since I was very young.  As a young child, I often visited the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and so I would say that I have been influenced by other geometrically-inclined artists like Piet Mondrian and Joan Miró. 

SAH: Do you remember the earliest memory of when you wanted to do what you do today?

JRW: I've always loved to draw.  Whenever I had a pencil or pen in my hand, I would draw. It was only when my husband encouraged me in 2021 to begin selling my work that I embraced the idea of becoming a professional artist.

Julie Reby Waas. Intertwined. Watercolor & Acrylic on Paper. 14.5" x 17.5".
Julie Reby Waas. Leave It Be. Watercolor & Acrylic on Paper. 14.5" x 17.5".

SAH: What is your main mode for selling original work at the moment? 

My main mode for selling original work is through my website and through gallery representation.

SAH: What are you watching, listening to or following that you would recommend?

JRW: In order to be successful both personally and professionally, I think it is critical to constantly engage in personal development. 

I highly recommend following Brendon Burchard and listening to the wonderful, inspiring content on his Growth Day app. 
It will give you the tools to follow your dreams and persevere through any struggles you may encounter.

SAH: What advice would you give somebody who has just started their artistic career?

JRW: Listen to your heart and follow your intuition and your own path. It is never too early or too late to start an artistic career, so do not let the naysayers stop you.  Be confident in your talent and your abilities, and learn how to market yourself and your art. 
And definitely utilize Instagram.

Claudia Elliott https://www.smartartisthub.com
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