Meet Julia Vandenoever

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

Hi Julia, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I was raised by a single mother who always worked hard. She balanced raising two kids while holding down a full-time job, doing whatever it took to support our family. My mom showed me firsthand that when you want something badly enough, you put your nose to the grindstone and make it happen. Parents who demonstrate a strong work ethic often instill the same values in their children, and my mother was no exception. Another significant influence on people’s work attitudes is the socialization that occurs in the workplace, but for me, the foundation was laid at home.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a photo-based artist whose work is generated from a personal perspective exploring themes of memory, identity, place, and home.

Raised in New England, I received a BA in Art History and a minor in Photography from Smith College. Her career began working for Wendy Ewald’s Literacy Through Photography program. Next, as a photo editor, I helped shape the visual aesthetic and storytelling for iconic magazines Backpacker, Skiing, and Outside for over a decade. I am a full-time freelance editorial, commercial, and fine art photographer.

I have served as a visiting artist at Guttman College in New York City and was recently awarded a Colorado Artist Relief grant and a Boulder Arts Week grant. I have exhibited at The Humble Arts Foundation, The Griffin Museum of Photography, The Center for Photographic Art, Colorado Photographic Art, Boulder Creative Collective, SE Center for Photography, and the Center for Fine Photography. I had a solo show, Still Breathing, at the Center for Photography at Woodstock. I was a 2021 and 2022 Critical Mass Top 200 Finalist. During Denver’s Month of Photography in 2023, Vandenoever had a solo exhibition at Access Gallery of Being Grayson, an ongoing collaborative project exploring neurodiversity with her son. In addition, this work was shown in a group exhibition at the Denver Performing Arts Center. In 2024, my work, While I Wait, explored ambiguous loss and was selected for Review Santa Fe. This was my second time there. Upcoming 2025 exhibitions include a 40 West Art group exhibition and “The Big Picture” which turns Denver alleys into galleries through wheat pasting for Month of Photography. She will also be included in Women by Women, juried by Elinor Carucci, with SE Center for Photography.

In 2022, I was artist-in-residence at the Boulder Creative Collective where I had a solo exhibition of my work, While I Wait. My first monograph, Still Breathing, was published in 2022 and reviewed by Lenscratch, PhotoEye, and PhotoBook Journal. Smith College Rare Books Library acquired it. The Cincinnati Art Museum and East Window acquired her maquette, While I Wait. I have an upcoming exhibition of Being Grayson at East Window Gallery in May 2026.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three key lessons that have helped me the most along the way are: be kind, communicate effectively, and embrace failure.
Be kind to everyone. We are all connected, and you never know where someone’s next job might take them — or how your paths may cross again. Kindness creates a positive environment and builds strong, supportive relationships. It fosters trust and cooperation, making both personal and professional life more fulfilling.
Always be creating and making. You should always be creating. Photographing, playing, and experimenting with new ideas is essential for pushing yourself and growing as an artist. Continuously making new work keeps your creativity alive and helps you discover fresh perspectives.
Don’t fear failure. Being open about your failures with colleagues and taking the time to learn from them earns you more respect than pretending to get everything right all the time. The best leaders have faced major setbacks — they just didn’t give up. Acknowledging your failures not only builds integrity but also makes you more authentic and relatable. Fail early, fail often, and fail cheap. Every misstep is a step toward growth.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful thing my mom did for me was to create summer experiences where I knew no one — like attending summer camps, biking through France, and staying with a host family in Greece, where I couldn’t even speak the language. Stepping into new environments alone, making friends, and navigating unfamiliar situations taught me independence and built my self-confidence. Those hard, scary, and uncomfortable moments shaped me. Now, I dive into new experiences with openness and courage, thanks to the opportunities my mom gave me to grow. I often hear other adults say, “I could never travel alone — it’s too scary.” But for me, it feels natural, and I have my mom to thank for that.

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Julia Vandenoever

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