We recently had the chance to connect with Julie V. Garner and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Julie V. , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are pretty ritualistic. I make coffee, check email and read the newspaper and a variety of political newsletters that I subscribe to. I am dedicated to staying informed about what is going around me, even when it makes me, frankly, sick. We are living in hugely consequential times and, even though it’s disheartening much of the time, I feel it’s critical to stay engaged and aware. Once I’ve completed that process, I play Wordle. It helps to clear the palate before moving into my day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a photographer and collage artist. My subject matter usually involves scenes of the urban and constructed landscape. But I portray them in a different way. I take photographs from a variety of angles and viewpoints and then combine them into a re-imagined scene by cutting them into strips and weaving them together by hand. The result is something instantly recognizable, but slightly “off”, slightly abstracted. The reason I find this compelling is, first, because it takes me a long time to complete each project, which leads to a deep and intimate connection to that particular place. The other reason I weave photographs, is that it tends to cause the viewer to slow down when looking at it. Abstraction causes some confusion as the person questions exactly what they’re looking at. I value the journey this creates. People tend to linger over the scene, moving closer and then further as they take it in. My art is about sense of place, common places, the type we pass every day. I appreciate the simple beauty of such places and seek to portray them in a way that conveys that.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I remember being a child and seeing the Viet Nam war on the evening news. It affected me deeply. I became politically aware early on and politically active in my later teens. I was in the first group of 18 year olds who were able to vote. That was a very big deal, since that was the age one could be drafted. I felt very empowered by the privilege and have never taken it for granted ever since. The right to vote is a leveler. We are all supposed to be equal in that right, which is why it’s so distressing to see it being compromised today.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I was married to someone who I loved deeply for nearly 35 years. When we divorced, I felt the world had turned inside out and upside down. I took years for me to feel grounded and capable of feeling joy again. During this period, my art became more important than ever. It grounded me and cleared a path forward, through the pain, to a new chapter. I changed my medium during this time, which coincided with the pandemic, and worked mostly in spray paint and collage, which meant a lot of color and pattern. I got lost in the process and this turned out to be very healing. Gradually, I found my bearings again, moved back to San Francisco, specifically to be closer to the art scene, and, to my eternal surprise, met someone wonderful. Life goes on!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Jane Goodall, who recently passed away, is the person I consider my earliest role model (outside of family). I was fascinated by her and by her gentle persona. Her dedication to understanding primates intrigued me. That a woman was doing this kind of work showed me women could do anything, which, in the 1970’s, was not a universal belief. I entered college as an anthropology major, which was very directly inspired by her work. Though I didn’t stay with anthropology, her sense of wonder at the natural world and the desire to understand it, did stay with me. I went on to study the human body and became a Physical Therapist. I think art and science are both ways of trying to understand and make sense of the world we live in.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace early in the morning. I tend to wake up early, between 5:30 and 6:00 most days, even when I don’t need to be anywhere. As I described earlier, I make that essential cup of coffee first thing. Then I like to sit quietly in the dark or early light and just do nothing for a few minutes before delving into the morning ritual. I love that time of quiet. I sometimes set an intention for the day or give thanks for something. I try to never take the privilege of a new day for granted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://julievgarner.com
- Instagram: julie.v.garner
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