A primarily self-taught artist focused on preserving regional and natural history thru her artwork, Julie Mader is a juried member of the Pennsylvania Wilds artist program. Julie’s ten years of drafting experience prior to focusing on art are evident in the balance and fine detail of her ink drawings and painting compositions. During the past fifteen years her work has been the reflection of northern PA and of her interest in architecture, nature and music.
Ink drawings of local landmarks and Victorian houses in Julie’s home region near the Alleghany National Forest were her primary focus from 1999 until she was immersed color during a private workshop with Oregon artist/author Claudia Nice who introduced her to painting with watercolors in 2004. Julie then combined both mediums to complete commissioned artwork and to create a collection of paintings recording the town of Smethport and the surrounding area. In 2009 her medium choice was enlightened once again during an acrylics short-course taught at a local Arts Council. During the class she was launched into a fascination with creamy consistency and the endless possibilities of creating texture with acrylics and Julie has been exploring the medium daily. In addition to her focus on acrylics, Julie fulfills private commissions for her ink drawings completing architectural renderings and portraiture work on a regular basis.
Currently Julie’s collection known as “Power Within” is traveling through northern Pennsylvania to expose residents of the Pennsylvania Wilds region to several forms of original art and to raise the awareness of the part nature plays in providing needs to fight Cancer. “Power Within” is an exhibit of 29 pieces (paintings, collage, mixed media and block prints) focused on plants which provide alkaloids used in Chemotherapy medicine. The variety of artwork and subject matter offers to viewers what Julie has dubbed a “visual tasting”. The exhibit was made possible by funds made available through a 2012-2013 PPA grant from the PA Council on the Arts she considers “Power Within” to be her biggest accomplishment to date.
During the past ten years Mader’s artwork has been included in numerous regional community art exhibits, including four solo shows in the past three years. Her art has been reproduced in a wide variety of ways including special postage cancellations, note cards, both limited and open print editions, t-shirts and even a commemorative plate. Julie has completed public murals in both Ridgway and Smethport, PA that were funded by PPA Grants from the PA Council on the Arts, she also teaches art classes at Hamlin Library in Smethport which are funded in part by the PA Council on the Arts; as well as instructing several children’s classes at the Alleghany State Park in New York thru the Cattaraugus County Arts Council.
Additional information about Julie’s work can be found by visiting www.juliemader.com .
