Julia Haw is a lively gregarious spirit that understands the importance of balance within life and her astute layered technical approach in painting. This week The COMP Magazine caught with Haw to discuss her immersion into Chicago’s art community, her analytic and technical approach in painting, how life experiences offer unparalleled metaphors that can be utilized in aesthetic strategies, and what lies upon the horizon for the remainder of 2016.
Julia Haw, Enveloped, or How I Felt with You, 2007-2012, 40×36 in., Oil on Canvas
Can we start with a little background? You grew up in Flint, Michigan, studied at Western Michigan University, then established your present studio in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. Can you identify any early experiences that influenced your interest in aesthetic investigations and your current art practice?
I am 34 now, so growing up I didn’t have many of the virtual time wasters we have now – Namely the internet which of course includes Facebook, Youtube, Netflix, and universal access to anything – all of which can induce spirals into non-accomplishing rabbit holes. (Not to say these rabbit holes don’t fuel my imagination!) I only had access to my immediate surroundings. We had a rotary telephone at that time and when we wanted to reach someone we’d simply call them up (with all the numbers memorized of course). My biggest influences were trees, rocks and cats. I grew up in a rural area so it really fueled my imagination – my mother and father would let us stay out until twilight, left with our own hyper imaginative devices. We swung from pine tree to pine tree gathering sap on our hands, built tree forts and had corn kernel fights in the corn cribs. Last week my siblings and I were talking about the fact we’re lucky we came out unscathed, having played on all that dangerous farm machinery, swam in murky ponds filled with leeches and taunted the bulls. I don’t recall ever being bored and I still feel this energy in my body. I still get excited standing in fields filled with rocks, and by silly tchotchkes and wild, rugged landscapes. All of these facets have really become etched into my being and continue to influence my current art practice.
Julia Haw, Nari’s Hands, 2014, 36×36 in., Oil on Canvas
Since arriving in Chicago, you’ve assisted and worked with a number of established artists (e.g., Tony Fitzpatrick, Wesley Kimler, Dzine Rolon). Have these experiences influenced the way you think about your process or inform your perception of the Chicago art community?
It has been a true blessing working with established artists here in Chicago. It’s imperative for ANY artist in the midst of school or upon graduation to reach out to who they admire, in order to study their practice and learn what it means to be a working artist. The common theme amongst the artists I’ve worked for is their insanely strong work ethic. Artists such as Fitzpatrick, Kimler and Dzine LIVE for their work. They work relentlessly, tirelessly. It is their life force and the reason they have been so influential and successful. Specifically, with Tony I learned that “Every day is a workday, kid.” With Wesley it was to be daring and bold and true to myself. With Carlos it was to never compromise my value or settle for intuitively bad decisions.
Julia Haw, Today is Saturday, 2014, 23×29 in., Oil on Canvas, Collection of Steve Conrad
In many of your paintings I see a contrasting of familiar symbolism (fauna and foliage) with a photo-realist approach centered upon the primary subject, often a portrait. In addition, you regularly employ stylized text that offers a platform for interpretation for your viewer. Can you share with us an introduction to your artistic process?
My artistic practice starts and ends in authenticity. I only know my life wholly and truly, and I think more than anything right now our world craves authenticity, with there being so much curated content. I work in the fitness industry as well, and follow dozens of fitness models who have garnered a lot of success. Many of them only show their best pictures – when they’re looking super lean – not when they’ve just pigged out and are bloated as hell. But I’ve taken notice, when those few DO post REAL pictures – sans makeup or post pizza or in the midst of a shitty breakup, the number of their followers increases exponentially. I understand this as our inherent human need for empathetic connection. It’s no different in any field. I know I am in a sense curating the content of my paintings too, but when the works hurt, or they’re funny, or I know they will allow others to see into my most vulnerable self, then I know it’s a good work and I’ll do it. I do it as a need and as therapy for my self, and to level the playing field, as others may have gone through similar experiences. Bottom line, we need to connect and be real, so this leads my practice.
Julia Haw, The Veil of Memory, 2013, 24×30 in., Oil on Canvas,
Collection of Maria Boncza-Skrzynecki
What do you value most in the process of painting?
I value the outlet. Finally my works are breaking into simplicity and twinges of humor – something I think kinda takes a while for any artist. To break through all the bullshit and sadness in order to laugh. It is growing up really…. But the outlet of creating art for me is everything. It is something as necessary as fresh air, sunshine and human touch.
Julia Haw, Tchotchkes, 2014, 30×24 in., Oil on Canvas
What are you currently working upon?
In 2014 and 2015 I completed a series titled Comfort and Control based on the aspects we seek around us in order to find comfort in the chaos of having no control of namely two aspects: Love and Death. In mid 2015 until now, I have been working on a collaborative series with the amazingly talented Gracie Hagen – We are each completing twelve 12x16in. works that are pre-determined aspects of love. We will not see each other’s pieces until we hang the show.
Julia Haw, Chicago Relic, 2015, 36×48 in., Oil and 23K Goldleaf on Canvas
Do you have any exhibitions currently in the works? What’s the focus for the remainder of 2016?
My next showing will be in a group show curated by Kevin Maginnis at Stuart and Co. Gallery during Art EXPO. Other than that, I have been accepting only non-lateral opportunities which intuitively feel right to me, while steadily working on the best work I have ever created. Hands down.
Julia Haw, Love’s Obscure, 2013, 6.5×9 in., Pencil, Prismacolor, China Wax Crayon on found book, Collection of John Lease
For additional information on the artwork and practice of Julia Haw, please visit:
Adam Grossi Review – http://adamgrossi.com/2014/07/the-unveiling-of-julia-haw/
Chicago Art World – http://chicagoartworld.blogspot.com/2015/05/2015-julia-haw-on-leaving-chicago.html
Chicago Contemporary – https://chicagocontemporary.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/interview-with-julia-haw-by-rory-coyne/
Huffington Post – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-maidman/the-spooky-occluded-julia_b_5154532.html
Julia Haw – http://www.juliahaw.com/
Julia Haw, Two Ten Year Old Suicide Bombers in Lisa Frank Hijabs, 2015,
10.5×14.25 in., Acrylic on Acid-Free Arches Paper Collection of Mike Pescetto
Julia Haw, painter, Chicago, IL, 2016
Artist interview and portrait by Chester Alamo-Costello
