A Julie of All Trades - Julie Crisp

When I see her art, I feel like I’m looking at something Alice might see in Wonderland. It is fanciful, beautiful, unique and whimsical. Melbourne artist, Julie Crisp has been making mosaics for about eight years.



However, mosaic is far from her only artistic discipline. She tells me she has been crocheting, crafting, sewing, painting, decorating, and working with all sorts of textiles since she was a small child. There seems to be no limit to her artistic imagination. She is inspired by any number of things, one of which is seeing other artist’s work on the internet.



“People get it, people don't , I'm not overly concerned.”


Julie has attended many different types of art classes including graphic design, airbrushing and everything in between. She was even a tattoo artist for five years! Last year, she spent weekends working for a Jeweler learning interesting things about the trade. She has also crossed over to the other side of the educational podium to teach art classes herself. She loves being able to speak with people about art and to have an understanding of the different types of media and techniques that are available.

Her unconventional approach to art is delightfully spontaneous. She says, “When I work or am doing something, I am constantly interested in understanding the materials, tools, design, strengths, weaknesses and uses of the situation I am in. I find myself in great, unusual, amazing (to me) circumstances constantly, life is a journey.”



Julie is currently involved in a community project called the Healesville Community
Labyrinth and is “ just waiting for
the dirty, hands-on work to start.” She told me that it has been nearly 3 years of committee meetings and waiting and funding issues . For now, she has
pulled back and is waiting for the actual manual work will begin. She said, “ I'd rather be creating than keeping up with the dynamics of the project.”


With regard to formal art education, Julie says she gets frustrated with “ the whole questionable "system', the passionless 'teachers', and the ridiculousness of it all” She questions the authenticity and reason behind the idea of 'formal training'.



Julie likes to use reclaimed materials in a lot of her work.
“I recycle because it is very cheap, especially when I find items on
hard-rubbish (kerbside rubbish removal by the council). Also original
designs can be created from junk for example a birdbath, I build the
piece from the base up, designing as I go. I work about 60 hours a
week,making wind chimes, chandeliers and mobiles from recycled bits and
pieces, textiles, altered clothing and crafts.”


Julie sells Eco-Clothing and Recycled art goodness in her Etsy shop HERE. Pay her shop a visit, look around. You will surely find something irresistible!

The corrected link to Julie's Etsy site is: http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=julie%20crisp&view_type=gallery&ship_to=ZZ&min=0&max=0