Julie Mars
Artist for Hire; Arts Management; Lecturer/Discussion Leader; Visual Arts: Functional/Decorative, Glasswork, Instructor, Judge, Mixed Media, Murals, Sculpture; Installation
Throughout her art career, Julie Mars has created a distinct body of woven bead mosaics on canvas, panels, salvaged glassware, and other objects. Her work evolved out of an interest in upcycling. In the 90’s she started out embellishing single-serving juice bottles to make a series of colorful bottle tree fruits. She now finds herself scouring Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Ebay for large-scale glass vessels and other items to make into extraordinary artworks.
She loves the media of glass and reflective acrylic beads for the diverse colors, lusters, translucencies, and other optical effects they offer. She gets a kick out of exploring the playful view between the interior and exterior of a glass vessel. Although she prefers to work on 3D forms, Mars has done a handful of 2D wall pieces, and is currently branching into site-specific installation and wall murals, as well.
Mars’ work is usually inspired by science, technology, literature, and artists that she admires.
Julie Mars is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has been a fine arts professional for over 25 years as an artist, gallerist, and museum administrator. She is currently the Director of Communications at the Addison Center for the Arts where she enjoys fostering and promoting the arts in the western suburbs of Chicago.
