From as early as I can remember art has been a part of my soul. I was painting, silk-screening, bead embroidering, working on a potter's wheel and designing and selling couture gowns from the time I was thirteen years old. My Father had a woodworking studio where he would produce the most awesome designs with incredibly gorgeous rare woods, while my Mother painted, upholstered and sewed. Art was a constant in my home.......so was Mario Lanza, Beverly Sills and Opera.
The Visual and Performing arts have always been closely integrated for me and I knew that at some point in my future the two would merge. During my performance career in Europe, which spanned over nine years, I would carry my canvas and oil paints to my rehearsals. I painted in the evenings and on the weekends while I was in production. During the summer of 1994, while walking in a piazza in Milano, Italy I approached a woman wearing a colorful necklace and asked her what the material was. It was during this time that I discovered the wonderful medium POLYMER CLAY. I began experimenting with FIMO and CERNIT which eventually led to my line of purses, vessels and jewelry. Most of the pieces incorporate image transfers from my original oil-paintings with glazing and granulation techniques developed over time through trial and error. In the image transfer process, oil paint pigments are blended with liquid polymer and pulled through layers of translucent clay. The design is built up with layers of clay, glitter, cane work, foils and oil pigments. This process allows me to obtain varying degrees of relief and contrast to the point where one cannot distinguish between the polymer clay and the oil pigments. Many of the pieces are inlayed with precious and semi-precious stones, including diamonds.
Each process and stage of design is a new discovery of development in itself. When I begin a piece I have a vision, but in the end it is the clay that takes it's shape in the form that presents itself before my eyes. Each piece is one of a kind - never to be repeated, that resonates with it's own unique individuality and calls out to be worn, displayed or simply enjoyed. The Galleries contain current works with new pieces arriving as created, so check back often. Please feel free to contact me with inquiries about the pieces or any questions you may have regarding purchases or consignment.
IN BOOKSTORES NOW: My new book "The Art of Juliana Jewelry", Schiffer Publishers. Please email me for an autographed Schiffer Promo Card. Winter 2008 my "Cameo Beads" and "Cabochon Beads" layered with images from my oil-paintings will be available. I will also have some wonderful vintage beads and vintage jewelry pieces.
In honoring your requests I've loaded some music from recent
performances. You can only listen while on the MUSIC PAGE.
I am in the process of linking the music to the Galleries, just click the
MUSIC tab within the Galleries to get to the Music page for now.
*Much of my work and proceeds from my work benefit The National
Breast Cancer Foundation, Bottles of Hope, Heart Foundation and
various charitable organizations.
