About
Julie Ann’s favorite artistic moments are when she feels the creative rush of new ideas flow through her imagination and swirl around like water until they pour out of her hands. Some artists describe this moment as being the connection to Source, the universe, or God. However you describe it, these magical moments have kept her on the path of creativity her entire life. It’s a journey worth sharing.
Julie Ann started drawing at a young age and was told by her family that she was good at it. She kept sketching and started an early freelance gig by creating art and marketing materials for small businesses. She also started dancing tap and ballet at age three and fell in love with wearing costumes and playing ‘dress up.’ Her unique thrift shop style, taste for vintage clothing, and a willingness to sew her own clothes led high school friends and teachers to recommend fashion design as a career. What a great idea!
She earned her BFA in Fashion Design at Otis Parsons (now Otis College of Art and Design) in Los Angeles. She landed her first job out of college working as an assistant designer for a swimwear company who was already an illustration client. Within a year she was directing all swimwear collections as the head designer. She lived the endless summer for twenty five years, designing swimwear, bikinis and cover ups for labels such as Malibu Dream Girl, Girl Star Swim, XOXO swim, bebe swim, Lucky Brand Bathing Suits, Hurley Swim, David & Goliath, Betsey Johnson Swimwear, Mossimo at Target, ále by Alessandra Ambrosio, isabella rose, and Soluna. Her designs were known for a great fit and high style. Her swimsuits have been worn by many celebrities and featured in many publications including Elle, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated and GQ.
The Browns at Ocean Beach
photo by Sheryl Birkner
In 2014 she launched Feeling Famous Studios out of her home to learn the craft of portrait photography. Her love of classic films and vintage clothing led to an exploration of the studio photographers from the Golden Era of Hollywood like George Hurrell and Ruth Harriet Louise. She orchestrated all the sets, costumes, props, hair and makeup to get each look just right. Guided by her mentors in the Photo Artists Network, she became an award winning photographer.
A proud feminist, she showed an art piece in 2018 titled #Shedaredto at the Riverside Art Museum in collaboration with the 52 Project. It was a collection of photographs that represented important milestones of the march towards women's equality in the 20th century.
" All artists have the special gift of seeing the world differently. How we translate that vision to others carries a great deal of responsibility”
When not in her home studio creating art for select clients, she can be found in the classroom sharing her knowledge with the next generation of designers and makers in the Fashion Studies program at The Sewing Room in Alameda. There she advocates for #slowfashion by creating smaller production runs, using durable construction methods and sustainable materials.
She thinks gyms are boring and has been a #dancerforlife She is currently performing with the Bathing Beauty Revue and will be at the next Gatsby Picnic hosted by the Art Deco Society of California.
MAD SKILLS:
INSTRUCTOR / art, design, fashion illustration, sewing, hair styling
ADOBE CC / Illustrator, Photoshop, Lightroom
PHOTOGRAPHER / Canon 5d, portraits, travel
VINTAGE STYLIST/ of the 20th century 1900-1980
DESIGN / prints, graphics, apparel, costumes, hats
PAINTING / acrylic, gouache, watercolor
DRAWING / conte, graphite, charcoal
LANGUAGE / conversational Italian
DANCER / ballet, Lindy hop, salsa, ballroom