JULIA REYES
Julia Reyes was a resident artist with us May 1–14, 2022
Julia Reyes is a native “Biloxian” and visual artist currently based on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Following her graduation from the Mississippi State University Art Department program, Julia embarked on a creative career focusing on community involvement on the Gulf Coast. She has spent time working for the Ohr-O’keefe Museum of Art doing outreach and project development, served as a creative director for galleries, owned and operated a studio and gallery in the historic district of Biloxi. She’s remained active in organizations promoting the arts and artists throughout the years such as Art Can Change Everything, South MS Art League, and Local Creatives, while in a constant state of exploration for her own work. More recently, Julia completed an artist residency in Peru where she became very inspired by the ways the sun interacts with the environment to create visual movement through shadows. Reyes has been working both individually and in collaboration with other artists on larger-scale mural projects throughout the US with the intention to use painting as a means to create a playful and engaging environment. This has led her down a committed path to work with individuals on helping develop and cultivate creative visions.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
MEDIA LINKS
Porch Talk Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7kbY8iBDgBFs2lthn9yloz
Thoughts about the Residency by Julia Reyes
"My time for the MacGown Art Residency Program took place early May of 2023 and spanned approximately two weeks. The objective during my stay was to develop a vision and execute a mural on the exterior gallery wall of the everchanging compound. Upon arrival, I was taken on a tour of the many creative developments on the site and meandering trails shouldered with native wildflowers that span the property. The property lies on a Selma chalk, Cretaceous bedrock, which Joe MacGown (artist, entomologist and host) offered a wealth of knowledge about including wildlife & history along the way.
I structured my time by focusing on developing ideas through sketches while soaking up the landscape and inquiring about species of plants and insects that are new to my scope of knowledge for the area. Being that I am very inspired by the deconstruction of objects to explore natural abstractions, solitary moments in the landscape offered a unique opportunity for mindful, beneficial pauses while working.
During my time, there were many opportunities to connect with the community through scheduled meet and greets, a podcast interview, and introductions with other local creatives and organizations in the Golden Triangle area. I felt the community was welcoming and enthusiastic about engaging with the project and inquiring about my process. As an art alumnus of Mississippi State University, I was able to revisit the environment that contributed to shaping me as an artist with a fresh perspective. I also found learning more about the legacy of Del Rendon as an artist, musician, and human to be very inspiring.
With that being said, the openness and creative trust embraced throughout the residency allowed for me to work freely and uninhibited to develop a piece unique to my experience in Starkville. My process for painting usually begins very intuitively. I enjoyed the capability to approach an idea for a large-scale piece and allow it to evolve naturally as time went on. This offered the ability for the act of mark making to show through as the idea was developed and to embrace discoveries along the way."