Julia Hacker is a Toronto based multidisciplinary artist working in a variety of contemporary  mixed media, acrylic paint, collage and illustration. 

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Artist statement; I've been  blessed by the gifts of life, family, kids and art. For me, the painting process is a physical and emotional necessity. Themes include humanity’s intrinsic and inseparable connection to nature and the surrounding environment. From a deep concern for the state of our planet to the beauty of the simple objects, there is no mundane subject matter. I feel my art production is a dynamic part of my life, where my love of paint and the process of experimentation with collage and found objects continues to push me in new directions.  My figurative language is influenced by some of the best XIX and XX century European Art like Klimt, Erte , Leon Bakst and Art Nouveau direction in general.

 

Over the years I developed two distinct directions- painting and collage illustration. My paintings always start with emotion and progress in an intuitive rather than a methodical way. The great benefit of switching direction away from brush to focus on collage allows me to recharge my creative and inspirational wellspring. It is a good way to step away, working in a different media to open different sides of creativity. Working with collage engages a particularly logical flow of ideas, almost like putting a puzzle together. It is more methodical.

 

My inspiration often comes from my training as a fashion designer. I am marrying fashion and art, always looking for “something with a little punch, that arouses curiosity or starts a conversation, like a guilty pleasure”. Life is dynamic and so is my art. My purpose is to engage the viewer, to draw out a sense of wonder and joy through the colours and textures of my work.