The artist
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.
Feel free to contact Julie Mars by email to discuss her work.
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.
Feel free to contact Julie Mars by email to discuss her work.
Exhibitions
- March 26 - May 15, 2021 - "Very Well, Thank You" Northern Illinois University Museum, exhibiting artist. Virtual Artist Talk, "A Look on the Bright Side: The Sunny Side of Art"-- Sunday April 18, 2021, 2 pm CST.
- March 26 - May 8, 2021 "Sculpture at the Kavanagh," Kavanagh Gallery at Fine Line Arts Center, exhibiting artist.
- January 2020 Visual Harmony Juried Group Exhibition at Norris Cultural Arts Center
- September 2019 Elmhurst Artists' Guild Winter Members Show - "Solar Panels" awarded 3rd place
- September 2019 Elmhurst Artists' Guild Fall Member Show - "Graf" awarded an Honorable Mention
- September 2019 Elgin Fringe Festival Exhibiting Artist
- July - August 2019 Julie Mars at the Prairie Center for the Arts, Schaumburg, IL - Solo show
- July 2019 Oddball Art Labs - Saturday Morning Cartoons group show
- June 2019 Elmhurst Artists' Guild Summer Member Show
- 1/2019-9/2019 Peace of Art Gallery
- 1/12/19-2/17/19 "Up Close and Personal" at Norris Cultural Art Center
- 12/2/18-1/4/19 "Winter Members Show at Elmhurst Artist Guild (Honorable Mention for "Hapless Missionaries Arrive at the Ravenous ExoMoon")
- 10/4/2018-10/27/2018 "Cabinet of Curiosities" Union Street Studios
- 7/2018-8/2018 "In and Around" Fine Line Art Center (First Place in Vessels for ("Bijou")
- 7/13/2018-7/21/2018 "Strange Imaginations and Perplexing Wonders" Oddall Art Labs @Elgin Artspace
- 9/14/2018-10/7/2018 "9th Anniversary Exhibition" Waters Street Studios
- 3/2018-4/2018-"Creative Insights" Addison Center for the Arts (Second Place for "Odilon")