The artist
Throughout my career, I have created a distinct body of woven bead mosaics on canvas, panels, salvaged glassware, and other objects. My work evolved out of an interest in environmentalism and upcycling. In the 90’s I began embellishing single-serving juice bottles to make a series of colorful bottle tree fruits. I now find myself scouring thrift stores, flea markets, and Ebay for large-scale items to make into extraordinary bead mosaic artworks.
I love the media of glass and reflective acrylic beads for the diverse colors, lusters, translucencies, and other optical effects they offer. Over the past few years I have been working on installations and a series of woven bead mosaics on convex mirrors.
I am a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I have been a fine arts professional for over 25 years as an artist, gallerist, and museum administrator. I currently work at the Addison Center for the Arts where I foster and promote the arts in the western suburbs.
Feel free to contact Julie Mars by email to discuss her work.
I love the media of glass and reflective acrylic beads for the diverse colors, lusters, translucencies, and other optical effects they offer. Over the past few years I have been working on installations and a series of woven bead mosaics on convex mirrors.
I am a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I have been a fine arts professional for over 25 years as an artist, gallerist, and museum administrator. I currently work at the Addison Center for the Arts where I foster and promote the arts in the western suburbs.
Feel free to contact Julie Mars by email to discuss her work.
Recent Exhibitions
- May 12 - June 24, 2022 - Sculpture at the Kavanagh. "Blackfoot Panopticon" on exhibit.
- April 22 - June 4, 2022 - CAVA Spring Exhibit at Beverly Art Center. "Enchanted Spring" on exhibit.
- April 6 - April 29, 2022 - Addison Art Guild Spring Members' Show 2022. Hosted by the Addison Center for the Arts. Exhibiting artist.
- Feb. 19 - March 15, 2022 - Expressions: Art & Verse hosted by the Addison Center for the Arts. Organizer & exhibiting artist.
- October - December 2021 - Elmhurst Artists' Guild Fall Member Show, exhibiting artist
- November - December 2021, Addison Art Guild Fall Members' Show at the Addison Center for the Arts, exhibiting artist. Awarded Best in Show.
- September 30, 2021 - October 31, 2021, Gallery Seven, exhibiting artist, awarded 2nd place
- July 29 - August 21, 2021 - Union Street Gallery Invitational, exhibiting artist
- August 2021 - "Off the Wall" at Side Street Studio Arts, exhibiting artist
- June - August, 2021 - "Our Planet: Ourselves" at ARC Gallery jurored by Jane Stevens, exhibiting artist.
- 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")