Julia Pratt is @jub.kate, unyieldingly playful and inquisitive, a modern day Renaissance woman who has been creating art since childhood. Join me as we feature a local creative here every week - showcasing brave, innovative artists doing cool shit in a city with rapidly growing creative output.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Julia since we were pre-teens, and seeing her growth as an artist over the span of 12 years has been nothing short of incredible. A painter, digital illustrator, clothing designer and more, Julia has dipped her toes into just about any medium you can think of - though you’d never tell from her humble disposition. Julia walks us through her approach to her artwork and how it manifests through her work with sustainable local fashion label Sippy below.
What was your first creative foray - how did you enter the world of art?
I think I’ve spent my whole life resisting entering the world of art actually. I’ve been making and drawing since the get-go, having two incredibly creative and curious parents. I tried to do biology in uni but they convinced me to at least do graphic design. I did graphic design because I thought it was more ‘real’ than fine art. I think in the last year I’ve accepted that art is in my soul (or whatever) because all I ever want to do is create.
What’s your favourite medium to work with, and why?
I’d say gouache because whenever I see art made with gouache I feel all excited. But I haven’t used it enough to be sure. I’m going to say any pen or ink because when I have to make marks that I can’t erase or change, my art is at its most dynamic and energetic, and it always ends in something I love. That’s how I approach my digital art mostly, avoiding erasing or changing anything if I can. Also a bold outline is so graphic, which is a huge component of my stuff.
What’s your typical set up when you decide you’re going to sit down and work on some art - do you have certain music you like to listen to, something to put you in a particular frame of mind, etc?
I’m susceptible to over-think things, so once the ‘I wanna make something’ spark hits my brain I try to act on it as quickly as possible. I hardly ever plan anything I make, I prefer to Marie Kondo it - if an idea sparks joy and feels right I just do it. That means usually I’m sprawled on the couch with my iPad or sitting in my studio with the necessary paints strewn about. Once I get my sketch down I do partake in quite a bit of lofi-hiphop-beats-to-chill-study-sleep-to while finishing the piece off.
What made you start Sippy, and what is your ultimate goal with the label?
Sippy was sort of born from that resistance to the art world that I mentioned before. Even in my own purchasing habits I only buy art if it’s on something useful - a t-shirt, a key ring, a tote bag. I can’t fully accept buying art for its own sake (although I think that’s slowly changing). So it was my doubts about selling art outright combined with loving the idea of creating a brand that would represent the essence of me. All my aesthetic preferences, all products I’d want to buy, something that made customers want to go out and be creative themselves. Pretty self absorbed, but I love my own taste.
My ultimate philosophical goal with Sippy is to be inspiring to others. Other than that I’d really like to pay my rent with things that I’ve made.
A bit of a philosophical one…how has art informed the way you live life overall?
I think it’s made me endlessly curious. It took me so long to get a unique ‘style’ because as soon as I saw a different art style I wanted to try it. That curiosity applies to pretty much everything. Other than that it’s made me absolutely accept that if I want to do something new, I WILL be bad at it to begin with. That’s not to say it isn’t annoying as hell, but I have accepted it.
