Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Julo.
Hi Jim, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am the oldest of 4 kids. Our whole family is artistic in some form or another. Each venturing into some form of the art world at some juncture in our lives. I was born and raised in KC to two wonderful parents who supported my artistic endeavors from a young age. I loved reading and would try to copy drawings from reference books about myths or monsters that I got from the library. I started reading comics in the late 80’s/early 90s and still love them today. They were some of my biggest inspirations when I was growing up and continue to inspire me. In grade school, I spent a lot of time doodling or drawing pictures for friends or my comics. When I got to high school, I just wanted to draw all the time and decided I wanted to go into the art scene in some form. I applied to KCAI and was accepted, but ultimately didn’t go as tuition was so expensive. After high school, I continued to draw and make art, but without the same fervor, I once had. I would draw things for friends or on skate decks I had, but it wasn’t ever with a purpose; it was just for fun. I went into nursing and then got married in 2008. My wife encouraged me to make more art because it was when I was happiest. My younger brother was teaching at Donnelly College a couple of years later. He told me about an opportunity to show art at an upcoming art show at Mattie Rhodes Art Center for their Dia De Los Muertos festival. So we decided to collaborate on one very large piece and submit it. It was the first time I had ever shown art publicly. We recreated Albrect Durer’s ‘Adam and Eve as skeletons on a 5-foot piece of hard black plastic. It took us a couple of weeks to complete, and to this day I one of the largest pieces I have ever made.
The whole experience was excellent, and the staff at Mattie Rhodes was very welcoming. So the next few years, we would collaborate on new art for the Dia De Los Muertos art show, and it was always such an incredible time. My spark to make art was invigorated, and I started focusing on making new things. I made a portfolio and took it to Comic-Con with some artists I looked up to critique my work. I received great feedback and wanted to improve at attending Comic Con as a vendor. But then the pandemic happened, and everything got canceled. I still had my regular job coding for a hospital and had already been working from home for 3 years prior, so I wasn’t affected. And so, I continued to work on techniques and new ideas and read many art history books when I was done with work. Last year some friends told me about an art show they went to that seemed like it would be something that would be right up my alley. It was called Art Garden KC, and even though I almost did it for the season, I should try to get involved the following year. So this year, I applied, and they accepted my submission in late April. I didn’t have anything I needed other than a table, a chair, and my art. Art Garden KC was gracious enough to let artists borrow supplies like canopies and tables in exchange for helping set up and clean up after the event. So I volunteered to help set up and clean up because they gave me an opportunity and supplies that I didn’t have, which seemed more than fair. And because of their generosity, I could show and sell art and get my canopy and supplies to vend. And so now, I continue to volunteer at Art Garden KC and show my art every Sunday in the City Market. They’re like family now, and I’m proud of their accomplishments. They had given me an opportunity that I only dreamed about when I was a teenager, and now I get to help other artists, and it has been the best experience. I continue to grow as an artist, and now I’ve found a collective of other local artists and friends, making me truly happy.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it hasn’t been bumpy. My biggest struggle has always been myself and time. I am notoriously bad with my time. I get sidetracked easily, and sometimes I’m just lazy. I’m trying to be better at using my time well or at least being semi-productive when I think I don’t have the energy to keep going. Since I work a regular 9-5 and have a family, my free time is either early in the morning or late at night, and sometimes I can’t get over that hurdle. And being an artist, I always compare what I make with what someone I admire makes. That’s not ideal because then I suffer from imposter syndrome pretty badly. So learning to get over that is a struggle. Another struggle I have is navigating the social media landscape. I’m pretty anti-social by nature and like my privacy, but the art world and climate are geared towards those who know how to use the socials and adjust to the market. I don’t do that. Chalk that up to being lazy and imposter syndrome.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in pen and ink illustration; I get a lot of inspiration from old German and French manuscripts, etchings, and woodcuts. I work with various pens and materials, from technical, quill dip, micron illustration, brushes, and watercolor paint. My work is done on a very small scale, so I use small pen tips, the smallest of which measures .003 mm. Most of my work and what I would be known for is my line work. I utilize a variety of cross-hatching and lining techniques that resemble old engravings. I pack a lot of fine detail into each picture, so it draws you in to see how small each line is. I like making different things, from monsters and demons to animals and saints. I like to think that I make something for everyone. Almost all of my work is made by hand and takes anywhere from 1 to 18 hours. Larger pieces take longer, but I don’t work on those as often.
Had we love to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up?
Oh, there are so many. One of my favorite memories was going out for pizza at Pizza Hut and seeing the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. It was something that I had looked forward to for so long, and it was everything I wanted it to be.
Pricing:
- All my original work is for sale at all sorts of different prices.
- 8×10 prints are $15, 5×7 prints are $12, 4×6 prints are $10 and my mini prints are $5
- I do commissions as well starting at $100 usually, depending on size and scope.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: cursed_hallow@instagram.com
- Facebook: cursed_hallow@facebook.com
Image Credits
Ashley Edmonsond
