Meet Julia German

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julia German and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julia, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
Leaving my position as a Partner at a law firm, to pursue art full time. In a rather winding path, I’ve spent my life trying to create enough financial stability to take time to focus on making art. I’ve kept art as a very small part of my life through my legal career, but I just could not move forward in my artistic work while prioritizing a full-time legal practice. Leaving a position that legitimates you in our commercial world to pursue a self-taught hobby that is notorious for being unlikely to bring financial success came with both a loss of real security, and a loss of status which is a more powerful loss than anyone really wants to acknowledge. Ultimately, I knew that I regretted every day spent at my firm, in essence helping people fight about money, and that knew there was beauty in the creative work I envisioned. I made a plan, a timeline, and I put in my notice. Nine months later, my artwork is evolving, I’m developing a style and a body of work, and all the juggling balls of maintaining a life still seem to be in the air.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My primary media are wood, metal, and bone. I had started carving a burl that I could envision a beautify woman within, but after carving the woman, I realized that there was a practical challenge: I didn’t really have a place to have a head sitting on the counter. In order to solve for that, I learned to work with metal and have created hung works that set the carved piece into an environment that makes a more engaging style of finished piece. All of my work integrates natural shapes and materials that are carve or etched to create something beautiful and powerful. Developing this body of work and creating a presence as an artist has been challenging. Since leaving my full-time legal career, I’ve learned to weld, fabricate metal, learn computer programs to define the design and speak to some of the tools, learned to maintain numerous chainsaws, grinders, and rotary woodworking tools, and to source raw materials. Balancing tools education and maintenance, developing a website, applying to calls for art shows, and taking any small projects on the side that bring in a little income has been a lot to juggle. Like everyone, I have my daily list of things that must get done, and then the bigger projects that I work on as much as possible. When that plan gets derailed, I try to address the new interruption with presence and quality of attention so that the fix is reliable, or the person knows they are seen. I often feel frustrated and discouraged about my pace or what I have accomplished, and then I have a snack and get back to work.
My brand, burlycarving, will grow slowly because quality is my focus. Each piece is one of a kind, and I am always learning so, the quality is just going to continue to improve over time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m that gal that is going to show you the best spots outside of the city. I live up in Nederland, CO, and I love the food at Katmandu Restaurant. I used to drive friends up from Boulder in college to eat here when they were in a tiny spot, and now they have a nice big space and are still delicious Indian and Nepalese food. I’d have to show you the Carousel of Happiness, which is a story and piece of art I find deeply inspiring. I’d take you out to hike or ski depending on the season, on some routes I love near the Arapahoe Peaks. I’d have you over to hang out at my home, to watch the chickens, ducks, and bunnies being hilarious, or to soaking those sore muscles in the hot tub and watching the sunset color the sky.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out to my husband, Colin, and my stepdaughters Grace and Ella whose love keeps me smiling. My friends Mike Randall and Anthony Moorhouse, who acted out a sunset presentation about how my job was a misfit the creative person they saw me to be. My friend Sam Ovett that has volunteered to help me with all things “website.” My friend Woody Boyd, of Electromod Garage who introduced me to working with metal and generously shared his tools. My friend Whitney Devoto for taking some pics of my start. And, my Mom, Deborah German, who was willing to change her mind about my narrative and support me taking this risk.

Website: https://www.burlycarving.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burlycarving

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-german-b5343237/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burlycarving

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@juliagerman1248