DeborahJulian

Friday Finds... DeborahJulian


This is my 22nd interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy!

Good day to all, and I hope you've had a great week so far!
I'm happy to be starting my blog today on a positive note having finally worked out a system that keeps me on track with these things I do on here and Etsy, whilst allowing me to do my mom-tasks and keep my hair :D Lol! It's a great day :)
Today I have brought to you a fab photographer/artist that works in a wonderful way with her surroundings in New York and my favourites, her lovely cats! I love that they are the focal point of a lot of her work! Absolutely adorable! And for me I have just found her style of photography intriguing as it delves into the realms of digital manipulation - which is where my own pieces derive from. The style is something that I feel totally suits the composition and fun of each artwork. She describes her pieces as being whimsical and colorful! Something I would have to agree with, you can't help but fall in love with her photos :)
I won't spoil the interview so I'll let her tell you more about herself. Introducing Deborah from DeborahJulian on Etsy!


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)







-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) I’m Deborah Julian, age 53. My husband and I—and our cats-- live in New York City. I’ve been a photographer for over 30 years.


-- What is your business about then? My business combines my love of animals and my love of photography and art.
My cats are my favorite subjects. My skills in Photoshop allow me to create colorful, whimsical images of them- emphasizing their wonderful feline nature which I love so much. I also enjoy take street pictures in New York and other cities I have visited. I have exhibited these photos in galleries in New York and New Jersey and am considering adding some of them to my Etsy shop.


-- How did Etsy come into your life? I first heard about Etsy on television a few years ago. I kept it in the back of my mind as a way to sell my work. I finally decided I was ready to create my own Etsy shop.


-- Are you working a day job too? I have been an assistant to a private art dealer for the past ten years.


-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? When I was around 20 years old I took a photography class and fell in love with printing photographs in a black and white darkroom. Watching the latent image develop on photo paper was so exciting! I was hooked from that moment. I got a degree in photography and supported myself by taking commercial photography jobs and by selling a few photographs through local art galleries. But after ten years of working in darkrooms, I developed severe allergies to photo chemicals. This was prior to digital photography. I was shooting film and I knew from experience that if I couldn’t print my negatives myself, my work would not look the way I wanted it to look. So I gave up photography and decided to go back to school. My two loves were art and animals. It was a toss up whether to pursue a career working with animals or to stay in the arts. I chose to get a degree in art history. But I missed being a photographer! Fortunately, digital cameras and ink jet printers have allowed me to return to photography. And I get to work with animals after all as I photograph my cats.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? I have a strong desire to create images and to share my work with other people. I am hoping that someday I will not have to work my “day job” and will be able to spend my time doing what I love to do.


-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Funny, colorful, cute

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? I usually get up around seven am and check my email and facebook fan page.
I then play with my cats and take pictures of them if they are doing something cute or funny (which they usually are!). Some days I go to my “day job” where I check my Etsy site and email several times a day. On days when I don’t have to go to my job, I create new images for cards and prints to put in my Etsy shop and check forums and blogs for ways to promote my shop.

-- What's your favorite material and techniques to work with? My digital camera—a Nikon D200 and Photoshop. I love being able to control and apply color through the Photoshop software.


-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I would love to be able to quit my day job and make a living creating and selling my images.


-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I love to travel, to go to art museums or to just wander around the city.


-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? I love looking at other artist’s photography.


-- Any last words? Thank you Naomi for the opportunity to share my work with others. I hope your readers will visit my Etsy shop and find something they love.