Hear a WRR interview with Julie Lazarus on the ART MATTERS show
Julie Lazarus
Julie Lazarus’ most recent body of work draws inspiration from the enchanting city of Venice, Italy. Throughout her life, Julie Lazarus has been inexorably drawn to “The Floating City,” enticed by its remarkable people, breathtaking architecture, labyrinthine waterways, and the annual celebration, Festa del Redentore. Lazarus’ personal experiences in Venice have profoundly influenced her work. She captures the essence of those experiences not only in her large-scale oil on canvas paintings but also in her intricately layered mixed media pieces and evocative blown glass sculptures.
The work showcases a striking palette dominated by blues and reds. The blues pay homage to the winding waterways of Venice, while the reds evoke the spirit of the Festa del Redentore, an annual event in July characterized by a spectacular fireworks display that lights up the Venetian skies.
Among the notable pieces in this collection is a breathtaking painting titled Sunrise in Venice, which is a testament to Lazarus’s technique in color layering and application. Drawing inspiration from the techniques of J. M. W. Turner, an artist she deeply admires, Lazarus brings forth a fusion of her own creativity with the timeless allure of Venice.
Another standout feature of Lazarus’ work is a series of glass hearts inspired by her daily commute to the Murano glass-blowing studio via public waterbus. The glass hearts embody Lazarus’ connection to the emotions stirred by her journeys alongside visitors heading to Cimitero di San Michele, Venice’s historic cemetery. Through these glass sculptures, Lazarus skillfully encapsulates the emotional weight of the experience and extends empathy to her fellow travelers.
Julie Lazarus has been a prominent presence at WCG for nearly two decades. Hailing from New York, she pursued her studies at Hofstra University, earning her BA, and the University of Tulsa, where she completed her MFA in Painting and Printmaking. Her artistic prowess has earned her a place in numerous distinguished collections, including the Belo Corporation, Omnicom, Standard Federal Bank, and Continental Airlines. She has shown her work at prestigious venues such as the Biennale Internazionale Del’ Arte Contemporanea in Florence, Italy, the Contemporary Art Center in Fort Worth, and the McKinney Avenue Contemporary (MAC) in Dallas, TX.