Meet the Maker: Characters by Julia
Julia Levander Drew is a Swedish textile artist living in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. She creates incredible fake taxidermy – or fauxidermy – and textile trophies heads that are much better (and infinitely more animal-friendly) than the real thing. She is also an incredible fabric hoarder, with a penchant for leopard print and pink that stems from her days as a salsa teacher. We talk to Julia about her creative business Characters by Julia and discover why she mourns for every piece she sells…
Can you introduce yourself and describe what you do?
I am Julia Levander Drew. I’m Swedish and I live in the moody Scottish Highlands where I create textile art sculptures, fauxidermy, vegetarian-friendly hunting trophies, 3D pet portraits and basically anything that tickles my fancy.
I’m basically still the child I was. I used to play with salt dough; I now make clay antlers. I used to paint watercolours; now I make sure the fabric I paint is damp.
Have you always been a maker?
I’m basically still the child I was. I used to play with salt dough; I now make clay antlers. I used to paint watercolours; now I make sure the fabric I paint is damp. My first pompom, my first soft toy, knitting, crochet, painting, sculpting – they’re all skills I learned very young and that I have developed and incorporate into my work on a daily basis.
If I’m inspired, work tends to flow and I don’t put a piece down until I’m happy. If I try to work when inspiration is lacking, I simply can’t move forward.
What’s your first crafting memory?
My grandmother taught me to knit when I was four years old and to embroider a few years after that. My first craft memory is from nursery when I was four, sitting on a window sill listening to HC Andersen stories on cassette tape and knitting a scarf for my teddy, Viggo. It was going to be his third birthday when it was finished. Well, I never finished. Viggo is still two years old and now he sits on the window sill while I listen to audio books and sew.
You describe yourself as “a bit cross-country in your creativity” – can you explain what you mean?
I went to art school between the age of 16-18 and, even though painting was my medium back then, I was introduced to pattern and clothes making. This new-found knowledge came in handy during my salsa-dancing career. I started dancing when I was 14 and performed and taught salsa for years, making a lot of weird and wonderful costumes along the way. I still have a real weakness for the combination of leopard print and hot pink! I love interior design and will not shy away from tiling a bathroom. In fact, I’ve tiled several.
If I ever feel that perhaps one of my ideas is too weird or specific, I just repeat my work mantra ‘I make what I want’ and grab the scissors.
Where does your inspiration come from?
Inspiration is a powerful force in my creativity and it can come from anywhere: nature, family, art. If I’m inspired, work tends to flow and I don’t put a piece down until I’m happy. If I try to work when inspiration is lacking, I simply can’t move forward. Every little decision becomes a huge hurdle and I stress. That’s why I’m often reluctant to take commissions – I need to let myself make what inspires me. The process is much more fun and the result is better. I only take orders if it’s something that truly inspires me. Time pressure in the form of deadlines is a killer for me – very arty and awkward, I know!
My workspace is very messy. And when I say messy, I mean it. As I find my materials inspirational, I need them around me… all of them.
Fabric of all kinds inspire me. I’m a fabric hoarder of somewhat unhealthy measures. Fabric makes my mouth water… I can’t get enough. One of my absolute favourite parts of the making process is finding scrumptious fabric combinations for each character. Contrasts interest me and I think it’s important to find a balance in every piece. Lately, I’ve developed a slight obsession with unbleached cotton. It’s definitely my favourite material to work with – it’s terrific to stitch, sculpt and great to paint.
Wood is another source of inspiration. I love the effect of mounting a colourful textile piece on an aged wooden board. Our garden is full of wood that is weathering in the lovely Scottish sunshine, and when the water is low in the lochs I have a few treasure spots for picking up gorgeous pieces of wood on the shores of the deep, dark and cold lochs. Driftwood is delicious and often inspires me to create a character around the wood.
If I ever feel that perhaps one of my ideas is too weird or specific, I just repeat my work mantra ‘I make what I want’ and grab the scissors. At the moment I’m working on a huge rainbow zebra. If no-one wants to buy it, it will look great on a wall in the house we’re building.
I tend to fall in love with every piece I work on and I miss every piece I’ve ever sold.
Do you have a favourite piece?
I have kept the all my ‘firsts’ – my first art doll, my first quirky doe, hessian hare and slug trophy. I tend to fall in love with every piece I work on and I miss every piece I’ve ever sold.
Fabric of all kinds inspire me. I’m a fabric hoarder of somewhat unhealthy measures. Fabric makes my mouth water… I can’t get enough.
How long does it take to make one of your piece and what’s involved?
This is a question I’m often asked and it’s impossible to answer. Every piece is designed and handmade by me from start to finish, and I usually have about 10 to 15 pieces on the go at once, working on the one I feel most inspired by. I create all my animals free hand – no patterns, no sketches – which speeds up the process. It also keeps things exciting and far from repetitive. Trying to get it from my head on to the wall is never boring.
Even though my husband and I built a wonderful studio in our garden, I rarely get enough time to myself to be out there, so I’ve moved my workspace inside.
Can you describe your workspace? Where is it and what is in it?
Even though my husband and I built a wonderful studio in our garden, I’ve moved my workspace into the house as I rarely get enough time to myself to be out there. At the moment I share my studio space with my four-year-old daughter. She loves it when we ‘work’ together – me at my messy desk and her at hers. And when I say messy, I mean it. As I find my materials inspirational, I need them around me… all of them.
Is there anything in your studio that you couldn’t live without?
Forceps. I use forceps of all sizes to stuff my pieces hard. Normally I don’t use any solid structures in my work, just fabric and stuffing, so they need to be stuffed really hard to keep their shape.
What’s the best thing about being creative for a living?
It’s fantastic to be able to combine motherhood with creating. It’s flexible and fun, and instead of dreading heading to work I’ve found myself sneaking in a bit of sewing at 4.30am… not because of looming deadlines but because I can’t stay away.
Creating is something I love and it makes me happy – it’s therapeutic and challenging all at once. I’m miserable when uninspired, and deadlines and pressure are inspiration killers for me.
What would you say to someone thinking about selling their work?
My personal thoughts on this is go for it but take it slow. My journey from a hobby doll maker to a full-time artist has been slow, mainly because I never wanted to take the fun away. Creating is something I love and it makes me happy – it’s therapeutic and challenging all at once. I’m miserable when uninspired, and deadlines and pressure are inspiration killers for me. I’d prefer to have a boring job and a keep loving my hobby than turn my hobby into a job I hated. Luckily I’ve discovered I can make it work – and now I have the best job in the world!
1 comment
Amazing creativity, wow!!
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