An artist based in United States, Chicago

Julie Wildman (Mentor)

Julie's calligraphic interest began in the late ‘80s after a friend gave her Timothy Botts’ book “Doorposts.” Ten years later, she had the privilege of taking a year-long class with Reggie Ezell and was hooked. She joined the Chicago Calligraphy Collective soon after and embarked on a lifelong journey of loving and studying letters.

Her work has been exhibited in juried shows throughout the U.S. and Midwest, including the Newberry Library in Chicago. In 2007 and 2014, her pieces “Psalm 117” and “An Alphabet Book,” respectively, won the Newberry’s Purchase Prize Award and became a part of the Library’s permanent collection. Her work has also been published in many issues of Letter Arts Review, Bound & Lettered, and various other type and lettering publications. Two of her more recent works, “Merton Quote” and “Psalm 97:1,” have been purchased by the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) and a private donor for the Harrison Collection at the SFPL.

Julie is a professional graphic designer, lettering artist and instructor. She loves line, shape, color, texture, paper, ink, and paint and often can’t believe she gets to play with them for a living! She enthusiastically shares her love of “beautiful writing” with young and old by teaching calligraphy for staff development classes, on-site promotional events, community programs and personal growth workshops throughout the Chicagoland area, U.S., and Canada. And now with Zoom classes, she has taught students from more than 23 countries around the world.