Meet the Artist: Julia van der Wyk

“When I was 8 years old, my family was able to see the Monet at Giverny exhibit, and this was a foundational life experience for me. I was absolutely in awe of the way the colors and brush strokes formed and danced around each other, and told a story that could change depending on your perspective and distance relative to the painting.”

We’re excited to welcome Julia van der Wyk to the SCAL teaching artist team! Julia is local pen and ink artist and painter with a degree in Printmaking and Painting from UCSC. We had a an opportunity to get Julia’s take on her artistic experience and teaching goals. Here is what she said!

Can you share a little about yourself as an artist and a teacher?

“I found pen and ink, and with my copy of the speedball handbook, some drawing ink and calligraphy nibs, my second creative love unfolded. It has been a joyful discovery of new media, techniques and applications since then.

In 2018 I started teaching ink painting workshops at the SF International Pen Show as a way to contribute something from my personal life back to my beloved fountain pen community, and have over the years added new classes to the lineup.“

What are you most excited about for your upcoming class?

“Sharing the joy of painting with ink:

That moment when the brush, ink and paper meet is an indescribable body and spirit experience. Seeing how students make it their own and find their creative path as they explore techniques and materials new to them is inspiring.”

What motivated you to teach with SCAL? 

“Becoming more involved in the local art community and teaching workshops and classes has been a goal of mine. The SCAL bridges creating art for exhibitions with art education, and I am pleased for the opportunity to work with this organization.”

What other kinds of classes can people look forward to from you?

“From lettering, plein air and urban sketching practices to relief printing and stamp carving, there are many possibilities for fun workshops to come.”

Do you have any current or upcoming projects you're excited to share?

“I have a quasi-regular art group who meet for plein air painting and sketching. A work in progress from our latest outing, is a mixed media expression of the same view in ink, watercolor, fountain pen, pencil, and embroidery. The embroidered piece is taking the longest amount of time to finish!”

We encourage everyone to check out Julia’s upcoming workshop with SCAL! Click here to learn more.