Hola, I’m Juli!
Artist + Surface Designer
A bit about me…
I am Juliana Alonso, [ Hoolee ], an artist, and surface designer from Bogotá, Colombia, living in Houston, TX. Creating paintings and pattern collections filled with sentiment, that become timeless products, is how I celebrate life and overcome hardship.
I love a child-like, intuitive practice filled with freedom and adventure! —I found the surface design world after going through a neurological event that changed me, my artistic voice and motor abilities forever. Combining my previous art and graphic design experience with adapted digital tools gives me the opportunity to amplify my efforts and to bring life to my watercolor works beyond original pieces.
Through my healing journey, I thrive to bring hope and courage so we can dream, grow and connect with our strength and imagination and to live for the simple joys of being in honor of our whole life stories.
☼☼☼
“Wondrous Heart” Silk Scarf from Juli’s “First Light” collection.
A bit more about my story…
I am a natural born helper, idealist, and creator, I like to say that I’m composed of equal parts sentiment, compassion and goofiness and I’m incredibly serious about fully feeling and witnessing the life experience.
Although I am an Industrial Designer by trade, I’ve always been an artist at heart! I took the leap to create a handmade business so I could look at life outside the rectangle of a computer after getting laid off from my graphic design job during 2014. Exploration led me to proclaim myself an artist so I made it my mission to create custom art with preserved flowers from special events; turning them into heirloom paintings filled with life and their owners’ unique stories.
During 2016, on year 2 of my fine art journey as @violetaroots, my life suddenly changed forever. Who would have thought it was possible to fall ill during a dream vacation and come back to a different life? With lots of help from family, friends and different types of therapy, I started navigating life with a condition called cerebellar ataxia, (in short, it means uncoordinated movement generated at the brain’s motor center), so relearning and adapting, and most importantly, loving myself through the wreckage, became a priority. This season was filled with isolation and finding new ways to live with joy and hope amidst the uncertainty, which made me adventure into my imagination more than ever.
Healing and Creativity…
Original stacks of motifs, where “First Light” came from.
Healing and Creativity…
As I was able to do more than daily activities and therapy, my heart reached for art supplies and through the first “clumsy” blobs I painted, I discovered how my creativity had never left me. I started painting mostly from what was possible in that “there and then” and in using the limited movements I could control, and a few friendly tools, I very slowly found myself giggling and grieving the techniques and precision I had cultivated through my whole life, and that had been key to my artistic voice and art mission to that point.
Stacks of colorful papers made for the joy of being started adding up through my recovery, and dreaming through art and design video tutorials became a healthy distraction. —Discovering surface design made me feel like I could combine my blobs of color with adapted technology and tools, to make 1+1=11! The power of healing through creativity, learning something new and my previous technical knowledge gave me sparks of hope to continue pursuing a creative work life again and to make the most out of my physical efforts.
Painting has always been my grounding rock. It connects me to my childish drive to smear paint through the red-covered sketchbooks my papá would get me when school vacations started. Innocent at heart and full of possibilities, letting my imagination mix colors without a plan, and my hands move however they can, has become my freedom and my healing. I work through the grief that comparison to my previous self has brought me, and still does, here and there, through my daily practice.
Nowadays, I am rebuilding my work as an artist and surface designer. My work is fueled by imaginative stories that live in my sketchbook pages to slowly become patterns for products!
Although I have recovered immensely, I experience a level of disability that has become part of my creative process, both emotionally and motor wise. A lot of what I get to create is a response to what is physically possible for me and playful explorations; adventures with blowing on paint, tying up brushes, dripping paint, and scribbling my shaky lines freely have become essential to discovering my new voice. Using adapted tools and technology to my advantage lets me ensemble stories into finished work filled with meaning.
The “One with all” pillow in Midnight Blue
My recovery through art has been a celebration that says “I am not what I do or the techniques I used. I I am so much more than that, I am still here!” While there is joy and hardship, every day there is renewed love for myself and the beauty of my life.
I live with my love Shawn, who is my biggest supporter, (he made my headband bow and took this photo!) —To his demise, we’ve been adopted by 3 grumpy old gatos named Bubba†, Moonshine and Tum-Tum the Whale. They make us couches on demand!
Just me, Juli! A joyful day.
Aspirations
I would love to become a licensing artist, and take my art and patterns into timeless fashion and home decor products. —Maybe one day, they’ll become part of the Cirque du Soleil’s magical costumes! I also dream of encouraging others and sharing more (or possibly teaching) about harnessing creativity through the perspective of my life experience.
Deep in my heart, I hope to be of service and that what I’ve learned through this path will spark into a light that shines on our worthiness and creates more space for people with different abilities and the half-empties of our lives.
Envisioning “Brave Melody” as a wall covering
Through the last year, I’ve found myself slowly creating a new series of original colorful pieces, rich with details that invite the viewer to find their own playful stories; a permission to dream! For a long time, I let go of believing I could ever paint originals again, and I can’t wait to see how they will turn out and to share them with you!
Sneak Peek of “Patience” • Watercolor on paper
Inspiration
My imagination lives between my favorite memories, the Equatorial high altitudes of my Andes mountains (páramos), and the freedom of chasing them through uncertainty. Intuitively, I let one colorful step lead the next step, somewhat mirroring my life-changing experiences. I am also inspired by colors and beautiful sounds, especially of birds. My hearing is increased above normal and they fill my senses with joy and dreams. Recordings of their songs are always represented visually through my creations.
Listening to everyone’s interpretations of my art, especially from children, is my most treasured reward.
Sketchbook spread view • Inspiration for a collection in progress
Envisioning “Brave Melody” as a wall covering
Sneak Peek of “Patience” • Watercolor on paper
Artist Favorites…
Artists: Joan Miró and Sieb Posthuma
Colors: Turquoise and Payne’s Gray
Art Supply: Maimeri-Blue Watercolor Tubes
Podcasts: Brené Brown “Unlocking Us” and “Creative Pep Talk” by Andy J. Pizza
Movie: Can’t decide between How to Train your Dragon, Kung-Fu Panda and Wall-E
Book: Persepolis by Marjan Satrapi
Icecream: [Insert happy dance] Rum & Raisin
Food: Colombian pastries ?
Life Soundtrack Artist: Juan Luis Guerra
Adventure: Traveling to new places
Place: The mountains
Wow Juli! I am so grateful too know a little more of your story and it’s so nice to know I’m not alone.
Thanks so much Becca! Your comment and reading mean so much to me. Your presence makes me grateful to know I am not alone either!
Juli, I am enjoying your newsletter and the beautiful progression of your art, please keep them going, they are so inspirational.
Thank you so much, Carolyn! It is such an honor to have you being part of my progress. Your cheering me means a lot to me!
Juli,!! it is a pleasure and inspiring to see every time how your creativity and ability create such a beautiful pieces. I will be always your devoted fan through this journey. Love your work.
Juli!! My goodness. I am so grateful for your message. Thank you so, so much! It is so motivating to find it here and it means a lot that you find it inspiring! I am also so glad we are connecting in this online world.
Juli!! My goodness. I am so grateful for your message. Thank you so, so much! It is so motivating to find it here and it means a lot that you find it inspiring! I am also so glad we are connecting in this online world.
I connected with you on Instagram by chance – you had posted using the same hashtag as me and it went from there! Now I am exploring your work more and your words here. I am cheering, nodding and crying as I read what I have as yet been unable to express in my own words. Thank you is not enough!
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.