About

Welcome to my About page! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m a mixed media artist who loves to create journals. I’ve been making art since I was a child, but my passion for it really took off when I started making journals in 2018.

I’m self-taught, and I’ve learned a lot from online classes and videos. I’m also a big fan of textile art, and I love incorporating it into my journal making.

In addition to making journals, I also enjoy spending time outside, dreaming of the beach, and being a mom to my two teenage daughters. My dream is to live in a cottage in La Jolla Village, California, where I can ride my bike to the beach, take long walks by the ocean, and have a studio in my backyard where I can make creative messes every day.

I hope you enjoy learning more about me and my art. Thanks for visiting!

Below is my formal biography and photo from years gone by in case you were interested in how it all started way back when.

Julie Mortillaro is a self-taught textile, collage and book artist.  Her passion for art began as a young girl with her love of horses. She spent hours, not only riding, but sketching horses as well.  After high school, she left art and horses behind to go to college to study both psychology and business.  Years later, her desire to create surfaced once again.  She now spends her free time making books and upcycled materials into works of art.

Her art is characterized by the use of paper, fabric, stitching and found objects, which form the basis for her artwork and journals as well.  She has a special love for repurposing unwanted garments and fabrics, which she uses in most of her textile and book art. 

Julie resides in Plano, Texas with her husband, 2 daughters, a dog and a cat.  Her artwork has been featured in various exhibits throughout the DFW area and can also be found in private and corporate collections.  

Julie Mortillaro

Awards

  • First Place in “Creme de la Creme” exhibit, October 2nd-October 30th, Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco, Texas

  • Third Place in “Call of the Wild” exhibit, August 2016 TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas for “Wild and Free”

  • Best in Show in “A Day in June” exhibit, June 2016 TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas for “WildFlower Wonderland”

  • Second Place in “May Flowers” exhibit, May 2016 TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas for “Wonderland”

    Honorable Mention in “2016 Fresh Start” exhibit, February 2016 Frisco, Texas for “”Oppulence”

  • First Place in Assemblage in “Collage, Assemblage & Printmaking” exhibit, October 2014 Irving, Texas for “It’s Party Time”

  • Special Recognition in “Animals” exhibit October 2013 Light Space & Time Online Gallery for “Shiloh”

  • Special Recognition in “CityScapes” exhibit July 2013 Light Space & Time Online Gallery for “By the Light of the Moon”

  • First Place in “The Wildness of Nature” exhibit, March 2013 TVAA Gallery, Plaza of the Americas building Dallas, Texas for “Night Owl”

  • Third Place in “Collage, Printmaking & Assemblage” exhibit November 2012 TVAA Gallery Dallas, Texas for “Branching Out”

2017 Exhibitions

  • “Global Reflections Multi-Cultural Exhibit” September 19th – October 18th, Courtyard Gallery, Plano, TX

2016 Exhibitions

  • “Creme de la Creme” October 2nd – October 30th 2016, VAGF Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco, TX

  • Two month exhibition at the Roots Bar in Frisco Square.

  • “Call of the Wild” August 1st – August 31st, 2016 TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

  • “TVAA Open Show” July 1st-July 30th, 2016 TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

  • “A Day in June” June 1st – June 30th, 2016, TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

  • “May Flowers” May 1st – May 31st, 2016, TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

  • “Art in the Atrium” Six month exhibition at Frisco City Hall.

  • “Words With A View”, April 4th – April 29th, 2016, TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

  • 2016 “Fresh Start”, February 1st – February 28th, 2016, VAGF Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco Texas

2015 Exhibitions

  • “Creme de la Creme”, October 7th – November 1st, 2015, VAGF Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco Texas

  • “TVAA Open Show”, March 2nd – March 30th, 2015, TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

2014 Exhibitions

  • Collage, Assemblage & Printmaking Juried Art Exhibit, Irving Art Association Gallery, October 26th – November 26th, 2014, Irving Texas

  • “Black & White” August 4th – August 29th, 2014, TVAA Gallery, Dallas, Texas

  • Irving Art Connection 14th Annual Members Exhibition, July 19th – August 10th, 2014, Irving Arts Center, Irving, Texas

  • Artrageous” June 2nd – June 28th, 2014, VAGF Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco, Texas

  • Solo exhbit at Stonebriar Country Club, April 1st – April 30th, 2014, Frisco, Texas

  • “Floral and Fauna – flavors of life” February 2nd – March 2nd, 2014, VAGF Frisco Art Gallery, Frisco, Texas