Every once in a while an artist comes along that helps to redefine a generation; there is no more relevant ‘lawyer turned artist’ than Julie Torres. Julie discovered her love for art at the age of seven during her first oil painting lesson. She recalls being so captivated by her first painting that she couldn’t sleep that night. However, as she grew older, she allowed that passion to slip away, believing she needed a more stable career path. She chose law, viewing art as a mere hobby.
It wasn’t until her early thirties that Julie found the courage to be honest with herself and pursue a career as an artist. Despite the detour, she sees her journey as invaluable, believing that no knowledge is ever wasted. Julie channels her deep interest in the evolution of law, freedom, and empowerment into her art. These ideals shape the themes of her work, often creating works that celebrate the strength and resilience of women.
“My love of textiles and of the arts of weaving, embroidery, and crochet work is evident in my work as is my background in the study of law,” says Julie, “I believe this combination of influences helps to set my work apart.” Julie combines traditional printmaking techniques with crochet and weaving to create distinctive pieces she refers to as “woven screen prints” and “paper quilts.” Honoring the lives of strong women is a central focus of her artistic practice, driving her to create pieces that are both meaningful and visually striking.
Julie appreciates art that offers a dynamic experience, changing as viewers engage from afar and up close. Julie strives to create pieces that captivate attention through bright, bold colors and patterns. Her woven screen prints feature intricate details that emerge upon closer inspection, always celebrating the beauty of handmade imperfections.
Measuring 77 by 45 inches, Nation of Laws, a piece exhibited at Art Miami was a U.S. flag crafted entirely from pages of a constitutional law treatise gifted by a law school colleague. Torres transformed the book into over 1.13 miles of paper thread, which she crocheted by hand to form the flag. From a distance, it appeared as a traditional U.S. flag, but up close, the text revealed highlighted provisions and handwritten notes, adding layers of meaning.
Conceptually, the piece combined the recognizable symbol of the flag with the pages of a book about the U.S. Constitution—the foundation of our republic. Torres considers it her strongest work, both for its unique materials and for its personal significance, merging her past as a lawyer with her present as an artist. For her, Nation of Laws represents a full-circle moment in her creative journey.
Two profoundly important moments stand out in Julie Torres’ career: the day she sold her first piece of art to a collector and, years later, the moment she walked onto the second floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see her work displayed in an exhibition. Both events brought her to tears, marking deeply emotional milestones in her artistic journey. “I cried on both occasions,” says Julie.
Julie’s work is in the permanent collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as Delta Airlines, SCAD, the Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. Julie is a proud supporter of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts whose mission is supporting Georgia artists through workshops and pro bono legal services.