Julie Sims
Julie Sims has been playing in the arts since she was a child. “My first memories of enjoying art start with my art table in our kitchen. I would get lost in all the paper and glue, crayons and markers and loved creating masterpieces.” Julie began taking art classes in elementary school and continued every chance she could. Julie’s skills and passion for the arts continued to grow through middle school and high school art classes, as well as classes at the St Louis Art Museum.
Attending the Indiana School of Fine Arts in Bloomington, IN a lifetime direction was unveiled. As a junior year art student at IU, jewelry and metalsmithing became Julie’s obsession. Her love for jewelry began long before attending college. As a young child, her grandparents traveled the world and brought her treasures of jewelry and sometimes rough stones as gifts. Little did she know these gifts would create a lifelong love of gemstones and metals. The point in college at which Julie realized she could make her own metal jewelry changed her life forever.
Julie lives in Evergreen, CO with her husband, kids and the sweetest dog ever, where she currently shows her work at Main Street Fine Art Gallery. Evergreen has been a wealth of inspiration, peace and clarity for Julie’s artwork, from simple walks around the neighborhood to hiking Colorado’s 14ers.
Sharing her passion for art, Julie is the Grants and Scholarship Chairperson for the Evergreen Artist Association and also the Art Specialist for the Montessori School of Evergreen, teaching students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade.
Soon Julie looks forward to continuing her work towards her Graduate Gemologist Degree from the Gemological Institute of America. She currently holds certificates in Diamond and Colored Stone Grading.
Artist Statement
As an art student at Indiana University, jewelry and metalsmithing became my passion. My love for jewelry began long before this. As my grandparents traveled the world, they brought me unconventional pieces of jewelry and sometimes rough stones as gifts. Little did I know these gifts would create a lifelong love of gemstones and metals. The point in college in which I realized I could create my own jewelry changed my life.
My jewelry consists of elegant geometric shapes, lines and the uncommon forms of common stones. After creating one piece of jewelry I watch as other works unfold from this single idea. Although the process to create jewelry in gold and silver is complex, I like to create simple, uncluttered pieces of jewelry to remind us that beauty can be found in the simplest forms.
As I take my work into the future, I will continue this passion for metal and the endless array of uncommon gemstones available by pursuing a Graduate Gemologist degree through the Gemological Institute of America.
