We instantly connected with Omaha artist Julia Kragh’s zest for life and her artwork. A world traveler and photographer, she captures beauty across the globe and specializes in hand-embellished photographs and decor. This week Julia shared with us some insight as an artist and how she creates her inspiring pieces. You can find her handmade cards in our Omaha shop!

What do you love about being an artist?   

Julia: I love the freedom and adventures I enjoy shooting photos all over the world. I am both thrilled and grateful that my passion--art photography--draws people in; they not only buy my artwork, but fuel my desire to keep exploring, creating new images, and developing new techniques. 

What is your favorite travel destination?

Julia: Rome is among my favorites, as well as Washington, D.C.

How would you describe your artwork? 

Julia: I describe myself as a mixed media artist: first, I take an evocative photograph; then I edit using a variety of filters; and finally I hand embellish each piece with paints mixed with organic and inorganic materials. Although I reproduce the same images, after hand embellishing, each piece is an original artwork. Since I hand embellish all my artwork, they are truly 3-D!

What inspires you?   

Julia: Neoclassical statues inspire me, particularly angels. I was first inspired in Rome, Italy, taking photographs of the Bernini angels on the Ponte Sant'Angelo. My favorite artistic subject matter is the human form as depicted in statuary in bronze, marble, or stone. The myriad of different looks, poses, situations, and expressions inspires me and ignites my creativity.  

What is your intention with your art? 

Julia: I want my artwork to be inspiring, comforting, and engaging. I want people to feel the love, passion, and enthusiasm I put into each piece.

Do you have exciting projects on the horizon? 

Julia: I am obsessed with mannequins! And I have been taking their portraits of all over the world for the past 10 years. My current, exciting project is a series of black and white portraits of mannequins on canvas. Over the past two years, I have been working mostly with canvas. I offer many standard as well as custom canvas sizes to fit any space in any room. Another project I am excited about is creating large canvases as headboard. My custom canvases as headboards will give your bedroom a truly personalized, curated look.