Meet Julie Tremblay: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Tremblay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is the possibility of something bad happening. By that definition, almost anything you do has an element of risk to it. Risk is fluid. These days, just going to the supermarket is risky. That said, I have defied what people around me thought as reasonable or the “right thing to do” quite a few times, both in life and career. Of course I didn’t see it as such. It really comes down to intuition and how in tune with it you are. Every time I took a “risk”, I saw a clearing, something felt right all the way, like a flashing light that read “ALL SYSTEMS GO”. Every time, it turned out to be a great decision. That’s how I launched my career, by doing something that everyone “in the know” thought was “a very bad idea” but I knew better and had everything to gain. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I make sculptures that suggests infinity and often work at architectural scale, progressively filling my studio until I can barely walk in. Making enormous installations is what is most satisfying to me. It’s as challenging as it is exciting. It pushes my limits, physically, emotionally and mentally. I believe I got to where I am by doing just that: pushing myself and pushing my work at the same time. Always searching for new and better ways to embody an idea, thus reinventing my work and my process. And of course I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish anything if it weren’t for great people giving me great opportunities. Opportunities to fill voids with awe and wonder.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Newburgh, New York. Newburgh is a small city, one hour north of New York City. Newburgh has an incredibly rich history and when I have friends visiting me, I love to show them the architectural gems that the city has, as well as its unique natural setting in the Hudson Valley. Then I bring them to Mama Roux, my favorite local restaurant and if they stay overnight we’ll grab some bread and croissants from Liberty Street Bistro.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many! But first of all my husband Hans Obel Jensen who has always stood behind me, my projects and my dreams, as crazy as they may have been. I have had several galerists take a chance in me and give me precious support, space and time. Rebecca Kormind in Copenhagen gave me my first show and Craig Scott in Toronto gave me my second. Both those galeries no longer exist today. It is a rough business. Nordine Zidoun in Luxembourg started representing me 11 or 12 years ago now, Nordine then partnered with Audrey Bossuyt in 2014 and the gallery is now known as Zidoun Bossuyt. They have championed my work in the Middle East. Eric Dereumaux and Charlotte Laforet of Galerie RX in Paris for invited me to do a residency that was groundbreaking for my work. Peter Simons for giving me funds and confidence to create a gargantuan installation set to be the center piece of his then newest “La Maison Simons” store in Gatineau, Canada.

Website: www.julietremblay.net
Instagram: @julietremblaysculpture
Facebook: julie.tremblay.9003

Image Credits
Image 2 is by Stephane Groleau and image 3 is by Isauro Cairo. All other images are by me