Julie, our creative jewel, sparkles at Tomato Head

Moxley Carmichael graphic designer, Julie Bernal, stands in front of one of her paintings currently on display at Tomato Head on Market Square.

Moxley Carmichael graphic designer, Julie Bernal, stands in front of one of her paintings currently on display at Tomato Head on Market Square.

How does a workaholic artist relax? By making more art, of course!

Julie Bernal, 27, works 40-hour weeks at Moxley Carmichael as a graphic designer. Her clients include Pilot, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Young-Williams Animal Center, Premier Surgical Associates and many other members of our great, high-profile client list. Julie designs websites, logos, brochures, ads and annual reports. But when she goes home to unwind, she picks up a paint brush or charcoal pencil and produces still more compelling images.

This painting at Tomato Head is called, "Going for a Walk."

This painting at Tomato Head is called, "Going for a Walk."

Some of her latest acrylic paintings just went on display at The Tomato Head on Market Square. I personally love them. You should check them out. When the exhibit in downtown Knoxville closes, it is going on display at The Tomato Head’s Maryville location.

“The collection at Tomato Head is inspired by graphic design,” Julie told me. “I started this particular series because I wanted something for my own house.” The series is called, “Nature in Color.”

Julie was born in Bristol, Connecticut and moved to Knoxville when she was a teenager. She took many fine arts courses at Farragut High School and graduated with a degree in graphic design from Pellissippi State Community College. During and after college, she was a graphic designer at the Farragut Press Enterprise where she was eventually promoted to head of production. That’s where we found her three years ago.

While she finds inspiration in nature for her painting, her photography is inspired by architecture. She uses her vacation time to pursue that passion.

“I wake up every day ready to create,” she says. “I use my art as a way to capture specific moments and feelings. It is the best way for me to keep a journal of my life.”

Julie says she has always known she wanted to be an artist. But, thankfully for us, her first love is graphic design. “I would go crazy if I didn’t do it,” she laughs.

Julie won the People’s Choice Award from the Arts and Cultural Alliance‘s Juried 2009 Top 40 Exhibit, which was displayed at The Emporium last year. We closed our office early on the first Friday in August so all of us could go together up Gay Street, see Julie’s painting on display in the exhibition and celebrate over cocktails. We are very proud of her.

Now, not only are Julie’s paintings on display at Tomato Head, but she has a piece at McGhee Tyson Airport and a photography exhibit at Cities Cupcakes in Bearden. She’s been featured in skirt! magazine and in the Farragut Press Enterprise. After you visit her exhibits, if you’d like to see more of her beautiful art, please visit her website. Here is a link.

This talented young woman is going places. If you hire Moxley Carmichael, she can work on one of your projects. Then you can say, “I knew her when. . .!”

This is my favorite of Julie's pieces at Tomato Head. It is called, "Summer Day with Cool Breeze."

This is my favorite of Julie's pieces at Tomato Head. It is called, "Summer Day with Cool Breeze."

This one, "Birch Trees in Sunset," is at the airport.

This one, "Birch Trees in Sunset," is at the airport.

"Spring time" is at Tomato Head.

"Spring Time" is at Tomato Head.

Inside the Tomato Head

Inside the Tomato Head

A restaurant with good taste -- in food and art! Go there!

A restaurant with good taste -- in food and art! Go there!

Photo credits: Ashley Hubbard of Moxley Carmichael took the picture of Julie at the top of this post, as well as the ones of inside Tomato Head and the Tomato Head logo on the window. The close-ups of the paintings came from Julie’s website.

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7 Responses to Julie, our creative jewel, sparkles at Tomato Head

  1. mary constantine, on June 11th, 2010 at 5:53 pm said:

    Wow, I love her work. Moxley-Carmichael is lucky to have such a talented staffer.

  2. Cynthia Moxley, on June 11th, 2010 at 11:22 pm said:

    Mary: I couldn’t agree more!

  3. Gay Lyons, on June 12th, 2010 at 12:00 pm said:

    Wow–what a great talent. I love them all but especially “Going for a Walk.”

  4. renee holiday, on June 14th, 2010 at 2:12 pm said:

    you ARE fortunate to have such an amazingly multi-talented young lady on your team. I have not seen her graphic design work, but as a fellow artist and graphic designer, I KNOW it must be top notch.

    can’t wait to get back to Knoxville and check out the show! 😀

  5. Scott Brooks, on June 14th, 2010 at 5:18 pm said:

    I had lunch there and very much enjoyed the surroundings! Great job, Julie!

  6. Christy Cagle, on June 20th, 2010 at 7:41 pm said:

    I love her work; it is relaxing and therapeutic to view her pieces. I am fortunate enough to have a replica of her Canoe mixed media work hanging in my room that I wake up to each morning! She depicts nature from such a unique view point that it can’t be replicated. So many artists are influenced by specific individuals and many times this creeps into their work, not so with Julie. She is original in her style and methodology! In short, if you want a unique piece of art or want to work with an amazingly creative individual, purchase her art or hire MoxCar!

  7. Lynnda Tenpenny, on July 11th, 2010 at 11:45 am said:

    These are great ! I just love them. I missed this post first time around; I’m glad I checked it out.

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