Sculptor, Founding Artist
Julie Neises began sculpting the human figure in 1979 at the Indiana University campus in South Bend under the instruction of Harold “Tuck” Langland. Preparing for a career in art education, she had never taken a sculpture class before, but she knew right away that she had discovered the medium that would dominate her creative life.
“I really enjoy modeling figures, capturing the nuances of the most delicate ins and outs of the form and the psychological power of a glance or gesture.”
The majority of her work is in bronze, and she considers the work of Rodin and Degas to be her biggest influences. Her current focus is on small woodland creatures many of which are currently endangered. Many of Julie’s pieces have been exhibited in regional shows and competitions, including the National Sculpture Society’s Annual show in New York.
Now retired, Julie had been an art instructor since 1981. She taught art at every grade level in the Mishawaka public school system in Indiana and was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1997 for Beiger Junior High School. Julie was also the chairperson of the art department at Mishawaka High School for eight years.
A member of the Hoosier Salon, she is also one of the founding members of Fire Arts, a non-profit studio located in South Bend, Indiana, where she is currently working on new pieces. Julie lives in Mishawaka with her husband and a lop-eared rabbit named Bebe, who is yet to be immortalized in bronze like her previous bunny Gromit.
