Julie Okahara will paint your world full of color and whimsy.

But she hesitates to explain her art, and that’s her gift to you: she wants you to find your own meaning—your own story—in her art.

The mediums in which she works include acrylic painting, ink drawing, sewing, and clay sculpting (maybe you own one of her fairy-like Kolobees). She’s also created a unique, interactive live animation which she uses at Twitch to create stories and art with her fans. 

Julie has exhibited at Art of Toys, Empire’s Comics Vault, Son Of A Bean, Gallery219, Riving Loom, Studio10, Kennedy Gallery, Old Soul 40 Acres, and Mos Burger in Osaka, Japan, to name a few.

She’s exhibited at numerous conventions, including CrockerCon, TwitchCon, Comikaze Expo (LA), SacAnime, Zine Festivus, FCBD Festival and Creative Women Mini-Con at Empire’s Comics Vault, Alternative Press Expo (SF), and many others.

Interesting Facts

• Would love to live under the sea and see all the fish swimming around

• Favorite characters from a manga series: Shiro and Kuro from Tekkonkinkreet

• Julie has free activity downloads on her website—an activity book, a color book, and some coloring pages.

Creative Influences

• "Taiyō Matsumoto. I love his style, [it’s] kinda trippy, though. He creates realistic in unrealistic. It’s somehow comforting to me.

• Raymond Savignac. He was a graphic designer, but I really like his work. [It’s] super comical and [makes] me laugh out loud. I like humor, and I try to put those elements to my pieces, hoping to make people smile.

• Yoshitomo Nara is another [of] my favorite artists. He made me realize that it’s okay to have recurring characters in my art work."

Food Facts

• COFFEE! Cappucinos. Temple Coffee. Caffeine.

Music On Repeat

• Kepi Ghoulie’s “DoodleTown” Theme Song