Ostrich Egg painted with two views of a Swainson's Hawk surrounded in flowers and foliage.  Artist -  Julie Kitzes.

About: Julie Kitzes

Julie grew up in a remote wooded area of western Canada where she became accustom to living in the wilderness and developed a deep respect for animals and the environment. She has loved drawing and creating since the time she could hold a pencil, and would often take inspiration from observing the natural world around her.

She originally set out to study veterinary medicine, but when a neurological condition left her too ill for the physical demands that entailed, she decided to pursue art seriously. After enduring six brain surgeries, Julie graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration in December of 2017.

Currently residing in northern Colorado, she uses her personal work to examine the connections between life, death, growth, and decay, as well as the various plights faced by our natural world. Julie specializes in pet portraiture and animal art, and believes in creating impactful work that touches her audience while keeping art affordable and accessible to everyone.

When working with Julie, you can expect colorful, bold, detailed, and thoughtfully designed images. She feels that clear communication throughout the whole creation process is key to a successful project, and works hard to ensure her clients are satisfied with her work. She prides herself on being a Renaissance woman who utilizes creative problem solving to overcome unique challenges. She’s worked with a variety of clients on diverse projects ranging from children’s literature to custom tattoos and hand-painted needlepoint canvases. Julie believes that having a versatile skill set makes her a more well-rounded artist who’s capable of adapting to a client’s creative needs.