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Julia Scheckel is a printmaker and illustrator based in Milwaukee, WI. Scheckel started drawing very young and was fortunate enough to take some extra art classes outside of school as a kid. She also went to an arts charter school which solidified her interest in becoming a professional artist. In college, she fell in love with printmaking due to its blend of illustration, process, and her passion for working in the photographic darkroom. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Print and Narrative Forms from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2020.

Although she struggles with multiple invisible disabilities, Scheckel does not let that impede her from following her dreams of working as an artist, rather it is a part of her identity that she works with. Scheckel is an artist in residence with ARTservancy, for which she has explored and created a body of work about Milwaukee’s Lake Park.

She also works as a board member for Anchor Press, Paper & Print. This non-profit is dedicated to running a community printmaking studio in Milwaukee, WI. Her first Solo exhibition was held this past summer at the Pump House Regional Arts Center in La Crosse, WI. It showed woodcuts and screen prints from the last two years that explored how she connects friendships to a walk in the woods.

Artist Statement:

My approach to creating imagery starts with the act of carrying around a camera. While going through daily life, or during special adventures, imagery will jump out at me, and in that moment I know that I need to record it. These flashes of connection are often inspired by the sublime qualities of nature or cherished moments of friendship. I reproduce these experiences through printmaking. The act of making prints combines my love of working in the photography darkroom with my love for drawing. Printmaking is a time-consuming process that allows me to relive the moments being depicted. My
work encourages viewers to slow down and appreciate what makes life worth living. For me, that means taking time to be present with nature or enjoying connections with others, which has led to a great experience spending time in Lake Park over the last year.

During my time with ARTservency I've been able to devote myself to studying Milwaukee’s Lake Park. In 2015 I moved from rural Wisconsin to Milwaukee for college and have found solace in Lake Park since then. This urban park is a special getaway,
making it seem like you’re deep in the woods when you’re really in the thick of the city. The rich history of the park has been fascinating to learn about. While taking walks there I find myself thinking about the cycles of life that have existed in that place. The courses of nature that run constantly in loops go through all sorts of color, feelings, and smells. Different types of humans have called this place home, from native people
thousands of years ago, to Victorian era park goers, to the modern day person. Even the large concrete footbridge over Ravine Road has seen its own cycle of being built and rebuilt after years of use. My body of work focuses on these cycles.