Julie Cohn’s creative endeavors have come together to form her unique vision and aesthetic, characterized by the tension between rough and refined, primitive and modern, ultimately paring things down to their essence.

Educated as a painter and printmaker Julie studied the craft of bookbinding and box-making to house her prints which lead her down a diverse design path that included rugs, textiles, hardware, tabletop, collaborations with architects and public art.

As a self-taught jeweler, her approach is unconventional in process and begins by working directly with materials rather than sketching a preconceived idea. She finds inspiration in nature, primitive ethnic forms, indigenous crafts and old world processes. Her pieces are about possibilities for layering and stacking to create personal collages that uniquely juxtapose disparate elements with simple elegance.

Her studio in Dallas, Texas functions as an artistic collective where she mentors young artists to see the possibilities of parlaying their talents into art-centric careers. Working together, they learn the complexities of making products by hand, collaborate in the artistic process, problem solve fabrication and observe the trials and tribulations of bringing handmade products to the marketplace. Her goal is to inspire young artists to learn how to connect the dots, take forks in the road and use their skills to create an artful life.

“Many of my staff are studying art with my peers from graduate school. Our conversations about the creative process, artistic influences, movies, podcasts, fashion etc. creates a rich environment for birthing new ideas, combining disparate materials and creating non-traditional fabrication techniques. Everyone in the studio has a voice.”

Julie Cohn resides with her husband, landscape architect David Rolston and daughter Mila in their modern home and creative haven in the White Rock Lake area of Dallas.

Her jewelry collection launched in 2011.

-photography by Kent Barker