Biography
Creative making was a significant part of Julie Anderson’s life while growing up in the Chicago suburbs. Her father is a draftsman and a woodworker and her mother loves to sew. Her family exposed to her museums, galleries and art fairs since she was a young child. She discovered ceramics while pursuing a biology degree and art minor at Northland College in northern Wisconsin. After graduating, Anderson moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to further explore ceramic arts as an intern. She later acquired a management position at nearby Ceramic Design Group under master mold-maker, Jonathan Kaplan. While managing production for Kaplan, she developed her own business designing and creating custom carved tiles. Over a number of years, the work evolved into sculptural wall installations. Anderson now produces commissioned art for private homes and commercial clients, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Marriott Hotels.
In 2004, Julie Anderson and her partner, Greg Grasso purchased a warehouse unit in Steamboat Springs and converted it into a live/work space with their studios below, affectionately calling it their “warehome.” Throughout this time, she also taught ceramics classes at the local community college and other nearby art centers. In 2016, the pair decided to open their own community teaching facility for ceramics and glass, called Warehome Studios, where Anderson currently works as the director and primary instructor.
“I had plans to become a forest ecologist while working as a field technician in the summers and pursuing my biology degree during the school year. But when I enrolled in my first ceramics class and placed my hands on a soft lump of clay at the potter’s wheel, I knew I had found my match. It was the most challenging medium I had ever worked with and I was absolutely enthralled.”