Julie Wildman is a highly regarded professional in the fields of graphic design, commercial lettering, calligraphy, and workshops. She graduated with a BA in Graphic Design from Columbia College in Chicago and worked for many years with two Chicago design firms. She currently works as a freelance lettering artist and designer from her home studio near Chicago. Her calligraphic interest began in the late ‘80s after a friend gave her Timothy Botts’ book Doorposts, and she saw the written word illustrated in such a way as never before. About ten years later, she had the privilege of taking a year-long class with Reggie Ezell and was hooked. She joined the Chicago Calligraphy Collective soon after and embarked on a lifelong journey of studying letters. Since then, she has exhibited in juried shows throughout the midwest and the US, including the Newberry Library in Chicago. In 2007 and 2014, her pieces “Psalm 117” and “An Alphabet Book,” respectively, won the Newberry’s Purchase Prize Award and became a part of the Library’s permanent collection. She enthusiastically shares her love of “beautiful writing” with young and old by teaching calligraphy for staff development classes, on-site promotional events, community programs and personal growth workshops throughout the Chicago area, U.S., and Canada. And now, with online Zoom classes she has been teaching students from 20 different countries and counting.
