About Sweet Julie Marie

Julie Chapman is the artist behind Sweet Julie Marie. Growing up in Iowa City, Iowa, her interest in paper, painting, and any surface she could doodle on started at a very young age. Julie received a Bachelor’s in Art and Design from Iowa State University with a minor in Advertising. After graduating, she worked for American Greetings in Cleveland, Ohio designing greeting cards for major retailer Target. During her time there, in 2007, her embroidered felt mitten card won a Louie Award, the greeting card industry’s highest honor. Armed with experience as a greeting card artist, she decided to leave corporate life behind and move back to her hometown roots. Her own creative pursuits came and went, but her lifelong passion for hand illustrated paper goods always remained. In 2022 she went full time with her own studio. MEDIUM Watercolor. Pen and Ink. Collage. Julie draws inspiration from nature, animals, and anything that makes you feel like a kid again. STUDIO Julie’s studio space is in her North Liberty, IA home. With a big natural light window, most days you will find her painting with no music, just coffee, and her cheerful cat, Charlie. Supporting her local community is important to her. She works closely with a local printer for all paper goods and sources from as many small businesses as she can.Read their story