JuliAnne Jonker — Artist Biography

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1957, JuliAnne Jonker is an award-winning fine artist, portrait photographer, and educator. Raised in a family of jazz musicians and creatives, she learned to embrace inspiration and improvisation from an early age — a foundation that has shaped her creative life, allowing her to move fluidly through drawing, painting, photography, and sculpture.

Jonker's training spans classical and contemporary fine art, beginning at the Minnesota River School of Fine Art and continuing through mentorship with living masters at home and abroad. This diverse education has given her work a distinctive blend of tradition and innovation.

Her art has been exhibited and sold in venues across the country and around the world, earning consistent critical acclaim. Notable exhibitions include Sotheby's in New York, the MEAM Museum in Barcelona, Spain, the Almenara Art Collection in Córdoba, Spain, the Salmagundi Club in New York City, RJD Gallery, Chelsie Nicole Contemporary in Ozark, Missouri, and the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art in Wisconsin. Her work is also held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Encaustic Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Among her honors are awards from the Salmagundi Club (New York), the Art Renewal Center, the Portrait Society of America, the International Velasquez Painting and Sculpture Competition, the Almenara Art Prize, the International FiKVA Award, and the Titian International Portrait Painting & Sculpture Competition. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including the cover of Fine Art Connoisseur's December 2021 issue. Fifteen of her paintings are included in the Lunar Codex, a groundbreaking initiative sending artwork to the moon.

JuliAnne Jonker — Artist Statement

From a young age, I have been immersed in a world brimming with creativity, raised among professional musicians and artists. That environment laid the groundwork for my lifelong passion for art.

As an artist, I am moved by the spiritual connection between living beings and our presence within creation. I want my art to serve as a conduit — a visual language for our inherent ability to see and be seen. Each piece reflects the beauty I perceive in all of creation, and it is my hope that this beauty resonates with every collector.

I work in encaustic wax, cold wax, and oil. Wax lends a sculptural quality to pigment, letting me build depth and texture beneath a soft matte patina. My process is rhythmic and layered: I build up wax and oil, excavating, creating, and sometimes destroying, using a range of tools to establish the history and depth that characterize wax painting. Layer upon layer, I aim for a depth and resonance with a haunting, spiritual nuance — while staying attentive to each subject's likeness, arriving at a realism that evokes obscured memory, blending classical and contemporary styles.

I accept commissions, and my work is available for purchase. I also host art retreats at The Nest in Apple Valley, Minnesota — my home and studio — and teach workshops on location, continually sharing my passion for art with others.

Curriculum Vitae

JULIANNE  JONKER  IS  CURRENTLY  ACCEPTING  COMMISSIONS  AND  HER  PAINTINGS  ARE  AVAILABLE  FOR  PURCHASE  HERE