Julia Trops

Julia Trops (1962- ) is a Canadian artist living in Kelowna BC.
Early life and career
Trops was born Julia Anne Mills, in Calgary, Alberta to Joan and Edward Mills. Her father, was in the Canadian Army in the Lord Strathcona's Horse Regiment until 1968. Trops has two siblings, Jennifer Lavinia McDougall (1954) and Edward George (born 1958). Her father's employment with the Armed Forces had an impact on her outlook and her later career choices. Her mother's influence came in the form of music, classical music such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Albert Kettleby were constantly played in her childhood home.
Trops graduated from Viscount Bennett Senior High School in Calgary, Alberta in 1980. She then was accepted in the University of Calgary in the Fine Arts Program. Due to an almost non-existant GPA, she was asked to leave University of Calgary. After various part time and full time jobs, she enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces and after Administrative Clerk training at CFB Borden (1985-6), served in 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Moose Jaw as a clerk for pilot training (1986-91) where she met her husband Chris and had two children. She was transferred to National Defence Headquarters to the Directorate of Information Systems Architecture (1991-94). In 1993, her son was born and in 1994, she was transferred with her husband to Air Command Headquarters in Winnipeg, then her last posting was with 1 Air Movement Squadron at CFB Winnipeg 1995-97. While at 1 Air Movement Squadron, Trops was selected to serve a peacekeeping tour in the Middle East with the Multinational Force and Observers at El Gorah, Sinai (1997). Upon her return to Canada, Trops was accepted for Officer Training as a Navigator, however chose retirement, as her husband was selected for Royal Canadian Mounted Police Training, and was posted to Redcliff Alberta in 1997. She moved to Redcliff Alberta in September 1997.
Trops returned to post secondary education full time at Medicine Hat College (1998-2000). A continual student even throughout her time in the Air Force, Trops finished her University degree in Fine Arts at University of Lethbridge receiving a Great Distinction and an almost perfect 4.0 GPA in 2001. Her last course for university took place in Paris France and had a huge impact on her future expressions. Due to her husband's RCMP posting, Trops moved with her family to Kelowna BC in December 2001.
Rotary Centre for the Arts
Upon moving to Kelowna in 2002, Trops applied for a studio space in the newly built Rotary Centre for the Arts. She was accepted and moved in to Studio 203 in August. For six months, she worked part time for the Regional District of the Central Okanagan as a 911 Call Taker.
The Rotary Centre for the Arts is a building built by a group of Artists and performers who joined together to create the Kelowna Visual and Performing Artists Society (KVPACS). The Rotary Centre for the Arts is designed as a multi-disciplinary arts centre, and a multi-purpose venue providing enjoyment of a wide array of activities including special events and festivals. The community can come and see artists and performers in action, while sharing in the excitement of strengthening and developing our cultural heritage.
As part of the commitment of being in a community building, Trops has made it a personal goal to give back to the arts community in Kelowna. Involvement in groups such as Mission Dance, Ballet Kelowna, Chamber Music Kelowna, Okanagan Symphony, and Viva Musica, that combined arts and dance, arts and music and arts and theatre for the first time in Kelowna's history.
In 2003, Trops created life drawing sessions which, in 2005, progressed to an incorporated life drawing society, Livessence Society for Figurative Artists and Models. With the help of Laura Widmer, Victor Marko, Isabelle Gambouras and Norman Goddard. Trops trained models who worked primarily for the society, but went on to work for other arts organizations in the city, such as University of British Columbia - Okanagan, and Centre for Arts and Technology - Okanagan.
A very active member of the arts community, Trops, with two artist friends Angela Hansen and Lauren Wilson, established the first Okanagan Erotic Art Show in 2007.
Trops was a founding member of the Okanagan Arts Awards when it was taken over from the City of Kelowna by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan in 2006. Along with Corrine Zawaduk and Dr Sharon McCoubrey, Trops helped to formulate the guidelines and the structure of the Arts Awards.
Trops has sold her work on the internet since 2003, first on eBay and then on Ruby Lane. Since 2004, over 700 works are in countries around the world. She does her own programming for her website, based on knowledge she gained while in the Air Force, and augmented by self study. She believes that each artist should be as self sufficient as possible, which increases confidence and cuts marketing costs, which for artists, can be substantial. As a patriot and in appreciation and love of her country, it is important to Trops to be recognized as a Canadian Artist.
Publications
Trops has an interest in writing and publishing and in 2009, wrote and published her first two books: 2009 Okanagan Erotic Art Show Catalog, and started her books on exploration of artist and model called Julia's Model Series.
*Michael Schwartzentruber, Spirituality of Sex, Woodlake Books, 2009, 62, 96, 126
*John Bird, Spirituality of Music, Woodlake Books, 2008, 144
*Julia Trops, Art of Charity, Okanagan Arts, Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, 19-20, 116, Fall 2007 (Magazine)
*Various, Spirit of Kelowna A Celebration of Art and Community, Okanagan Institute, 2008, 17-19
*Harold Stone, Exploring Life Drawing, Thomson Delmar Learning, 2007, 198-199, 226-227
*Julia Trops, 2009 Catalog Okanagan Erotic Art, Julia Trops, 2009
*Julia Trops, Julia's Model Series, Julia Trops, 2009
Influences
Among the historical art influences on her work are the Greek classical, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Ingres, Delacroix, Manet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso, and most recently, Klee and Kandinsky. Influences from art theory include John Berger, Josef Albers, from theosophy include Leadbetter and Blavatsky, Fritjof Capra and currently Joseph Campbell.
Trops believes in universal awareness, Universal Laws and the super-consciousness which cross cultural boundaries.
Artwork
The discipline gained while in the military gave her a very focused manner in her artmaking. Artwork subject matter are primarily female and male nudes, and include charcoal drawing, oil painting, acrylic painting and sculptures including clay, stone and bronze. In 2004/2005, Kelowna was named the Cultural Capital of Canada. During that time, Trops protested when her female nudes were blatantly turned to the wall while on display in the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Since 2004, with the help of her wide city exhibition record, and the Livessence Society membership (~40/year, approximately half repeat memberships), the number of figurative artists in the city have increased by 100 people (10,000%). As the sole figurative artist showing at Artwalk 2004, this number has also increased by 1000% with 11 artists in 2009 Artwalk.
Artist Statement
She says about her work: "My work focuses on the strength of the mark made, and its energy. Calligraphy is the dichotomy of free flowing but disciplined inscription of mark making to describe energy which communicates a message of form and intensity and expression. Music is calligraphy, whether it is on paper, or played by an instrument. Musical calligraphic markmaking is how I would describe my work, whether drawing, painting or sculpture."
Exhibitions
Through connections on eBay, Trops had a group show in Hong Kong in 2006 at Tao Contemporary owned by Scott Minick. Currently she is represented by Gallery Odin at Silver Star Ski Resort and Hambleton Galleries in Kelowna. Trops is letting go of some of her community involvement and working on gallery representation in other galleries in Vancouver and points in the United States.
Personal life
Trops is married to Christopher and has three children: Miranda (1989), Kimberleigh (1990) and Aaron (1993).
Video
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JufnwRPcdJw
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoCFaWhrwys

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