What if nature’s cycles were not simply observed but reimagined?
with artist Julie Miles
"A book is as much its cover as its content."
- Alicia Cahalane Lewis, Author
Julie Miles’ studio in Virginia
Alicia Cahalane Lewis, author
ACL: When my upcoming book, Nefertiti's tomb: Prose Poems for the Restless Seeker, was in its early stages, I never considered publishing it.
I felt I was writing the book for myself. I had already published The Archivist, which highlights the ancient Egyptian wisdom of the divine feminine and its subsequent decline. The next book, The Longest Day, introduces the reader to the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti by exploring the systemic silencing of the divine feminine in greater depth. With Nefertiti's Tomb, I tear off the rivets holding any last remnants of the divine feminine narrative together and further destroy it.
How could I possibly get behind a book that delves this deeply into loss?
How could I possibly get behind a book that delves this deeply into loss?
I was on the fence about it all when I had this kind of epiphany to ask Julie to paint a cover image for the book. I hadn't quite settled on the idea of publishing the poems. But as soon as I asked her to imagine Nefertiti's tomb (still undiscovered), and she responded with a resounding yes, I began to see the potential. I thought to myself, if I had a tomb painting to inspire me, I might discover the heart of the book.
Julie Miles, artist
JM: When Alicia first inquired about collaborating on a book cover I was all in! The idea of a creative collaboration was an immediate yes.
I found the promise of a creative partnership with a fellow local artist compelling, as such connections and joint projects are rare and valuable in our rural community.
The project offered an exciting opportunity to break away from my usual solo studio practice. The collaboration allowed us to rabbit hole together and feed off of each other's ideas, learn and grow and honor the feminine.
[The process was] truly inspiring.
ACL: I deeply respect this collaboration. Alone and feeling a bit lost about it all, I began to uncover the story behind Nefertiti's Tomb piece by piece as Julie and I discussed Nefertiti's philosophy, that of the divine mother.
By recognizing the innate beauty of our natural world, Julie's art, and her unwavering enthusiasm for the project, inspired me to respond more intuitively to Nefertiti’s Tomb. With her passion for art and my passion for language, I began to see the book as a testament to Nefertiti’s ancient wisdom.
JM: My paintings emerge from a quiet dialogue with the natural world. Where overlooked details of plants and creatures whisper stories just beneath the surface. Leaves gather, seeds remember.
I’m drawn to these moments-both vivid and subtle-that blur the line between reality and imagination-inviting the viewer to question what is seen and what lies beneath.
JM: Compositions unfold through unexpected tensions-colors clash and harmonize, lines twist and hesitate, textures reveal hidden depths. These elements create a painterly landscape where balance is dynamic, and stillness hums with potential energy. The scene becomes a question, what if nature’s cycles were not simply observed but reimagined?
The scene becomes a question, what if nature’s cycles were not simply observed but reimagined?
JM: My technique is layered and tactile, beginning on substrates with layers of plaster, gold or silver leaf, dry pigments, beneath the painted surface.
These layers create a hidden history, a foundation as rich and mysterious as the stories I seek to tell.
ACL: I would write all that I knew about Nefertiti's celebration of divine beauty and her fall from grace just as I would weave together the sinking of the R. M. S. Titanic as a kind of warning about the impending loss of American democracy. Together, these three calamities would come together to become one story about how the quest for gilded glory can destroy a dream.
Julie Miles is dedicated to the tactile artistry, craftsmanship and curious wonderment of the painting world.
Julie is a native Virginian, with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her work has been featured in several embassies, hotels, restaurants, private residences and several publications.
Julie’s canvases begin with layers of different substrates. Then, are often gilded with gold or silver leaf and painted.
Julie’s paintings explore the natural world in the form of pods, seeds, plants, orbs, birds, animals and often bees.
Website: www.jmilesstudios.com/
Instagram: @j_miles_art
All images copyright Julie Miles.
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