About
I was born in Hollywood a long time ago. I remember jacaranda trees and wild parrots; the thick smell of eucalyptus and jasmine; torrential rains and choking smog; palms and carob trees crammed with songbirds. The Pacific Northwest has different constellations, a different smell and texture. Almost thirty years off the grid placed me squarely in the dirt and water, with the patterns and relationships to be found here. My paintings arise from that messy, fecund interleaving.
Exhibitions
2023: March/April: Art in the Library, Lopez Island Library, WA
PANDEMIC
2018: September/October: One-woman show at Naked City Brewery in Seattle: forest paintings.
August/September: Art in the Library, Lopez Island Library, WA: derelict vehicles paintings.
2017: September/October: One-woman show at Naked City Brewery in Seattle: drums
2016: August/September: One-woman show at Naked City Brewery in Seattle: portraits.
2015: Yearlong: work at Demeter's Bakery in Friday Harbor: small works of trees, birds, fish.
April: Recycled Art: Group Exhibit at Allied Arts in Bellingham: The Harpies Retire.
2009 - 2016: Friday Harbor, Pablito’s Mexican Restaurant: forests and portraits.
2013 - 2016: Friday Harbor, Bakery San Juan: portraits.
2014: April: Recycled Art: Group Exhibit at Allied Arts in Bellingham: Baba Yaga's Suitcase.
2013: July: Group exhibit at Allied Arts in Bellingham: forests and portraits.
2012: Summer: Orcas Center, Eastsound: “Sight, Mind, and Paint: Conversations with Rock, Tree, and Sky, Paintings by Pamela Mills and Julia Loyd.”
2009: Summer: Waldron Island: “Trees and Bones: Two Waldron Artists: 77 paintings by Pamela Mills and Julia Loyd.”
2007: July: Orcas Center Art Show: forests.
2006: Friday Harbor, Island Museum of Art: “A Natural Connection: Five Artists from the Outer Islands Reflect the Living Earth:” photography.
2000: Seattle: University District StreetFair: fabric arts and drums.
1998: Enumclaw: Highland Games: fabric arts and drums.
1989-94: Waldron’s Farmcrafter catalogue, pen and ink illustrations.
1989: The Southern California Wheat Weaving Museum: pen and ink illustrations for archival documentation of thirty pieces in the collection.
1973 - 1980: Southern and Northern California Renaissance Faires: fabric arts.
PANDEMIC
2018: September/October: One-woman show at Naked City Brewery in Seattle: forest paintings.
August/September: Art in the Library, Lopez Island Library, WA: derelict vehicles paintings.
2017: September/October: One-woman show at Naked City Brewery in Seattle: drums
2016: August/September: One-woman show at Naked City Brewery in Seattle: portraits.
2015: Yearlong: work at Demeter's Bakery in Friday Harbor: small works of trees, birds, fish.
April: Recycled Art: Group Exhibit at Allied Arts in Bellingham: The Harpies Retire.
2009 - 2016: Friday Harbor, Pablito’s Mexican Restaurant: forests and portraits.
2013 - 2016: Friday Harbor, Bakery San Juan: portraits.
2014: April: Recycled Art: Group Exhibit at Allied Arts in Bellingham: Baba Yaga's Suitcase.
2013: July: Group exhibit at Allied Arts in Bellingham: forests and portraits.
2012: Summer: Orcas Center, Eastsound: “Sight, Mind, and Paint: Conversations with Rock, Tree, and Sky, Paintings by Pamela Mills and Julia Loyd.”
2009: Summer: Waldron Island: “Trees and Bones: Two Waldron Artists: 77 paintings by Pamela Mills and Julia Loyd.”
2007: July: Orcas Center Art Show: forests.
2006: Friday Harbor, Island Museum of Art: “A Natural Connection: Five Artists from the Outer Islands Reflect the Living Earth:” photography.
2000: Seattle: University District StreetFair: fabric arts and drums.
1998: Enumclaw: Highland Games: fabric arts and drums.
1989-94: Waldron’s Farmcrafter catalogue, pen and ink illustrations.
1989: The Southern California Wheat Weaving Museum: pen and ink illustrations for archival documentation of thirty pieces in the collection.
1973 - 1980: Southern and Northern California Renaissance Faires: fabric arts.
Publications
2016: Barsh, Russel (text) and Mira, Julia (illustrations): “A Bouquet of Pollinators from the San Juan Islands.”
2015: Barsh, Russel (text) and Mira, Julia (illustrations): “Fish Identification Guide for the San Juan Islands”
2007: Zoo Tales by Rebecca Lovejoy: cover design.
2000: “Plants and Animals of Waldron Island” calendar: drawings.
1999: “Derelict Boats of Waldron Island” calendar: drawings.
1998: “A Natural History of Waldron Island,” a self-published book written with two students: drawings.
1984: El Rancho de Dinah, a bilingual Spanish book about my farm: drawings.
1983: Baby Crece, a bilingual Spanish book about my horse: drawings.
1980: A Chaparral Alphabet, an accordion alphabet book: drawings.
2015: Barsh, Russel (text) and Mira, Julia (illustrations): “Fish Identification Guide for the San Juan Islands”
2007: Zoo Tales by Rebecca Lovejoy: cover design.
2000: “Plants and Animals of Waldron Island” calendar: drawings.
1999: “Derelict Boats of Waldron Island” calendar: drawings.
1998: “A Natural History of Waldron Island,” a self-published book written with two students: drawings.
1984: El Rancho de Dinah, a bilingual Spanish book about my farm: drawings.
1983: Baby Crece, a bilingual Spanish book about my horse: drawings.
1980: A Chaparral Alphabet, an accordion alphabet book: drawings.
Teaching
1979 - 2019: Classroom teacher, mostly K - 8 but occasionaly high school. I have a special interest in integrating art with the other subjects I teach. Since 1989, I've taught in an off-the-grid public school in the San Juan Islands of Washington State.
Citizen Science
I helped establish and maintain a Citizen Science group in the San Juan Islands, focusing on marine research. This work informs my paintings and photographs. In 2010, I received a Good Steward Award from the Stewardship Network of the San Juans.
Education
My degrees are in mathematics (Pomona College) and education (Claremont Graduate University). I absorbed art from my maternal grandparents and mother. My grandfather was an Abstract Expressionist and art teacher, my grandmother was a portraitist, and my mother was an illustrator and Disney cartoonist (Peter Pan).
