Growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan, Julia and her sister went to the beach armed with buckets and shovels. Shaping the sand and clay, in long sleeves no less, it's no wonder Julia's first degree was in sculpture.

She started at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) thinking she'd study drawing and painting but soon found that she "liked to build stuff." She completed her sculpture degree and soon found herself balancing a number of jobs, including starting a gallery with a group of fellow artists. Inspired by the opportunities to participate in public art, and perhaps a full-time job, Julia earned her degree in landscape architecture and found a perfect fit.

Although the daughter of a veterinarian, she says she doesn't have exotic pets anymore; then proceeds to tell us about her leopard gecko, who is 24+ years old and still going strong, and the escape artist iguana that used to show up on the back of her couch. I guess it's all a matter of persepctive.

A recreational biker, potter, rockhound, gardener, and yogi, Julia fits in quite comfortably at Saiki Design. Her background in two and three-dimensional art is apparent as she sketches away at her desk. As playing in the sand at the beach helped shape her life, we're excited to see how she, in turn, gives shape to the larger landscape.

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