Meet Catherine Just | Visual Artist & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine Just and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued an artistic career because it offered the most authentic expression of who I am and what I want to contribute during my time here on the planet. My journey began in high school when, despite struggling with a meth addiction, my art teacher recognized something in me that I couldn’t see in myself. That moment of being truly seen changed everything.

After getting sober at 18, art became my anchor. I studied conceptual photography, film, and video, fascinated by the process of transforming internal landscapes—emotions, unspoken thoughts, the undercurrents of relationships—into visual poetry. This creative translation became a form of medicine, allowing me to articulate what I couldn’t say with words.

Now, 37 years sober, I’m still fascinated by the process of digging in deep to what exists beneath the surface of everyday life and turning it into something visual. I’m particularly drawn to the tactile processes of large format film cameras, Polaroids, alternative processes, pinhole cameras, long exposures and darkroom experimentation.

The act of creation connects me to the present moment. It creates a pathway to flow states where I feel connected to something larger—call it source, god, or Consciousness—allowing me to listen with my entire being and respond creatively to whatever emerges.

In the end, I pursued art because it saved my life and continues to. It provided focus when I needed direction, and continues to keep me curious and deeply engaged. Art helps me translate the unspoken and unseen realms of human experience into a language that connects us all.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art investigates love, loss, longing, and what lives between them. I’m drawn to exploring relationships of all kinds—the unseen aspects of love, connection, intimacy—and what exists beneath the surface of our everyday experiences. While photography is my primary medium, I typically work across several projects and mediums simultaneously.

One of my ongoing projects is called “Capturing Breath on Film,” where I travel internationally with my 4×5 large format camera to create portraits using long exposures. These capture not just an image, but breath, heartbeat, and unspoken dreams, wishes, intentions and desires. We mark a moment that matters. Instead of using a tripod, I stack books meaningful to my subject and I add one of mine, the book about Camille Claudel, a favorite artist of mine at the top.

I’m preparing “Chasing Fog: Learning How To Breathe” for the Milan Photo Fair this March. This series uses self-portraiture with vintage Polaroid cameras to investigate love, intimacy, identity and longing. Exhibiting this work in Los Angeles, Paris, and Arles has been deeply rewarding.

In my “Blue is a Poem” series, I create cyanotypes by taping small squares of sunprint paper together—a technique influenced by the Starn Twins. The grid format represents how our experiences of intimacy are built from countless sensory moments, collectively forming a memory.

I love to hand stitch on my Polaroids and Photographs, type on Polaroids with a vintage typewriter, Carve and use printmaking techniques independent of my photography process, add gold leaf, painting, drawing and any other medium I’m feeling inspired to use. I’ve created my own alternative calligraphy look and absolutely love the experience of the push and pull of ink onto paper with these beautiful pens.

I share my approach by teaching courses like “Self Portraiture as Medicine” and mentoring other artists—paying forward what my high school art teacher once gave me. This path hasn’t been easy, but it’s far more fulfilling than any conventional job I’ve had. I’ve learned to give myself permission to pivot, experiment, and continue learning rather than repeating the same formula.

I’m currently developing a project centered around Down syndrome that explores how valuable each person’s story is, challenging us to connect with people beyond their diagnoses. My son Max being the main focus of this series.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Let’s start with food:

Verve Coffee on Melrose off Roberston. Sitting out on their patio with jasmine pearl tea.

The Butchers Daughter on Abbott Kinney in Venice or on Melrose in West Hollywood. The waffles or the avocado toast please and thank you. The Rose Cardamom Latte is a must.

Sushi: Noshi Sushi. Forever amen.

Tacos. All of the Tacos. So many places to choose from. Tocaya in West Hollywood. Sonoratown in Miracle Mile. Mid East Tacos in Silverlake.

GJUSTA in Venice

Cafe Gratitude in Venice

American Beauty in Venice

Gracias Madre in West Hollywood

Places to go:

Hike near Tree People off Mulholland Drive, or up near Griffith Park and the Observatory

Santa Monica or anywhere along the coast during sunset

Music at the Hollywood bowl

Huntington Library and Gardens in Pasadena

Book Soup in West Hollywood

Rose Bowl Swap Meet

Art:

LACMA

Hauser & Wirth in the Arts District downtown

The Getty

Bergamot Station

Leica Gallery

The Broad

Photo Shops:

Freestyle Photographic

Samy’s Camera

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The people that changed my life, supported my artistic efforts and encouraged my success:

My high school art teacher, Susan Burke, who believed in me when I was at my lowest. She taught me how to see the shapes of shadow and light and how to draw and paint and think outside the box. She opened the doorway to a life beyond addiction and into creation.

My mother, Dee Dee Just, who believed in me and encouraged me to apply to art school. She’s the biggest collector of my artwork. It’s covering her walls and she’s always proud to point it out to anyone that comes to visit. She showed me with her own creative career that you can be whatever you want to be and that you don’t have to settle for what anyone else thinks you should be.

David Goldes, who taught conceptual photography in art school which blew my mind wide open to the possibilities.

Cig Harvey, mentor and friend. She helped me see the value in allowing the work to tell me things instead of trying to control the outcome. She taught me a way into the creative process that changed the way I think about making art.

Aline Smithson who mentored me and taught me how to have a creative career.

Jamie Johnson: Her devotion to her work inspires me. She’s helped me get my work out into the world. She believes in me and pushes me to get going. I’m forever grateful for the opportunities and support she’s offered me.

Miguel Ruiz, Author of the Four Agreements. I personally apprenticed with him and it changed my life from the inside out.

My son Max, who teaches me how to be joy filled, loving to everyone, free and fully self expressed.

Website: https://catherinejust.com

Instagram: @cjust

Youtube: @Catherine_Just

Other: Podcast: Into the Deep with Catherine Just on Spotify