Meet Julia Henze | Professional Artist, Urban Sketcher & Art Teacher

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

Hi Julia, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
I used to think that people who have created successful businesses are either very talented or very lucky. Or both. Since I started Brave Brushes Studio, my membership for amateur artists and urban sketchers, I have realized that the key ingredients are hard work and consistent effort – mixed with a playful attitude. This is true both for me as a business owner and for the members of my art community, or for any meaningful endeavor in life.

I remember another artist’s Instagram post I came across one day when I was just starting my business. She talked about how successful she was, how many members she had and how great her life was. I felt jealous and frustrated and thought There’s no way I can do this! Sometime later, I discovered that she had been working on her business for 5 years already. That totally changed how I think about my business and my life.

I used to want things to be nice and easy, to just wake up one day knowing all the right answers, to have a perfect business from the very beginning. Now I know that anything worthwhile in life requires a lot of effort, and I know I have it in me to put in the necessary work. When something goes ‘wrong’, I know I can figure it out.

Brave Brushes Studio has taught me to be brave. To be afraid and still do it. And this is the mindset that I help the members of my community develop. For many people, their artistic journey is filled with self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of failure. My goal is to help amateur artists discover the joy of being brave and adventurous in their creative hobby and have fun.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is bright and happy, this sets me apart from other urban sketchers. In urban sketching, you typically draw what you see, so the sketches aren’t very colorful. There’s often a lot of grey or brown in urban landscapes. I love adding color to the world around me, and I am not afraid to make things up. My palette is full of happy colors with fancy names: perylene violet, opera rose, potter’s pink, transparent orange, naples yellow, cobalt turquoise, indigo, and quinacridone gold. Just listing these colors fills me with joy!

Here’s a little confession: I love looking at my own art and I love sharing my art because it reflects how I see the world around me.

My art journey spans a few decades now. It’s not because I am old, but because I had a really early start. My first two art teachers said I was hopeless and would never make it as an artist. Who says that to a 6-year-old, right? I was a determined kid even back then, so I pushed forward despite this absence of support. Eventually, I graduated from Art Academy in St.Petersburg, Russia, and then also went to The Royal Academy of Art in the Netherlands. This gave me a truly solid foundation in the theory of art, and also mastery of different sketching mediums and different genres.

Having this foundation and also my vast experience as a learner has shaped me as a teacher. While many artists do paint-along tutorials for amateur artists, I always make sure that my instruction helps students gain confidence and independence by teaching them the necessary skills and mindset. The courses in Brave Brushes Studio make up a structured roadmap that you can follow in order to develop these skills. At the same time, I want the learning process to be fun and playful for my members. That’s why our courses are called Adventures. You never know where they will take you! We want to help amateur artists stop seeing the learning process as something tedious and difficult, and to help them be brave, independent and proud of their art. This is the most rewarding aspect of my business.

Fun fact: I also have a degree in Law. Don’t ask me what I was thinking! There was this time in my life when I thought I should have a proper career and didn’t touch my art supplies for a few years. But art always finds its way back into your life, doesn’t it?

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When visiting the Netherlands, most people tend to go to Amsterdam, but if you truly want to immerse yourself in the country’s culture, I recommend venturing beyond the capital city and exploring other locations.

Here’s my top 5 list:

Hotel New York in Rotterdam

Kubuswoningen (Cube Houses) in Rotterdam

Delft

Leiden

Gare du Nord (a vegan restaurant) in Rotterdam

Kop van Zuid
This is one of the best spots to visit in Rotterdam, especially on a hot summer day. It features impressive modern architecture, a breathtaking view of the Erasmus Bridge, the Cruise Terminal with its gigantic ships, and the charming Hotel New York. This hotel once served as a departure point for ships headed to America. People left the Netherlands during that era in search of new opportunities and better lives in distant lands. The hotel now stands as a reminder of that time and the courage it took for people to embark on new beginnings.

2. Kubus Woningen in Rotterdam
These cube-shaped houses are well-known around the world and never fail to impress. They are a great challenge for urban sketches, but if you are not into sketching, you should still definitely visit them! Make sure you go inside the apartment (for just a couple of euros) and see how this architecture works on the inside. I’ve been there several times but it’s still fun every time.

3. Delf is an old little town that feels like a fairy tale, especially its main square, De Grote Markt. The Grand Market Square is located centrally in the city center. The square serves as the ‘living room’ of the city. Markets and events have been held here since the 12th century. What’s special is the presence of the City Hall and the New Church, directly facing each other on the square. Thanks to its unique size and history, the square is a European icon. I love walking around Delft and thinking about what was happening behind its facades three or four centuries ago. It also has one of my favorite vegan restaurants, the Hummus.

4. Leiden is another old city with beautiful architecture. it’s historical center is bigger than Delft’s. Its lively lifestyle is largely shaped by the university, my Alma Mater. As I walk around, I want to stop on every corner and take a photo or make a sketch. But the best part is the terraces of its numerous restaurants and cafes along the river. Sitting at the table, looking at boats going past old houses is one of the greatest pleasures you can experience in the Netherlands.

5. Gare du Nord
This place has delicious vegan food combined with an unusual setting. The restaurant is inside an old train carriage, which is fun on its own, but it is also surrounded by a garden where many of the ingredients are grown. You can also sit in the garden if the weather is good. You forget you’re actually in the center of a big busy city.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To do great things, you need a partner. So my shoutout is to the other founder of Brave Brushes Studio, Anna.

Even though I am very passionate about art and teaching art, it would have been impossible to implement my vision for Brave Brushes Studio on my own. We are two very different people who complement each other perfectly. Anna organizes my creative chaos, does not let me get carried away, and takes care of the tech side of our business – and a bunch of other things so I can concentrate on sketching and teaching.

We met at a networking event in a membership that we were both part of, so we share the core belief in the power of community and the joy of having the support of like-minded people. This gave us the idea for our business and the motivation to work.

This is also a friendship that I truly treasure, a friendship that goes beyond business goals and tasks. Actually, I am writing this at Anna’s home in Provence, France, where I am spending my summer break.

Website: https://bravebrushes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia_henze/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueinkstudionederland

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@julia_henze

Other: My art blog: https://www.juliahenze.com/blog My Redbubble Shop: https://www.redbubble.com/people/BlueInkStudio/shop Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/juliahenze