Meet Juliana Lua | Artist

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

Hi Juliana, why did you pursue a creative career?
As a child, I was naturally drawn to physical creative activities such as painting, dancing, singing, designing, and making. In my teenage years, my fascination shifted to the designed world around me – objects like chairs and everyday products that shape our lives. This deeply influenced my appreciation for the power of design.

That, in turn, led me to studying Industrial Design for my BA. During that time, I explored many different design disciplines and career directions, ultimately finding two areas that I loved: hands-on making (woods, plastics, metals, etc.) and digital design.

Given where the world has been heading, I decided to pursue a career in digitally focussed design after university, spanning across Experience Design, Digital Transformation and Human-Centred Research in startups, corporates and consulting firms.

Whilst I learnt a lot and grew as a designer, I found myself yearning to reconnect with the physical world and missing the profound joy of working with my hands. And then Covid-19 hit and I lost my sense of smell and taste for an extended period of time. This caused me to question everything and drove me towards reconnecting with the senses I still had through physical creativity, which has influenced the art that I practice today.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I craft sensorial objects and immersive experiences that awaken the senses, spark curiosity, and celebrate individuality. Rooted in sensory exploration and holistic wellbeing, I encourage presence and self-discovery through playful, tactile interactions.

Whilst my work to date has often been inspired by my deep connection to food, nature, and the healing power of creativity, my work embraces a diverse array of influences. I believe that unexpected connections, whether between people, disciplines, ideas, cultures, or materials, often spark the most innovative creations.

My artworks also reflect my personal and professional journey. In 2021, while working in digital consulting, I lost my ability to smell and taste for two years. That experience completely reshaped my relationship with the world. It forced me to pause and confront difficult questions: “why am I doing this? What truly matters?”

Later that year, I made the decision to press reset and focus entirely on healing my mind, body, and soul. In that process, I turned to my other senses and discovered the therapeutic power of clay. The moment I touched it, I felt its meditative energy reignite my creative spirit and the deep joy of working with my hands.

In 2022, I followed that energy and took the leap out of the corporate world and went back to university, pursuing an MA in Design at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Whilst embracing such a stark change in career was challenging, it has unlocked new perspectives and opportunities, leading me to a path that I find more authentic and fulfilling.

Through my journey, the lesson that has shaped me the most as an artist and individual is the importance of embracing uncertainty and myself.

For example, saying “yes and…” a lot. As a self-employed artist, I have to wear many hats: creator, designer, maker, consultant, writer, and marketer just to name a few. That can be overwhelming, but approaching challenges with openness and adaptability has brought unexpected rewards.

Similarly, sharing my work with the world can feel vulnerable, but speaking my truth to the world has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.

I want to be remembered as an artist unafraid to challenge conventions, blur boundaries, and ask: “why not?” Ultimately, I hope to inspire curiosity in others, and help them enjoy discovering themselves and the world around them.

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.
If my best friend was visiting London, I’d suggest we keep the schedule fluid: with a plan to fall back on, but enough space in the itinerary to follow wherever the day (and our mood) takes us.

Mornings would start with some walking through London’s beautiful public parks: strolls through Holland Park, Green Park, Kew Gardens and Richmond Park would all be on the agenda.

We could follow those with a local lunch or a picnic, soaking up the greenery and people-watching if the sun’s out.

For a cultural fix, we’d visit my favourite museums like the V&A, then maybe stumble upon an exhibition or an unexpected pop-up experience.

We’d also spend an afternoon wandering through Notting Hill or Shoreditch, hunting for vintage treasures and discovering antique jewellery tucked away in hidden corners. There’s something magical about finding a piece with a story behind it.

Dinners would be a mix of the old and the new: visiting my favourite restaurants like The Delaunay for timeless charm or Pachamama for a contemporary fusion of flavours. I’d also host a dinner at home, cooking the food I love for my close friends.

Of course, we’d have to visit London’s West End for a night at the theatre before my best friend left – maybe something whimsical like My Neighbour Totoro or classic like The Mousetrap would round the trip off perfectly.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my husband, my pillar of support through my healing journey. He has seen me at my lowest and highest, always celebrating me for who I am and encouraging me to be the best version of myself. His unwavering belief in me has been a constant source of strength.

Website: https://www.julianalua.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianalua/

Image Credits
Giovanni Bello
Juliana Lua
Kolo Lee
Lucrezia Venturelli
Raisa Gates