Julie Cifuentes

Born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala in 1985, Julie moved to the United States with her family four years later. Julie's interest and involvement in the visual, musical, and theatrical arts began at an early age.  She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting with a Minor in Art History from Herron School of Art & Design in 2009. While at Herron, Julie became highly involved with Herron's Community Learning Outreach Programs as the Community Learning Program Assistant.  At this post, Julie taught and facilitated fine art education for children and adults in the community - work she continues to do today. Other highlights of her tenure at Herron include the Herron's Excellence in Drawing Award; serving as the President of the student-led Painting Club; two consecutive nominations to IUPUI's annual Top 100 Students listing; and the receipt of the "Director's Choice Award" for her painting "At the Heart of A City" in Herron's partnership show with the Wishard Foundation Works of Hope and Healing.

Recent Cifuentes exhibits:

• Installation Nation, Sponsored by Primary Colours, 2009 in collaboration with local artist Brent Aldrich

• Indy Fringe Festival, Herron School of Art & Design Gallery on Massachusetts Avenue, 2008

• Foliage, Folds, and Fried Chicken, Alchemy Art + Aesthetics, 2008

• Works of Hope and Healing - Marsh Gallery, 2008

Julie on why she chose CCCG:

“When I first heard about the Circle City Chamber Group, the concept immediately caught my attention.  As an artist and a member of the growing arts community here in Indianapolis, the prospect of bringing together different creative entities in the city for one event was very exciting.  Then I learned about Andrew’s vision of creating a discourse about the arts with the young professionals and people in the community by bringing them together in intimate, contemporary locations, to meet the artists creating this new culinary-visual-musical experience; all while getting dressed up and having a night out on the town!  I was hooked.

“As a maturing arts community, we must continually engage and educate the entire spectrum of people in Indianapolis in order to nurture the creative culture that we want to build here.  At CCCG we are not only looking for results in the present, but as artists in our individual crafts, we are striving to initiate a more meaningful dialogue within the community, generating new interest and excitement that will inspire the next generation of art patrons.  I believe in the future of the arts in the city of Indianapolis and that is the reason why I have chosen to be a part of CCCG.”