About

Creating. Exploring. Connecting.

The Artist Behind Fahrside Studios

I’ve never been very good at choosing just one way to make art.

I’m a Nebraska artist and graphic designer who spent more than 40 years working in the creative industry. Now I have the freedom to spend more of my time making art of my own, exploring everything from painting and pastels to photography, digital illustration, and whatever new medium catches my imagination.

Much of my work begins with something that makes me stop and look a little longer: the beauty in ordinary life, something remarkable in nature, a person or story that moves me, or the work of another artist that sends my imagination in a new direction. My work has received awards from the Fremont Area Art Association and the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs, but what matters most to me is creating something that makes another person stop, feel, remember, or see something differently.

I also believe strongly in building connections through the arts. I’m a founding member of the Blue River Arts Council and currently volunteer with Open Draft in Lincoln, helping strengthen connections among artists, arts organizations, venues, and the people who enjoy what we create.

At a Glance

Owner: Fahrside Studios
Volunteer: Lincoln Arts & Culture Open Draft
Member: Association of Nebraska Art Clubs
Member: Fremont Area Art Association
Founding Member & Designer: Blue River Arts Council
Past Curator: Crete Public Library Gallery
Director & Contralto: 4 Sisters in Christ
CliftonStrengths: Harmony | Connectedness | Consistency | Empathy | Discipline

Join the Fahrside Community

Embers on the Horizon: Pastel | 8 x 11.5" unframed I love Nebraska scenery. This piece features the morning mist as it softens the landscape and the rising sun glows like a solitary ember above the horizon. Reflections reveal evidence of a recent rain, capturing a fleeting moment between night and day. This truly is a magical time, and pastels are the perfect medium to capture these subtle color shifts. "Embers" celebrates the quiet beauty and vast openness that make the Great Plains feel both intimate and infinite. #fahrsidestudios #nebraskaartist

Having fun quilling decorations for the pumpkin fest in Crete. Hope you come out to see me the first Sunday in October! #fahrsidestudios #nebraskaastist

Finally splurged to get a profession print of "Mona Rae" and set it in the frame! Don't know where this frame came from, but has been in waiting around for years. Wow - what a difference a frame can make! Stay tuned as I print and frame more of my digital work. #fahrsidestudios #nebraskaartist Mona Rae began as an exploration of classical portraiture interpreted through a contemporary digital lens. The simplified geometric forms, layered color fields, and subtle textures create a dialogue between old and new, blending Renaissance inspiration with modern graphic aesthetics. Layered with a Mona Lisa-like background, this work reflects an ongoing interest in reimagining familiar imagery through a fresh visual language. ~Julie Fahrlander

I'm preparing for my first ever art fair in October! Question... is it too early to bring Christmas? I'll have original framed artwork, plus some more affordable seasonal pieces like ornaments for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. One piece I'm especially excited to share is 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙡𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙢, which will be available in three versions: • Limited Edition 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅-𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 Fine Art Print • 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅-𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 Translucent Ornament • Illuminated Window Panel (Reusable Window Clings) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙡𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙢... Every Christmas, my father-in-law transformed their front windows into glowing scenes of the season using nothing more than colored cellophane and electrical tape. Some were quite elaborate: angels, musicians... every display was different. Year after year he quietly shared the joy, hope, and true meaning of Christmas with everyone who passed by their house. I was captivated by those handmade windows and the warmth they brought to the neighborhood. He inspired me to carry on the tradition. For several years I created my own displays entirely by hand, just as he had. But I wished there were a way to preserve my favorite designs. We need something outside to show we share the joy of Christmas. So for those of us who don't enjoy climbing on the roof or blowing up cute characters, I created an easy way to share the holiday spirit with a lovely window cling. This piece is my tribute to those handmade windows that first inspired me. And who knows... maybe it's the beginning of a whole series. 😊 I'd love to hear what Christmas scenes you'd enjoy seeing in your own windows. Image shown is a simulation of the ornament. The finished ornament will feature translucent acrylic, ribbon and hanger, and will be individually hand-embellished with gold leaf and paint. Each one will be unique and signed by me - the artist.

Stopped by a farmers market yesterday and got this beauty! Got some sourdough and red leaf lettuce and made our first BLT of the summer. Man! It was so good! (Yes, we already had bacon - Eric’s favorite food group.)

Guy with a Hoop Earring Pencil, charcoal, pastel, acrylic, and iridescent silver on grey paper Color often tells us where to look. Without it, we begin to notice something else: light itself. Created for a black-and-white exhibition, this portrait pays quiet tribute to Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring while embracing the dramatic shadows and intimacy found in Caravaggio's work. Working with graphite, charcoal, pastel, acrylic, and touches of iridescent silver revealed an unexpected richness. Matte blacks absorb light while reflective surfaces return it, allowing the portrait to shift subtly as the viewer moves. Sometimes removing color doesn't simplify an image. It uncovers a different kind of beauty, one built from contrast, texture, and the quiet conversation between darkness and light. #fahrsidestudios #nebraskaartist

Is a piece of art ever really finished? This painting, originally "completed" in 2014, never quite felt right to me. The background was too bright, the chair demanded too much attention, and the story got a little lost. So here we are... version 3. This time, the focus is where it belongs. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙 Oil | 30 × 40" A well-loved book can become a passport to places both real and imagined. I changed the title to reflect the quiet concentration of the reader (my daughter) and the simple joy of getting lost in a good book. Whether it's fiction, history, fantasy, a biography, or a how-to guide, every book has the power to take us somewhere new. #fahrsidestudios #nebraskaartist

Kicking my professionalism up a notch by adding skill to make my art gallery ready. (Though this may never show in a gallery as it was commissioned.) Joe, it’s edged, glazed, has a dust cover, wires, cushions, and is ready to go next time you come through. We plan to enjoy it until then. 😊

Reflections: Acrylic | 15.75 × 12.75 Created during my early return to painting, Reflections marked an important step in moving beyond realism toward visual storytelling. Rather than describing every detail, I began allowing light, softened brushwork, and carefully controlled edges to carry the emotional weight of the composition. The reflections in the window become more than a visual device. They merge interior and exterior worlds, leaving viewers to wonder whether the subject is remembering, anticipating, grieving, or simply enjoying a rare moment of stillness. By leaving the story unfinished, the painting invites each viewer to become part of its narrative. #fahrsidestudios #nebraskaartist

Mona Rae: Digital Art | 14 x 18 | 2023 What began as an exploration of classical portraiture turned into a dialogue between old and new, blending Renaissance inspiration with modern graphic aesthetics. With my daughter Rae as my muse, I layered Adobe Illustrator work with a Mona Lisa-like background, re-imagining familiar imagery through a fresh contemporary language.

Artist Resume

For those who want more

Education

1986: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Commercial Art, summa cum laude
University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Nebraska

Additional Study

2025: Watercolor Retreat
Perigord, France - Instructor: Renee Walden

1979-1982: Various Painting Workshop
Fremont Area Art Association

Memberships

2016–Present: Fremont Area Art Association (FAAA)
2016–Present: Association of Nebraska Art Clubs (ANAC)

Exhibitions

Solo & Group Exhibitions

2025: A World of Wonder: Crete Public Library Gallery, Crete, Nebraska

2018: Meister Family Art Exhibition: Fremont, Nebraska

Juried Exhibitions

2016–Present: Fremont Area Art Association Annual Juried Exhibitions, All Member Art Shows, Themed Shows

2016–Present: Association of Nebraska Art Clubs State Exhibition

Mediums

Digital Illustration
Pastel
Mixed Media
Oil Painting
Acrylic Painting
Watercolor
Quilling and more

Arts Leadership and Service

Open Draft: Volunteer, 2025-Present

Collaborate with artists, arts organizations, community leaders, and local venues to strengthen Lincoln’s creative community through strategic planning and collaboration. Participate in brainstorming initiatives to identify opportunities for supporting visual, performing, literary, and musical artists. Contribute to the development of a centralized arts website by helping define features, organizing foundational databases, and coordinating with project leadership and the web development team.

Blue River Arts Council: Board Member, 2019–2025

Participated in the restoration and revitalization of the historic Isis Theatre in Crete, Nebraska. Contributed graphic design, marketing, donor recognition, and fundraising support, including creation of the Blue River Arts Council and Isis Theatre logos, theatre marquee design, donor wall design, annual reports, and promotional materials.

Birds of a Feather Art Project: Committee Chair, 2019

Led a community-wide public art and fundraising initiative featuring large sculptural bird installations under the purview of the Blue River Arts Council. Responsibilities included artist recruitment, sponsorship coordination, design review, promotional materials, sculpture design coordination with Poly-Icon, and participation as a contributing artist.

Crete Public Library Gallery Program: Curator, 2019–2025

Developed and managed a rotating exhibition program featuring professional artists, emerging artists, college students, and youth exhibitions from across Nebraska. Responsibilities included artist recruitment, exhibition scheduling, installation, promotion, receptions, and coordination of exhibition policies and sales procedures.