It is hard to believe Julie Benbassat is just a sophomore student at RISD. Benbassat’s work is sophisticated beyond her years, and we expect she will be dominating the illustration world in no time.
“I was lucky that a lot of people supported my decision to go to art school (my parents, my teachers, my friends and acquaintances), so I only got a little taste of the obnoxious people who thought all artists starved.”
Muse’s Milk: Tell us your story.
Julie Benbassat: To put it bluntly, I was raised by a really cute Jewish, elderly white couple, both being nearly 50 when they adopted me from China. Since I was only a baby when I was adopted, I didn’t retain any of the culture or customs from China. To avoid becoming culturally illiterate, my parents tried taking me to Chinese school, reading me Chinese stories and moving us to a diverse area in New Jersey. As a kid I had my parents teaching me the fundamentals of Judaism and folk music while my Chinese American friends and their families helped me reconnect with my birth country.
I think this combination had a lasting impression on me. I see it in my work from time to time (fusing Asian aesthetics with Jewish and American thought processes).
In terms of education, I went to a good public school system. My high school art program was pretty good in comparison to most of the other schools around us. I was lucky that a lot of people supported my decision to go to art school (my parents, my teachers, my friends and acquaintances), so I only got a little taste of the obnoxious people who thought all artists starved.
MM: Can you speak about your illustration process? How you approach personal assignments vs. client work?
JB: My process has been constantly changing, and continues to change as I go further into my college years. I’ve noticed I really need to make a lot of sketches before I make a final product, whether it be client work or personal work. This isn’t necessarily because I need a ton of reference shots, but rather because it serves as a warmup to stretch my thinking and creative muscles. Client work actually comes easier because the client has a vision, so I can ask them what they want. Personal work is harder but more enjoyable when the finished product is done. Normally a personal piece takes longer than a client piece (depending on the client’s project though) just because I end up sketching so much. I’m trying to get faster at this, and college has really helped me speed up, so I can only wonder what my process will be like in senior year.
MM: What are you passionate about right now, and why?
JB: Throughout my life I’ve been passionate about girl power and nature in general. This probably has to do with my upbringing. My Mom and Dad are both solid feminists and nature lovers. I try to work these interests into my art, though I’m constantly learning more about each respective topic. Some mornings I find myself just going out to the local plants and sketching them cause they’re so magical, or reading about famous women in history on free days. Sorry if I sound like a super feminist plant nerd. And shockingly, I’m very passionate about tea, as it is my life source. I decided to do a daily drawing challenge in 2015, where I made a tea doodle (teadle) everyday.
MM: Is there anything you want the audience to know about you?
JB: I think I’ve spilled my life story here at this point. I do think it is important to mention that I’m but a mere sophomore at RISD, so I am constantly changing and evolving with no set style and I am in no rush to find it.
