Knee deep in words and numbers, Julia Kuo decided to supplement her marketing degree with creative classes from Washington University’s art program. Soon enough, her love for art led to a degree switch, and after graduation, a successful career as a freelance illustrator. The fulfilment found in an artistic career was exactly what Julia wanted from life, but after working on jobs for clients, she felt a void that could only be filled with doing work for herself.

“Drawing things I loved about the city would serve as the perfect visual record for myself and for other people that also have memories tied into these places.”

– Julia Kuo

100 Days in Cleveland was born from Julia’s desire to honor her home of four years as well as to create opportunities for developing personal illustrations from beginning to end, without input from a client or project manager. 

There’s little that pulls on my heart strings like a little local lovin.’ Combine that lovin’ with self-started projects and artistic expression…. I’m a goner! Julia has inspired me to check out some semi-local joints in our neighboring city of Cleveland, and maybe get out my sketch book and do something I haven’t done since I graduated from design school over a year ago- sketch!

P.S. Check out the above illustration! It’s our beloved Ashley Toussant! Love!

Tune into Julia’s Tumblr for daily illustrations from Ohio’s very own city of Cleveland. In love with Julia’s illustrations? Buy one for yourself at her Etsy shop.

interview and images courtesy of Julia Kuo