Collective Visions Gallery Welcomes Returning Artist Howard Julien

by Howard Julien

by Howard Julien

by Howard Julien

Collective Visions Gallery is pleased to welcome back artist Howard Julien this June. A former gallery member and past CVG president, he returns with a distinctive body of steam-bent wood sculpture that blends craftsmanship, engineering, and organic form.

Working primarily in oak and walnut, Howard creates elegant sculptural pieces using a process he developed himself through years of experimentation. Thin strips of wood are steam bent, laminated, and shaped into flowing forms inspired by herons, orcas, eagles, ducks, and other natural subjects. While many of his pieces reference wildlife, the work often leans equally into abstraction and design, emphasizing line, movement, and balance.

Howard’s artistic path began after retiring from a career as a computer server engineer in 2015. Though he had worked with wood for years, he became fascinated by bent-wood sculpture after encountering a piece in a gallery in eastern Canada. Without formal instruction or established methods to follow, he began developing his own techniques through trial and error, eventually refining the unique process seen in his work today.

Because each sculpture is formed from individual wood strips with varying grain patterns, coloration, and flexibility, no two pieces are exactly alike. Even when using the same molds, subtle variations emerge naturally through the behavior of the wood itself — a collaboration between artist and material that gives each piece its own character.

In addition to his free-standing sculptures, Howard also creates functional and decorative works including lamps, furniture, and wall-mounted pieces that blur the line between sculpture and design. His work combines precision with simplicity, resulting in pieces that feel both carefully engineered and quietly organic.

Visitors can explore Howard Julien’s work beginning in June at Collective Visions Gallery in downtown Bremerton.