She Stared At Her Fear Until It Became Beautiful I Julia Brevetti

Art often begins with a spark a quiet pull toward expression that grows into something larger than us. For some, it’s born from stillness; for others, from motion. For Julia Brevetti, it began in the fast-paced rhythm of sports fields and the vivid worlds of imagination, where teamwork and creativity first intertwined to shape her artistic spirit.

This week, for our Best of Art World series, we’re thrilled to share Julia’s story one that bridges energy and introspection, realism and abstraction, playfulness and depth. A Toronto-based artist with a strikingly modern sensibility, Julia blends pop art, realism, and abstract influences into a visual language that’s bold, emotional, and unmistakably her own.

Her “Vintage Car Collection” reflects precision and nostalgia, while her “Skull Collection” transforms fear into fascination turning mortality into artful dialogue. Each piece reveals her ability to balance detail with daring, structure with spontaneity.

Through her work, Julia reminds us that art doesn’t have to be flawless to be powerful. It simply has to be real. In this interview, she opens up about her creative journey, her relationship with social media, and how facing her fears transformed not only her art but herself. Through dedication and authenticity, she built an online community of over 180K followers and reached 80 million views, all while staying true to her evolving vision.

In this interview, Julia opens up about her inspirations, her evolving relationship with social media, and the personal growth that comes from painting both joy and fear into something beautifully human. Step into her world and discover how she continues to redefine what it means to create with heart.

Q1. Can you tell us a bit about your background where you grew up, key influences, and how your journey led you to become the artist you are today?

I grew up in Toronto, Canada, and was always very athletic, playing both hockey and soccer. I’ve always loved the teamwork aspect of sports and the experience of working together toward a shared goal. In school, I excelled in the arts—both drama and visual arts. In my spare time, I would paint Marvel characters, which eventually led me to explore other styles of art.

I’m drawn to many different approaches to painting, but when it comes to my own work, I find myself gravitating most toward pop art. People have often told me that my style gives off “Andy Warhol” vibes, and I would say he’s definitely one of my biggest inspirations.

Over time, I’ve also discovered countless incredible artists through social media, especially TikTok, which later became the main platform I used to share my own work. By consistently posting, I was able to grow a following of over 180K across platforms and reach 80 million views in a single year. This growth gave me the opportunity to pursue art full-time and continue expanding my brand in new and exciting ways.

Q2. You blend pop art, realism, and abstraction in your work. How did you come to that hybrid visual language? Was it gradual or more sudden?

My style has developed through experimenting with many different painting techniques and discovering what resonates most with me. I enjoy blending elements of realism with pop art and abstract influences. This combination draws the viewer’s eye to different areas of the canvas, creating a dynamic experience where there’s always something new to notice and interpret. I believe my style will continue to evolve over time, and I find that growth both exciting and inspiring

Q3. Your “Vintage Car Collection” and your more abstract works feel very different in mood. What draws you to both realism (cars, icons) and abstraction, and how do they inform each other?

It makes sense for me to paint cars in a more realistic style because vintage cars have such intricate detail that it feels important to do them justice. I also enjoy balancing highly detailed, realistic pieces with more abstract works, as it allows me to express myself in different ways while challenging and developing a range of artistic skills.

Q4. Many artists feel pressure to produce content for social media. How do you manage that pressure while staying true to your deeper artistic impulses?

When I first started posting, I had about 10K followers and challenged myself to post one video every day for a year as a social experiment. In that year, I grew to 180K followers and reached 80 million views. However, the process came at a cost. Forcing myself to post daily often meant creating 2–4 paintings a day just to have enough content, which sometimes led me to produce work that didn’t feel authentic to my vision. At times, I felt more like a “social media artist” than a real artist, worried that people wouldn’t take me seriously because I was prioritizing quantity over quality. Over time, though, I found a healthier balance and learned how to use social media and video editing to my advantage, which helped relieve much of that pressure and go back to creating art that made me proud.

Q5. Your Skull Collection carries a very different tone playful on one hand but tied to mortality on the other. How do you personally negotiate that tension between life, death, and humour?

The Skull Collection holds a special place for me. Growing up with OCD, I had a very anxious and difficult relationship with the idea of death. It’s an uncomfortable topic that many people avoid, and I was no exception. But death is inevitable, and I realized that in order to confront my anxieties, I needed to face it directly. Creating this collection became a form of exposure therapy for me a way to process my fears around mortality while transforming them into something meaningful through art.

Q6. How do you hope your art contributes to the broader cultural conversation whether about beauty, memory, mortality, or popular culture?

I hope my art inspires people to take risks in their own lives, whatever they may be. I took a leap of faith when I decided to pursue art full-time, despite not having a formal education in fine art. As a self-taught artist, I’m figuring it out as I go continuously evolving my style and approach.

My work isn’t perfect; some lines are crooked, and there are imperfections throughout—but I see that as part of what makes it art. For a long time, I believed I had to be perfect or the best in order to call myself an artist, especially when I compared myself to others. But I’ve learned that what truly matters is believing in what you create and having the courage to put it out into the world.

Through my journey, I hope people can see that risk-taking and imperfection are part of growth. Whether or not it’s art related, I want others to feel encouraged to chase something they’ve been longing for or to try something new without the fear of needing to be great at it right away.

As we close our conversation with Julia Brevetti, we’re inspired by her fearless embrace of creativity one that thrives on contrast, courage, and authenticity. From vibrant pop art to deeply reflective abstractions, her work captures the pulse of modern expression while keeping a deeply human heart at its core.

Through her art, Julia reminds us that beauty doesn’t come from perfection it comes from presence, from daring to explore, and from transforming imperfections into something meaningful. Whether it’s the gleam of a vintage car or the symbolic depth of her Skull Collection, every piece she creates speaks to the boldness of living fully and feeling deeply.

Julia’s journey is a celebration of growth, honesty, and artistic freedom a reminder that art, like life, is about showing up as you are and letting your truth take shape in colour and form

Follow Julia Brevetti’s journey and step into her vibrant world where colour meets emotion, where courage meets creation, and where every brushstroke tells a story of growth, resilience, and self-belief.