Published 27/3/2026
by
Julie Wilkinson / Makerie Studio
Some evenings linger a little longer than others.
Julie Wilkinson opened her byOne exhibition on March 19, and what an evening it was. The space was filled with people, conversations and a shared sense of curiosity. With Italian wine, cheese and sweets as part of the evening, there was a warmth that felt both personal and generous, echoing Julie’s background.
Julie’s practice moves between the tactile and the visual, often exploring the relationship between form, texture and quiet storytelling. The works in this exhibition invite a slower kind of looking, where small details and subtle shifts in material take center stage
We spoke with Julie about her process and the thoughts behind the exhibition:
What was on your mind while working on this exhibition?
The initial spark was quite simple: to turn my daughter’s drawings of flowers into something more permanent, expanding the moments we spend creating together into sculptural forms. This tied in with other ideas I had around the theme of flowers, and these gently evolved alongside each other into a body of work tied together by personal stories and material exploration.
Most of the pieces in the show have a deeper meaning embedded in them: Insieme / Together is a series that brings together silhouettes of flowers collected by my daughter on special occasions, layered over fragments of 100-year-old wallpaper from the home my Italian grandparents built. Capire quasi tutto / Understanding almost everything is a visual representation of how it feels (to me) to live in a foreign country.
Some of the pieces changed a lot while I was making them, and other ideas were discarded because they were too superficial. The byOne concept is such an incredible opportunity for exploration, and I feel very lucky to have been able to make the most of it.
How did the works develop throughout the process?
Many of the pieces started out as a playful idea, and then gathered more significance as I worked on them. The ‘flower chair’ for example was supposed to be a simple wooden totem. Thanks to conversations with the talented makers at Fellesverkstedet, it eventually became a take on a chair my father and I built when I was a child, made to match my daughter’s current height.
Working with and learning about new materials was a huge part of the process, and understanding how to give pieces dimension was a fascinating learning curve.
How did it feel to experience the exhibition with an audience?
Amazing! To see so many people experience it with pure joy and curiosity is something I will never forget. In an age where screens and social media have such a strong hold on our lives, it felt incredibly valuable to be in a room full of people experiencing something tangible, enjoying each other’s company without digital distractions.
The exhibition is still available to experience by appointment through the end of April 2026. Get in touch at post@byhands.no to arrange a visit.
Photos by Helle Navratil and André Gidoin
