Can you grow out of self-doubt? In today’s episode, I talk with Netvvrk member Julie Peppito about the trappings of childhood precociousness and how her negative art school experiences impacted her sense of self-worth and even her participation in the art world. And we talk about how she navigated out of negative experiences into a space of greater self-acceptance and artistic fulfillment.

Julie Peppito Biography

Julie Peppito (b.1970, Tulsa, OK) combines multiple materials to create creature-like sculptures, layered tapestries, installations, collages, and playground art. The hybrid forms are about connection, waste, and escapism.

Peppito holds an MFA with a concentration in sculpture from Alfred University in Alfred, NY (2004) and she received her BFA from The Cooper Union in New York, NY (1992). Peppito’s work has been the subject of 10 solo exhibitions. She has exhibited at many New York non-profit and commercial galleries including: Kentler International Drawing Space, curated by Charlotta Kotik, The Long Island Children’s Museum, Heskin Contemporary, Art in General, PS122, Momenta, and Ethan Cohen Gallery, among others. Peppito received a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Sculpture (2001). You can see her playground art at J.J. Byrne Playground (completed 2012) and James Forten Playground (completed 2007), both in Brooklyn, NY.

In 2022, Peppito created a “bird condo” that was on display at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens as part of the exhibit “For the Birds”. Peppito creates, teaches art, and lives in Brooklyn, NY with her partner Gideon Kendall and their son.