BEDFORD — The Lawrence County Museum of History will celebrate the remarkable life and artistic legacy of Bedford native Julia Wickes Zollman with the exhibition “Julia Wickes Zollman: From Bedford to the World.” An opening reception will be held Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Lawrence County Museum, 929 16th Street, Bedford, Indiana, on the north side of the Courthouse Square.
The reception is free and open to the public and will feature a charcuterie board, sandwiches, and a lemonade and tea bar. Guests are invited to gather with family and friends to experience Julia’s work and celebrate an artist whose curiosity, warmth, and remarkable ability to see beauty in the world found expression on hundreds of canvases.
The exhibition will remain on display August 29 through October 5, 2026.
A Bedford Beginning, A World of Inspiration
Born in Bedford to Jack and Maxine Zollman, Julia grew up surrounded by music, laughter, family and community. She was a spirited and curious young woman who performed in her high school production of Everybody Loves Opal, rode horses at her grandfather’s farm, spent time at her father’s Cadillac dealership and scooped ice cream at Jerry’s Restaurant.
She attended Indiana University, where she studied education and formed lifelong friendships. A three-month summer journey through Europe during her college years opened her eyes to the wider world and sparked a lifelong curiosity about people, places and cultures.
After college, Julia began her career as an elementary school teacher in Indianapolis. There she met Jack Wickes, a recently returned Vietnam veteran. Their love story lasted 52 years. Together they raised three daughters and built a life centered on family, friendship, creativity and community.
The Artist Within
Although Julia had always been drawn to the arts, she did not fully embrace painting until her mid-40s. She began taking fine art courses at Herron Art School, where a professor encouraged her to continue after recognizing that she had something she needed to express.
Julia took that advice seriously.
She became a full-time student at Herron, eventually earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2002. She painted late into the night, immersed herself in books about artists and art theory, and continually challenged herself to grow.
A transformative month as an artist-in-residence in Pont-Aven, France, deepened her artistic journey. The historic village attracted artists including Paul Gauguin in the late 19th century, and the experience left a lasting impression on Julia. In honor of her graduation, her family established the Julia Z. Wickes Scholarship at Herron Art School, providing opportunities for other aspiring artists to study abroad and experience the world that had inspired Julia so deeply.
A Painter and a Storyteller
Julia’s paintings were more than images of places. They were stories.
Throughout her career, she sought to capture the people she encountered, the places she visited, and the moments that stirred her imagination. She was fascinated by the inner lives of those around her and brought that curiosity to her work.
Julia and Jack traveled extensively, and their adventures became a wellspring of artistic inspiration. She sketched people in Thailand, swam in the Amazon River, climbed a volcano in the Aeolian Islands, painted beneath the Egyptian pyramids, found inspiration at Victoria Falls in Africa, and traveled by train through Siberia and Mongolia.
After each journey, Julia returned to her studio and her paints, transforming memories and observations into works of art.
“Julia saw the world in color and sought to capture and share its beauty and joy at every opportunity,” her family wrote in remembering her.
The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to see that world through Julia’s eyes—to experience not only the places she traveled, but also the people, emotions and stories she found along the way.
A Legacy of Creativity and Curiosity
Julia was much more than an accomplished artist. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, neighbor, teacher, community member, reader and enthusiastic encourager of creativity in others.
She was a member of the Fortnightly Literary Club and the Indiana Artists Club and was known for her warmth, kindness, optimism and endless curiosity.
“She was always encouraging the creativity of others,” her family recalled.
Julia passed away on September 15, 2024, following a diagnosis of lung cancer earlier that summer. Her family continues her legacy through the Julia Z. Wickes Scholarship, helping aspiring artists discover the magic of the world through international study.
“Julia Wickes Zollman: From Bedford to the World” is an opportunity for her hometown to welcome her home once again—and to celebrate an artist who carried the spirit of Bedford with her wherever she went.
The Lawrence County Museum of History invites the community to attend the opening reception on Saturday, August 29, from 4 to 7 p.m. and experience this special collection of Julia’s work.
Admission is free, and the public is warmly invited.
