A curated playlist by Julie Ouellet
Meet Julie Ouellet, a multi-hyphenate creative from Quebec who now lives in LA with her son Charlie. Julie is a curator, stylist, artist, and self-proclaimed "community gatherer" with a beautiful gift for bringing people together through events and activations.
NOTO: Tell us about yourself! Who are you and what you do?
JULIE: It's been hard for me to take full possession of a title as of lately. It also feels strange to do so for some reason. I think I am maturing and transitioning into a role as a creative director within the art industry, as I continue to contribute to the overall vision and execution of creative projects flowing into my direction. One thing I am for sure is a mom. I am a very proud mother to Charlie Rock, who is 14 years old, and inspires everything I do from my famous bolognese to working on becoming the best version of myself daily.
NOTO: What was your creative process like when curating tracks for this playlist? Did you start with a specific theme or mood in mind?
JULIE: I wouldn't say I was following a theme of some sort. My inspiration changes constantly depending on my aura du jour, sometimes happy, sometimes unfortunate. I made this one by listening to my own dialogue. To me, creating a playlist is one of the best ways to communicate collectively without having to use words. If I ever send someone a playlist without being asked, I probably care deeply for them or have something to say that words can't express.
NOTO: Are there any particular emotions or narratives you want us to experience as we listen through the playlist?
JULIE: From making a playlist to planning an event, styling or having friends over for dinner, what matters for me is for people to actually FEEL SOMETHING. We live in a strange time where we need to learn once more how to feel. We are constantly over-stimulated mentally and emotionally, and I miss the times where a song was enough to make your day.
NOTO: What is your favorite NOTO product?
JULIE: The Resurface Scrub and the Deep Serum, but lately I realized I have a better day when I submerge myself in the Rooted Oil. The scent evokes a feeling of inner strength in me and activates a calm emotional response right away. It is sexiness to the extreme.
NOTO: What does universally sexy mean to you?
JULIE: The word universally resonates with a big circle to me, a circle that is constantly moving. Sexiness more often translates to me when I get caught focussed on details on someone. Sexiness is universal because it's in everyone when you DARE to take time to really look at them. We often don't take time to see the beauty in detail. Lately vulnerability has been turning me on more than ever, perhaps because I had a rough year humming for genuine comfort in discussions and relationships, from where I became more interested in building community with events in hope to open this swirl.
NOTO: How do you embody self-expression in your daily life?
JULIE: I am constantly searching for ways to improve my artistic communication and I realized the more I take time to take care of myself through self care rituals, the better I am at expressing it correctly. The past couple months I have been playing with sounds associated with images on instagram. What makes me the happiest is when the receptors understand what I wanted them to feel. It became a bit of a daily casual creative tool. I am also a painter working on an ever continuing project named Marguerite. I know one day I'll be ready for a show, and I don't mind if this day comes when I am 80 years old. I somehow don't see it happening here in LA, probably more in Quebec, where I am from.
