October 8, 2014 at 4:57 p.m.
Ready for her close-up: Rhinelander native traveling the world as international model
Ready for her close-up: Rhinelander native traveling the world as international model
Fast forward 10 years, and Florida, as exotic as it may be, is far from the most exciting destination Sharkey has visited.
She has spent the last decade or so working as a model, traveling to far away countries for photo shoots and more. It's a career she never dreamed of back when she was a student in Rhinelander, she said.
"I was a simple girl with very bad fashion sense," she said. "I was so awkward and careless about anything in the material world. I had never considered myself anything out of the ordinary or even the girly type, let alone model material."
Growing up, "You should model" was a phrase Sharkey heard constantly. At first, she found it irritating and preferred to focus on more stable goals, but all that changed in an instant.
"My stepsister took up photography at MATC (Madison Area Technical College)," she said. "As a student, she needed a model for her portraits portfolio and I agreed to help her out. Eventually, I went to a open call at The Rock Agency. I met with the agency and they were very pleased and signed me immediately, which again, I did not expect and still was skeptical about. Before I knew it though, I was building my book and found out shortly I was off to New York City for (International Model Talent Association) with a small group of 'Rockstars.'"
IMTA is a talent scouting competition for prospective models. Sharkey traveled to New York City with her Madison-based agency to compete, not expecting to wow the judges. What happened next was a great surprise.
"There were thousands of competitors, like myself, hoping to be discovered," Sharkey said. "It was extremely intimidating for a 15-year-old girl from a small town in the Midwest, but I did what I knew best and that was to just be myself. Luckily enough, that was exactly what put me on the spot. I ended up placing in the top five of all my categories, which I did not expect at all. I met with hundreds of international model and talent agents, managers, and casting directors that were interested in me. I think I still have the list as a (keepsake) somewhere."
Things started moving very quickly for Sharkey. The teenager in her was self-conscious and worried about being embarrassed, but she decided to take the leap. Her life was about to change in a big way.
"After my success in New York City, my agent had a list of opportunities for me," she said. "I traveled to Italy, Japan and China, all in my first two years working professionally and under the age of 18. I had support from my agents, high school teachers and counselors, family and friends. They all helped me stay involved in school while teaching me how to manage my unique lifestyle. So my life has basically always been in the fast lane. International and alone, I had to grow up fast. It never intimidated me, I think, because I was so intrigued and eager to learn and experience. I did get homesick from time to time, but it was a new adventure each time and it became addicting."
She's been working non-stop ever since, and her modeling work has afforded her the opportunity to experience and live in a number of foreign cultures, all infinitely more exotic than Florida.
"As I became more experienced, I was still loving the excitement of the industry," Sharkey said. "I took off living abroad on and off for the past nine years now. It was two months here and three months there, from country to country, wherever it took me. I love learning from all the other cultures I've been able to experience, especially the little things like learning how to use chopsticks at a job in Japan. The client literally sat with me at lunch for an hour teaching me the proper etiquette of it. He was so detailed and determined to teach me, which in the western world you would never find."
The work is satisfying for Sharkey as well. Modeling can be an art, and she enjoys the challenge of communicating an emotion or a message in a picture.
"I love being a part of creating different projects everyday," she said. "As a model, it's my responsibility to translate a story to viewers artistically and commercially. It's a lot like acting without words, solely through body language or emotion. I have had the pleasure of working with very talented artists and enjoy helping create with them."
She works in both commercial and fashion. That means she can be seen in everything from television commercials to print ads, magazine editorials, fashion shows, catalogs and much more. It's a fast-paced industry and the days can be long, but that's the way she likes it.
"Most of the time it's 30 to 200 different outfits I have to quickly change in and out of all day," Sharkey said. "I never get to sit, my feet are black because I have to run around barefoot in a studio or location, either because the shoes are the wrong size or the stylist doesn't want you to ruin them. Yes, I get occasional facials and mani/pedis for free, but having six people pulling, poking, scratching or burning you for two hours straight is intolerable for most people. For me it's a workday."
There are parts of the job that wear on her though. She's mastered the art of the staged, energized smile and she's spent more time on airplanes that she cares to think about. Sometimes she feels like a mannequin and the fashion industry can be brutally honest.
The positives far outweigh the negatives for Sharkey though. What started as photographs for her stepsister's college course has blossomed into a full-fledged career, one she truly loves and that's taken her far from Rhinelander.
These days, she's makes her home in Miami. She's concentrating her work in the United States and is excited about what's to come.
"I love my job and its obstacles," Sharkey said. "It has made me who I am today and I have a million stories that would shock most. I will continue to do it while I can and eventually be on the other side of the industry. Time will tell but for now I like where I am."
At just 25 years old, she's traveled around the globe, immersed herself in foreign cultures and made a lot of friends along the way. She has appeared in publications around the world, and, the best part is, she's just getting started.
Not bad for a Rhinelander Hodag.
To see some of Sharkey's latest work, check out her Instagram page, @juliannashark.
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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