Religions, folk tales and modern day spiritual practitioners have been propagating the enigmatic miracle worker throughout recorded history, from sorcerers and witches to Christian Saints, Hindu Gurus and modern day spiritual healers. Your Best Life Now is a visual and intellectual examination of the doctrine of the immensely successful televangelist Joel Osteen. The exhibition investigates the ideas put forth in Osteen’s bestselling book alongside the theories developed over a lifetime by one of his devotees and practitioners. Having been raised by New Age practitioners and meeting supposed miracle workers her entire life, Julia Staples’ work examines the charged moment of believing and the decisions we make to submit, tolerate or look past.

Your Best Life Now by Philadelphia based artist Julia Staples presents photography, sculpture, object, and performance. The fragile relationship between mind, body and spirit is visualized by using metaphysical and spiritual ideas as a starting point, simultaneously bringing together formal and intellectual concerns. The parallels between art, miracle workers and their rituals are explored through this play on formality.

Julia Staples has exhibited her work locally as well as in Iceland, Spain, NYC and LA; she has been awarded residencies at Ox-Bow, The Vermont Studio Center and Polli Talu in Estonia. In Philadelphia she works as an adjunct professor, teaching courses in photography, studio practice and photo history. Staples holds an MFA from Tyler School of Art and her BFA from Parsons School of Design.