Capitol Spotlight Julie Baker, California for the Arts. Photo by Ellie Appleby, Capitol Weekly. by LISA RENNER posted 02.19.2026 Growing up in New York City not far from Lincoln Center, Julie Baker was immersed in the arts. Her father, a German-Jewish refugee, was very engaged in culture and brought her to many events. The family also had a home at an artist colony in Woodstock. But she knew early on she wasn’t an artist herself. “I don’t agree that everybody’s an artist,” she said.