About

Julia Brown is a contemporary artist working predominantly in oils. After graduating in 2000 with a BA(Hons) Fine Art, she reluctantly drifted away from full-time painting, first working as a concept artist, graphic designer, then running her own book design and illustration business.

The return to her fine-art roots came gradually but passionately, culminating in the decision to dedicate herself full-time to her practice in 2018 after finding representation with galleries and growing interest in her work.

Julia’s work explores spaces, landscapes and structures—man-made or organic—and the relationship of one against and within the other.

Her paintings often evolve quickly from thin, layered washes of oil paint daubed onto the primed support, allowing the pigments, solvent and gravity to help with the mixing process on the surface of the work. Making decisions about whether to intervene is key. Passages of moving paint remain, others are wiped back with rags, before repeating the process and building the paint further.

Life

After spending 20 odd years living in Huddersfield, Julia now lives in Holmfirth in West Yorkshire with partner, sculptor Damon Price, 3 cats, 2½ motorbikes and a skeleton named Bernard. Her lovely new studio is nearby.

Exhibitions/Shows

Galleries:

Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, Derbyshire/UK

The Sculpture Lounge (Pop Up/Online only)

Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield, South Yorkshire/UK 

The Look Gallery, Helmsley, North Yorkshire/UK 

Group Shows:

2023 -  'Contrast and Connections', Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, Derbyshire/UK

2023 - Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield/UK

2022 - 'Degrees of Abstraction', Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, Derbyshire/UK

2022 - 'Meet the Locals' Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield/UK

2021 - Tarpey Gallery Open 2021, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, Derbyshire/UK

2021 - 30th Anniversary Show, Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield/UK

2021 - The Sculpture Lounge Summer Exhibition, Holmbridge, Holmfirth/UK

2021 - The Cooper Prize, Cooper Gallery, Barnsley/UK

2020/21 - 'Ubuntu' Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield/UK

2020/21 - New Light Art Prize Biennial Exhibition (Touring/UK - Scarborough Art Gallery; Tullie House, Carlisle; The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne; Bankside Gallery, London)

2003 - Affordable Art Fair, London/UK

2002 - Affordable Art Fair, London/UK

2000 - In Gallery MODE, London (Graduate Showcase)

Prizes

2021 - The Cooper Prize - Shortlisted

2020/21 - New Light Art Prize - Shortlisted