Answers to your burning questions here...

How do i pay? 

If you purchase directly from my website shop, you can add the artwork to your basket, then simply checkout and pay through the secure encrypted payment gateway as normal.

If you order directly from me — for example, when you commission a painting, order on Instagram/Facebook, order custom framing, or another situation where you don't purchase through my online shop, I will take your contact details at the time of enquiry and then invoice you by email, where you can pay online or by BACS, depending on your location.

If you visit the studio and want to purchase in person, I have a Zettle machine so you can securely pay by card (I can also take contactless, or you can pay using a digital wallet on your phone such as Apple Pay or Google Pay).

Can I pay with PayPal?

Sorry — at this time I don't take Paypal on my website. Like thousands of online shops, I do have a secure encrypted payment gateway powered by Stripe, so you can use most credit/debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and be confident of purchasing safely and securely.

Do you offer framing?

Yes, I do. 

Many of the artworks in my online shop (especially works on paper) have the option of adding framing at the time of purchase.

If you would like to buy a painting that's currently unframed and this option is not available on the artwork page, do contact me to discuss framing and I'll be happy to look after it for you.

I normally frame oil paintings with a simple, contemporary tray frame, but depending on size and your shipping location, prices for this will vary, so I can't give a blanket quote here without knowing all the details. 

Due to risk of breakage and shipping limitations, I cannot send glazed works overseas.

I want to purchase an artwork but it's a big investment. Do you offer payment plans?

I do appreciate that buying a piece of art can feel like a big investment. To make it easier to own that piece you fall in love with, I offer payment plans so you can spread the cost over manageable installments.

It basically works like this:

You pay a minimum 10% deposit for the artwork.

You set up a Direct Debit with me to pay the rest of the balance in agreed installments up to a maximum of 10.

When you've paid the last installment, the artwork is yours! I'll pack it up and send it by insured shipping it to your address, or we can arrange for you to collect it from my studio if you prefer.

Example 1:

Artwork Price: £850 

6 interest-free installments:

Deposit/1st installment: £150

5 further installments of £140* 

*plus admin, shipping and insurance


Example 2:

Artwork Price: £1500 

10 interest-free installments:

Deposit/1st installment: £150

9 further installments of £150* 

*plus admin, shipping and insurance


If you would like more details and information about purchasing with a payment plan, contact me here.

Do you do commissions?

Yes, I take on commissions — if I feel they will fit with my style of working and I will enjoy painting them. 

If you have a commission enquiry, just contact me with a few details about what you have in mind — along with your contact information — and I'll get back to you to discuss it further. If we go ahead, I take a deposit before I start (usually 50%).

Do I need to varnish my painting?

Varnishing a Painting

Depending on how long it takes between me painting an artwork and a buyer purchasing it, sometimes I don't get chance to varnish a painting. Oil paintings can take between 6 months and over 2 years to dry out thoroughly, depending on how thickly painted it is and what other mediums (like Linseed Oil) have been used in the painting process.

If you buy a painting that will need varnishing, I will mention it in the paperwork when you buy it. 

You can either ask a painting restorer/conservator to do it for you, or send it back to me for varnishing at a later date.

If you need any more information or help on the subject, Contact me to discuss the details.

How do I keep my painting clean? 

Cleaning a Glazed Painting

If works on paper are being shipped by courier, I sometimes have them glazed with a high quality UV-resistant acrylic glazing instead of the rather-more-fragile glass. If this is the case with your artwork, please don't use a conventional glass-cleaning household product to get rid of jammy handprints or other greasy smudges as it could damage the glazing by chemically etching the surface. 

Instead use a soft (and clean) microfibre cleaning cloth, barely dampened with a tiny amount of water if necessary to clean the frame and glazing. That's it.  

Cleaning an Oil Painting

The first thing is: please don't use soap and water. Or washing up liquid, or any other detergent. Both the detergent and the water will damage the painting. 

Oil paintings benefit from cleaning little and often.

If you let dust and grime build up over months or, ahem, years, the surface of the painting will be much more difficult to get clean than if you give it a quick once-over every fortnight, as the dirt will have settled into texture on the surface. 

The best thing to use for cleaning is a feather duster, a CLEAN, very soft paintbrush (if your painting has a lot of surface texture), or a microfibre cleaning cloth. These pick up small particles of dust, which static then draws away from the surface of the painting — plus they don't tend to leave lint or fibres behind.

The atmosphere the oil painting is hung in will also have an effect. If the room is dusty, or you have an open fire or cooking nearby, dust, oil or grime will build-up much more quickly on the painted surface. 

If you have any accidents (wild parties? spilled wine?) on the surface of the painting, I recommend taking it to a professional restorer/conservator. 

Why does my parcel look like a hodgypodge of cardboard and tape?

Beauty is on the inside

I strive to use recycled/re-purposed packaging materials when shipping purchases out to you. I end up with a fair amount of packaging from studio deliveries, and I would much rather make use of it than throw it away. It's much better for the environment (and for my packaging budget).

What matters is that your purchase will be extremely carefully wrapped to make it durable and secure throughout its journey. It might look slightly erratic on the outside, but the contents should reach you in perfect condition. I do try to use as little plastic parcel tape as possible, but I have to make sure your parcel is packaged securely, so sometimes it's necessary. It's a fine balance between eco-values and doing the job right.

In the unfortunate event that your order arrives damaged, then the first step is to contact me so we can sort it out. You'll find detailed information on the How to Return Artworks page. 

Are you the same Julia Brown that did album covers for Procol Harum?

The short answer is yes! 

I created two album covers for the band — Novum, 2017, and the 50th anniversary box set Still There'll Be More... in 2018. And to coincide with each album, I released a limited edition run of giclee prints.

From the 'Still There'll Be More...' box set artwork, I made 10 hand-finished prints called 'The Wreck of the Hesperus'. These have all gone to their new homes around the world, but I do still have 'Novum' prints available from the limited edition of 50. Contact me here if you'd like to buy one. 

I've also created illustrations and designed book covers for some fantastic and diverse clients such as Vicky Fraser.

purchase my Paintings direct from the studio