Julia Brown

Lives and works in Yorkshire, UK.

On painting

"I find painting—the immersion in the act, the preparation of surface, materials and then mixing of and applying paints—akin to a meditation. It's almost a ritual, carried out with humble reverence, which in turn excites, calms, balances and restores me. From arriving at the studio and preparing myself for the day ahead; to sitting back, pausing and reflecting on the progress (or, sometimes, the lack of) of my work, I feel a constant sense of gratitude that I have this in my life."

About

Julia Brown's deep connection with the landscape and environment contributes significantly to her work.
Her upbringing in a rural farming area adjacent to the Pennine Moors, by parents who passed on their joy of the outdoors and the natural world, is reflected in her art, and she continues absorb these sensory influences by spending time outside in the elements and practicing contemplative observation, allowing herself to appreciate the passed-by and unnoticed details of the world around her. It is a meditative process that helps unravel questions and process inner thoughts about her life and deeper self.

Julia Brown (b. 1978) studied BA(Hons) Fine Art at the University of Huddersfield, and was fortunate to be tutored and mentored by artists Beverley-Anne Little and Matthew Burrows MBE, their support contributing greatly to her understanding of creative and material processes and working practice as an artist. Graduating in 2000 and securing a London agent, Julia practiced full-time for 3 years, before reluctantly drifting away from painting in order to secure a more steady income, first working as a concept artist, graphic designer, then running her own book design and illustration business for several years. Significant life events later provoked a return to her Fine Art roots, culminating in the decision to commit full-time to her practice once more in 2018, and with growing interest in Julia's work from galleries and collectors.

Moving to a new studio near her home in West Yorkshire in 2023, Julia Brown’s work continues to evolve. A focus on exploring painting's material and chemical properties, layering of specific processes, and a desire to create a different viewpoint (over depicting 'landscapes' in the more traditional sense of the word) has led her forward into a more abstract body of work, exploring aspects of dendrology, intertwined with the Japanese concept of 'Komorebi', and unpacking her own memories and experiences recalled through sensory triggers associated with trees.

Alongside working outside, Julia frequently gathers inspiration by using ‘random’ photography while moving through a landscape — often capturing unexpected fleeting moments and unique atmospheres that work their way into her paintings, with capturing light being a major component of her work.

Julia Brown has been shortlisted for the New Light Art Prize (2020/21), the Cooper Prize 2021, and the Tarpey Gallery Open 2021 and 2024—her work also making regular appearances in the gallery. She continues to build her career by showing with several galleries across the UK.

Beyond her artistic practice, and in the spirit of encouraging and nurturing creativity in others, Julia also teaches painting and drawing to adults at North Light Art School in West Yorkshire.

Galleries:

Cotswold Sculpture Park, nr. Cirencester, Gloucestershire/UK

Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, Derbyshire/UK

Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield, South Yorkshire/UK

The Look Gallery, Helmsley, North Yorkshire/UK

Group Exhibitions:

2024 - Tarpey Gallery Open 2024, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, Derbyshire/UK;

- The Sculpture Lounge Summer Exhibition 24, Holmbridge, Holmfirth/UK;

- The Indoor Gallery, Cotswold Sculpture Park, Gloucestershire/UK;

- Nowhere, nowhere, Holmfirth/UK

2023 - The Sculpture Lounge Summer Exhibition 23, Holmbridge, Holmfirth/UK;

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

- Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield/UK;

- 'Room to Grow', The Art House, Wakefield/UK;

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

- The Sculpture Lounge Summer Exhibition 22, Holmbridge, Holmfirth/UK -

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

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

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

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

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

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

- 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)