Hometown: Melbourne
Based in: Melbourne
BIOGRAPHY
Born in the UK, Julee settled in Australia in 2005 after spending the previous 17 years moving internationally many times. Her life has been a patchwork of cultures. This plays out in her desire to deconstruct her work.
Julee has been a full-time artist for many years achieving international recognition for her work in mosaic art and her authorship of the book Sculptural Secrets for Mosaic (Schiffer Publishing, USA). Julee has exhibited widely in Australia as well as New York and Italy. She has been selected as a Finalist for three Art Prizes in the last 12 months. Her artworks are held in private collections in Australia, the UK, the USA, Sweden, Austria, and Canada.
Julee holds a BFA (Sculpture and Painting) from Curtin University, Perth. She also has diplomas in Interior Design and Colour Therapeutics.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The desire to free paint and allow it independence is paramount in my art practice. My experiences of repeated international relocations feed into the way I approach my work. Breaking ties, rebuilding support systems as well as feelings of invisibility and instability are foremost considerations.
My artistic process is centered on the exclusive use of unsupported, dried paint, I create original paintings without a canvas or paper backing, only to deconstruct and remake them. Often drawing on textile, collage, and sculptural techniques, my core aim is to challenge expectations of what a painting is capable of being.
What inspires you?
The desire to challenge the notion that a painting is a wet substance applied to a support
Describe your creative process.
My work is very process based. I am passionate about paint as a material and as such I am continually experimenting with ways in which to create with it when it is dry.
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
unique, thought provoking, different
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
Robert Davidovitz, Olga de Amarel, Beatriz Milhazes,
What is the most important tool when creating your work?
my imagination
Where do you go for inspiration?
Inspiration is in continual testing to see what paint is capable of and what I can create with it