Julia Swaby

Joined Artfinder: July 2019

Artworks for sale: 232

(31)

United Kingdom

Updates from Julia Swaby's studio

  • Villefranche du Queyran

    Villefranche du Queyran

    Moving to France has impacted my art in so many ways. The studio space is just fabulous but another important element is the local region. It's easy to be vegan here because we can buy local produce directly from farmers; the strawberry farm is almost on our doorstep! Even more than this, the landscape yields incredible peace. I encouter an increased sense of harmony within myself when I work now. 'Shinrin-yoku' is the Japanese theory that 'forest-bathing' is healing. I live next to the forests of Gasgogne, which are some of the largest in Europe and spend at least an hour a day there, with my dog Massimo (see if you can spot him there). Shinrin-yoku every day!

    13 May 2021
    The Main Studio

    The Main Studio

    The main studio is where I do all my brushwork and small palette knife work. It's where I spend most of my time.

    13 May 2021
    The Messy Studio

    The Messy Studio

    This is a double room outbuilding. If the process is messy, it's done out here. My work is sometimes careful brush work and at other times there are big sweeps of colour. This is done with liquid pours by mixing oils and pigments with mineral oils.

    13 May 2021
    The 'Clean' Studio

    The 'Clean' Studio

    This was taken in the clean studio, which is only for last minute changes with a dry brush or blend and for prepping works for shipping. The packaging can take hours, especially if it's a large one to crate. I make the crates myself. In all my packaging, I try to minimise using anything that is not recylable.

    13 May 2021
    JOY

    JOY

    Moving to Aquitaine has changed my practice. There's so much space to be creative, which is superb, as I love working on oversized canvases. There's also no noise except birdsong (especially the swallows at the moment, who make a sound like bird laughter. It's adorable.) I used to hear the traffic every time I opened my window. What a difference!

    13 May 2021
    On the floor

    On the floor

    Although I have an easel, I never use it. I either work with the canvas on the wall directly or laid out flat. Although I began painting in acrylics, I almost never use them anymore. I love to work with oils and tend towards the palette knife or large flat wash brushes.

    27 November 2019