Julia trained as an illustrator at Manchester Polytechnic from 1980 to 1984 and graduated with a first-class honours’ degree. She was commissioned to work on numerous projects including Alice in Wonderland published by Octopus Books, Beauty and the Beast by Frederick Warne and The Saga of Ethelred Flametail by Lilliput Lane. She also undertook many advertising commissions and, with a London agent, worked in this field for some years.

In 1985 Julia moved to Gloucestershire to work at the Prema Project Arts centre in Uley as an Artist in Residence. It is here that she began her teaching career. Julia worked with a variety of community groups, art colleges and prisons and was the art teacher at The Nelson House drug rehabilitation centre for 10 years. In addition, she ran weekly painting and drawing classes from her studio in Stroud.

Julia has been teaching for over three decades and has exhibited at various galleries in Gloucestershire and organised two major award-winning exhibitions on the theme of trees – ‘Branching Out’ at The Museum in the Park in Stroud. She has exhibited previously at the Gallery An Talla Dearg, Isle Ornsay, Isle of Skye and at the Resipole Studios Fine Art Gallery in Acharacle.

Julia moved to Skye in 2013, to the village of Ardvasar, where her mother grew up and where she spent many happy childhood holidays. Her home and studio wonderfully situated looking out across the magnificent Knoydart beyond, from which her home and ‘KnoydART’ business took their name.  

Every day, Julia observed the natural dramas of the island’s ever-changing weather, the illusive ‘Skye light’ and how it plays on the sea and distant mountain. Julia found a new freedom to develop a different painting style, one where the ongoing challenge is to capture and recreate the fleeting nuances of the sea, air and – that light. It is always surprising and creates a never-ending challenge to paint!

While in the Isle of Skye, Julia hosted a series of residential painting retreats, KnoydART Skye Retreats, from her home and studio, finding an immense joy being able to share her passion and love for this enchanting island with others.

Having recently now returned to The Cotswolds, Julia is looking forward to hosting residential painting retreats, bringing new waves of inspiration from the beautiful, rolling valleys of the Cotswolds. These retreats offer the opportunity to learn how to paint atmospheric land and seascapes, with guidance tailored to individual needs. Each retreat centres on a shared landscape focus – whether mountain and sea or hills and trees, allowing for personal exploration within a cohesive theme.

Visit Julia’s Retreat page for more information.