Painting is my portal to discovering what’s beneath the surface
I paint what I feel, observe and dream using multi-layered pigment washes on paper, fusing loose marks with precise linework to create a steady container for spontaneity. I work intuitively, allowing each mark to lead to the next, revealing the pulse in every sheet of paper. The circle represents ephemeral, infinite, expanding natures while the square represents grounding, contained and structured natures. Painting is my main tool for harmonizing my inner and outer worlds. I’m fascinated by cycles of transformation, observing these states in both internal forms and external landscapes.
About Julie
Julie holds a BFA in painting and drawing and is a certified yoga teacher
She is Korean American, and born and raised in the Pacific Northwest
She loves all kinds of expressive arts and crafts and is an explorer at heart. Cooking, instruments, singing, and other handmade hobbies speckle her life
Julie has a bodywork practice in Seattle, WA, offering holistic healing sessions.
Process
Pigments
There is a vast spectrum of personalities within the elements of the earth. They feel alive, connected, and unique.
I study and work with pigments from a variety of sources: earth, mineral, organic, and manmade. With natural pigments, every rock has a unique composition and color. They buzz in a different way than their uniform and sterilized synthetic counterparts. On the other end, synthetic compounds emit colors that aren’t found in nature. There is a potency and lightness to these materials that cannot be replicated by earth and mineral forms.
I investigate the space that emerges by combining these frequencies. This relationship reflects the dynamic I observe between layers of body, mind, and spirit.
Foraging
In the act of foraging for pigments, I slow down to observe the shapes and energetic qualities that make up a landscape.
I harvest what is already presented and ripened, meaning samples that are broken off and released from the earth. I aim to amplify the subtle qualities of each material, and weave their different personalities together on paper.
Paintmaking
Having a hand in every step of the process connects me to my materials in a deeper way.
My palette contains many handmade paints from a recipe of pigment, gum arabic, honey and clove oil. Gum arabic keeps the pigment sticking to the paper. Honey keeps the dried gum moist and sweet. The eugenol in clove oil adds anti-bacterial properties to protect from spoilage. Each ingredient contributes it’s strength to create a luscious watercolor binder.
Technique
Time and space are key ingredients as I work in many thin layers, gradually building the painting up.
This process allows me to paint very thoughtfully and mindfully, considering each shape and color with focused intention and infusing a slow and calm feeling into the paintings. It also creates a subtle and deep depth, where color breathes life.
Ideas
Every composition is born from a dream, a thought, a feeling, a reflection, a spark, a curiosity…
I typically record my ideas in my sketchbooks with pencils and color swatches, or certain ideas will revisit me over and over agian. As time progresses, the ideas sprout into intention and action to create a larger painting. The process of painting is akin to sculpting, revealing something that was already there.
Tune in on Instagram
@zhookie
