My paintings are a reflection of what I see, real or interpreted, the play of color and light...and the feelings evoked.
UCLA, BS, Microbiology, 1991
UCLA, PhD, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, 1997
A native Southern Californian, Julie Hill has a PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. In 2004, however, she took a very early retirement from her highly successful academic and scientific career to pursue a more passionate life.
Choosing the medium of watercolor, Julie initially was tentative when applying color and water to white paper. Pulled by the desire to capture nature’s beauty and precious relationship moments, the timidness of her watercolor paintings gave way to unabashed exploration of color and shapes, as she calls it “Capturing Life with Brushstrokes.”
Julie's primarily self-taught approach to painting is considered to be unique. She sees a scene, either in real life or in a photo, a moment captured. If it is a photo, she converts it to black and white so that she remains unbiased to color choices, yet stays true to values and shapes. She then starts out with a very detailed and accurate drawing, followed by broadly applying the washes of color, always loose and outside the lines. Subsequent layers of colors and shapes are added in a balance of realism and suggestion. Lastly, she stands back and asks, "Do I feel this?"
Julie’s award winning paintings are in many private collections across the nation. In addition, many of her works have been commissioned by interior designers and corporations.
Julie Hill’s lovely watercolors are characterized by uninhibited brushwork that gives her paintings a carefree quality. Additionally, her pieces achieve a playful balance between light and dark values, simulating the warmth of filtered sunlight. The end results are free-spirited paintings that connect with the viewer on an emotional level.
