The incredibly talented Julia Whitehead paints in her Lincolnshire garden studio “just past the chickens.” 

While her view is of the countryside, many of her most popular works capture the bustle and excitement of the towns and cities she loves exploring.

Inspired by Life

Julia enjoyed drawing and making throughout her childhood. With art as her favourite subject at school, she showed a real talent from an early age. When she left school, however, she felt pushed to get “a proper job,” so she studied Business Studies and started working in travel. 

After backpacking for two years, Julia returned to a marketing job in London, which she hated, and decided it was time to pursue her dream. Following a foundation course in Nottingham with a BA in Illustration and Printmaking in Cambridge, Julia’s art was seen by a publishing agent who gave her work creating designs for textiles and ceramics as well as fine art prints. All this time, Julia was also painting commissions and her own pieces for sale.

Finding inspiration from textiles and interior magazines, nature, and cities, Julia likes challenges, constantly developing her skills and trying new things. She particularly loves the challenge of commissions—creating works to suit interiors and spaces. She says, “It’s great to have art that sits in its own right, but people also have art to finish a room… I love that people have my art in their space and love it, and it’s admired.”

Society on the Move

Shadows were the original inspiration for Julia’s figurative pieces. These works have become incredibly popular, capturing urban settings and everyday lives, “a snapshot of society in motion”. 

Exploring towns and cities, Julia photographs urban scenes then translates those moments to her canvas, building worlds through layers of oil paint. They don’t directly reflect the urban landscape but have a feeling or impression of the scene. In these pieces, Julia’s textured style makes its own shadows, creating a piece “you want to run your fingers over”.

These are incredible pieces, drawing you into Julia’s world. If you'd like to see what she has to offer, explore her work here.