Happiness and bright colours are inextricably linked, writes Lois Kuhle, after spending time with an exciting new artist
“Once you visit the island of art you’ll never leave,” says Julia Forman, a Durban North artist who has blossomed through her journey of art.
“My work is signed Guilia, which is my name in Italian and representative of my passion for painting.”
Julia admits she’s never had any formal art training but firmly believes that if the talent is there, it will never leave.
“Don’t fight it,” she says. “I was a late starter, in my 40s, and did everything backwards. I started painting as a hobby, beginning with oils, which is one of the most difficult mediums. It was a bit of a surprise, and a journey of many processes but I kept pushing ahead, not really knowing where it would take me.”
Julia also confessed she gets bored easily. “I experiment a lot and try other mediums. I love ink: it gives you such freedom and creates puzzles, making it challenging. Oils are also so sculptural.”
As an artist, she adds, it’s terribly important to “get out there”. “You have to get into your car and go to shows, even if it’s a mission. You have to make the effort to network and attend exhibitions.”
Julia loves face to face interaction with people. “Sometimes you feel as if you’re standing all exposed, like being naked in public. But I love the feedback I get.”
And judging by Julia’s success there’s been tons of positive feedback coming her way.
Wonderful
“I’ve been lucky enough to have run several art galleries, which is a completely different creative process, and through which I’ve met loads of wonderful people.” But for now, she wants to spend more time in front of the canvas and concentrate on her own artistic career.
“I exhibited at this year’s Art in the Park in Pietermaritzburg, which was hugely successful for me.” In fact, she made it into the Top 20, and as a result automatically qualifies for the 2010 exhibition. Her art will now be on display at the Johan Smith Gallery in Clarens and at Imbizo Gallery in Ballito.
“I also feel privileged to have been asked by the Wildlands Conservation Trust to submit art for their auction at Sibaya in October.”
Julia has a wonderful joie de vivre. “I don’t like things that make people sad. I love happiness and bright colours. Sometimes I feel like a gypsy, always on the move with my art. It’s constantly evolving, never static, and I’m never quite sure what’s going to come next!”
Her latest successes were paintings featuring African figures – with no faces!
“I didn’t want faces on them; I wanted to capture the essence of the person and what they were doing.”
She is also releasing a series of Giclee prints, which are prints of the highest quality and will last a lifetime.
Julia’s favourite quote is by Pablo Picasso: “If one knows exactly what one is going to do, what good is it to do it? Because one knows, it is of no interest. It’s better to do something else!”
* Useful contacts: Visit Julia’s website on www.juliaforman.com