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Introduction by L.
Chrystal Dmitrovic: The painter’s life has
definitely become a way of life for Julia Trops, a Kelowna, British
Columbia artist who is currently teaching and an artist-in-residence
at the Rotary Arts Centre. Influences come to the artist from many
walks of life, from many geographic locals, and from other souls whether
ancient of the past or breathing next to her. At one point in time,
all that she has experienced and been, everything she remembers or
forgets – the poem, the song, the dance, the forest walk – colours
her soul and ultimately the art she creates.
Here The Empress presents
Julia’s own explanation of her artistic
journey, featuring a sparkling sampling of her most recent works in
acrylic and oil in a fresh and exciting style known as “Prism
Painting.” Julia relates about her choice of art included with
her article: “These paintings were done on the wall, a la de
Koonig, using the palette knife only, and the resulting work wraps
around the canvas to enclose the stretcher, staples on the back. All
are dated from end April 2004. The idea of using the palette knife
is to contrast the original softness of flowers and leaves with the
harsh edges of the resulting texture.” She prefaces her serious
discussion with a sometimes humorous ode to her life as a painter,
based on a famous sonnet....
SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM JULIA’S “PRISM” GALLERY:
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Prism Dancer
30x30 – oil on canvas
This one was done from imagination after walking
to the studio and seeing two women doing tai chi on the beach.
At that time
I was looking at Canadian artists Riopelle and Borduas, and after
considering their palette knife use, this is where my adventure
with prism painting all started. “Prism Dancer” was
my first creation in this style, and is so called because of the
blurring and colours one would see looking through a multi-faceted
crystal prism. |
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Tulip Field
52 x 66
- S O L D -
This recent work was originally inspired by an upcoming Tulip
Festival in Ottawa, where I lived for 3 years in the 90s.
I’m continuing to work on a series of tulip expressions. |
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MR.HARRY COX
16 x 32
I’m also sometimes partially inspired by shopping ads for
grocery stores and mail-order gardening catalogues for my nature
based paintings. |
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TANTALUS
RIDGE
33 x 66
Thinking of how the Olympics are coming to Vancouver in 2010, and the majesty
of those games and the challenges and skill involved, I was inspired to do my
first mountain/ landscape depiction since I was 12. |
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In Sunny Fields -- 28 x 40
These flowers, Arrowleaf Balsamroot, grow in the Kelowna area
only from
May to June. The painting was done from a mixture of imagination
and a visual study of the actual flower. |
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Marigold Field
18 x 60
oil
on canvas
I tried to capture all the magic splashes
of colour and
light that I could to vividly bring life to this bushy, full spread
of marigolds. |
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Kiwi Cluster
24x26
I finished this painting the first week of August, 2004, a much
larger work
featuring kiwi fruit than I’ve done in the past. |
I believe in knowledge and I believe in intuition.
When used together, they create insight - which is the focus of my
life. I am trying to look underneath the obvious, to decipher the
hidden, the bring to light the obscure. I enjoy paradoxes, dichotomies,
mysteries. I enjoy putting things together that don’t
normally mix just to see what will happen. One could say I am a catalyst
for growth…… or others may say I am a trouble maker.
Having the experience of the military (it seems a lifetime ago!) I
was exposed to efficiency and discipline. Together they are a potent
combination, but combined with initiative, drive, and passion, they
are explosive! My ability to focus and create is a result of these
qualities: this is why my work is what it is: this is why I am so
prolific. I believe in the strokes that I make, that they come from
the soul, that they are where they should be. I encourage the flow
of the soul, with direction, but without judgement.
I create
originals only. My realm of abilities extend from drawing to painting
to printmaking to sculpture. (Printmaking, not to be confused
with Reproduction-making, which includes Giclees, Iris Prints, Photocopies
etc. I did try this last year, but the whole process just felt "wrong",
so I abandoned this idea permanently.) At present, my work involves
exploration of texture and colour, combining these properties with
subjects which are normally perceived as smooth. Most of these may
be seen under Prism Painting on my webpage: www.juliatrops.com.
If you have any questions about my work, please contact me at julia@juliatrops.com.
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