JULIE CONNOR – Julie Connor is a self-taught, multi-media artist residing in Colchester, Essex.

Julie began painting and drawing at an early age but decided against any formal art training, choosing instead to develop her talent through self-taught means across various mediums. She consequently moved through the educational system into a successful career in nursing, but later decided to give this up to pursue her artistic passion - full time.

Choosing to paint with acrylics for their versatility, favouring high-flow fluid paints and inks particularly. Julie adores using bright, bold colours and often teams them with contrasting dark backgrounds, to really make them pop.

This new collection is inspired by Julie’s love of cities & city life. Growing up in a small country village, big cities have always captivated her creativity. London and Paris in particular hold a special place in her heart. A cityscape painting is a snapshot in time, but in reality, cities are a buzz of excitement and activity with bursts of colour. As an artist, she tries to recreate this unique atmosphere and energy with the use of bright, neon colours, dark, moody skies and the addition of random marks, squiggles and splatters to give the pieces their movement and vitality.

Cities can often be depicted as grey and dismal reflections, but she doesn’t see that. Whenever Julie exits the Tube or Metro, she sees beauty, magnificence, grandeur and history. That is what she always embraces in her artworks. Julie works from her home studio in Essex as this is where she is most content. She endeavours to connect with her audience by providing escapism, reducing stress, and promoting feelings of wellbeing through her art. The rewards she gains from creating art for her collectors, she believes, are very similar to those gained through nursing: helping people through something within herself.