Julie Giles

Julie Gile, Landscape painter

I came to be a painter through a love of landscape and the natural world, studying painting at Camberwell in the 1960s. In 1967 I came to settle in east Suffolk from living near the Pennine hills and what really struck me were the wide horizons and huge skies not just of the weathery coast and estuary, but also the countryside.

So it was with 'wide horizons' in mind that Edna made the selection for this exhibition, diving into the storage racks to unearth some unseen work from the past to accompany more recent pieces.

Near to my home is the estuary of the River Alde to which I have returned time and time again to paint. There is one particular spot where the river makes a sharp turn south, at Slaughden, where I find myself wondering if this is the place where George Crabbe's fictitious character, the very evil Peter Grimes, was supposed to have lived. Crabbe describes the views as 'dull', no doubt to enhance the gloomy mood of the story... but when you actually go there you can see the most fabulous drama, huge sky... maybe a weather front coming up from the south west ...all reflected in water and mud, with the darker salt marsh invaded by the bright irregular shapes of tidal channels, always changing with the tide, time of day and season. Never dull.

My paintings start outdoors when I commit to canvas the shifting world before me - evolving clouds, moving shadows, bicycles, animals, people - maybe walking on a river bank or checking out fish. I love to put people in, tiny in the vastness of the landscape. We identify with them and they lead us into the picture space.

In more recent years I have also painted wildflowers, carpets of them as they grow in their natural surroundings, including a series of the remarkable flowers of the shingle and salt marsh of our nearby coast. (I had studied botany at university before going to art school.)

Also there have been expeditions elsewhere in search of different landscapes, particularly to Italy and to the Centro D'Arte Verrocchio near Sienna, where I was lucky enough to visit, teaching and painting, for over 20 years.

Many visits to SW France have given me beautiful subjects along the River Lot; and I once flew to southern Spain in early February when mountainous countryside is coloured by almond blossom and ripe oranges.

My hope is that I can communicate some of the joy I feel in painting all these beautiful places to the viewer.

Julie Giles

Camberwell School of Art DipAD 1965-69 studied painting where her tutors were Dick Lee and Tony Eyton.

She has lived and painted in Suffolk for 59 years…also painting in Italy, France and Spain.

Member of The Suffolk Group.

Solo exhibitions

2016, 2008, 2006, 2000, 1989John Russell Gallery

2026,2003, 1995Chappel Galleries

2002Aldeburgh Gallery

1993, 1987, 1985Gallery 44, Aldeburgh

Read's Gallery, Aldeburgh

1986Sackhouse Gallery, Wells Art Centre

Shared Exhibitions with Graham Giles

2021Chappel Galleries, 'Fellow Painters'

2018, 2012,1998John Russell Gallery

1987Buckenham Gallery, Southwold

1977Radlett Gallery

1973Howarth Gallery, Accrington

1971Bury Art Gallery

Other shared exhibitions

John Russell Gallery, 'The Chosen Few' with Frances and Sargy Mann,Barry Newis, Graham Giles and Joan Hodes

The New Cut, Halesworth with Sargy Mann and Graham Giles

Chappell Galleries with Frances and Sargy Mann and Graham Giles

Cadogan Contemporary with Frances Mann and Philippa Hoyland 1988

Ripley Gallery with Frances Mann 1979

Mixed exhibitions

2004 Cobbold and Judd

John Russell Gallery 1989-2018 annual Christmas and summer mixed shows

2007Chappel Galleries: 'Southwold, the east coast'

2002Chappel Galleries: 'Blythe Spirit'

1998Chappel Galleries: 'Continuing the tradition, Walberswick post war'

1994, 2019, 2023Other mixed shows etc.

2007 to presentSuffolk Group annual summer shows and other Suffolk

2007 to presentGroup shows

Cork Brick 'Frances invites' and other mixed shows.

Belgrave St Ives ‘Camberwell 1940-1980'

2000Casole D'Elsa, Millenium Exhibition

New Grafton Gallery 'Painters of present and Future'

Deben Gallery 'Critics Choice'

Gainsborough's House 'Drawing for all', 'Cows'

1991, 1992Cadogan Contemporary

1994/6Eastern Open, King's Lynn

The Mall Galleries, Laing exhibitions, Ellingham Sealink

Teaching

Centro D'Arte Verrocchio, Italy: visiting tutor 1987-1997, Norwich School of Art visiting Tutor 1989–94, secondary education etc