In the humblest way, making a painting is a means of paying homage. Of making this tiny offering in appreciation of such magnificence, such radiance that is this world, this life. It’s a means of receiving the Gift.
Images of the artist at work, from all over the world.
biography
My early life was bohemian and colorful. I was raised in an artistic family amid books, art, music, and travel. I enjoyed unconventional schooling, which also included periods of living in diverse cultures (Morocco)– all of which nurtured my aesthetic for beauty.
I studied literature at Bennington College then graduated phi beta kappa in philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder, before becoming a professional athlete and competing on the US national cycling team for several years. During this time I enriched my aesthetic education in the great museums of Europe, and initiated my life-long studentship and ongoing practice of yoga.
Upon retirement from racing, I dedicated myself to full-time art-study, including study with master-painter Michael Fuchs, in Vienna, Austria, and attendance at the Aegean Center for Fine Arts, Paros, Greece.
In 1998 I moved to Florence, Italy, for classical training at the Florence Academy of Art, under Daniel Graves, and continued living and working in Italy for the next ten years. During this time I also worked with painter Richard Serrin, and did ongoing independent study in the museums, churches, and ateliers of Florence, including executing copies of many master drawings in the Uffizi. I painted constantly in the landscape of Tuscany, en plein air.
Since 2008 I have divided my time between Europe (Italy, Greece, and Provence) and my home in Big Sur, California. I continue to be ruled by the quest for beauty, and to paint my passion for nature in these mesmerizing landscapes. I am certified in yoga at the RYT-500 hour level, teaching for many years. In addition to my annual painting journeys to Europe, I lead boutique yoga-and-culture retreats to exquisite destinations, with my own company, www.juliaingersollretreats.com