Julie Simpson Art and Design
HANDWOVEN ONE OF A KIND TEXTILES
&
ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA PAINTINGS
About Me
ARTIST STATEMENT
j u l i e c l e n d e n e n s i m p s o n
Incorporating art and design into woven textiles and painting abstract acrylic canvases fuses my fascination and love for repeated patterns and natural textures.
TEXTILES
I design and hand weave innovative, contemporary textiles on a 10 harness Macomber floor loom. With special attention to trending color palettes, blending different fiber combinations and drafting inventive weave structures, these elaborate accessories have a sculptural quality with multiple layers and unique textures. I gravitate towards utilizing sustainable natural fibers-including cashmere, merino wool, bamboo, silk and certified organic wool. Weaving luxurious one of a kind textiles allows artistic freedom to create collections that are functional while maintaining art and design aesthetics that pursue elegance, creativity and classic craftsmanship. Contact me for wholesale inquiries and custom orders. julie@juliesimpsonart.com
PAINTINGS
Equally colorful and layered as my textile work, the surfaces of my mixed media paintings are adorned with a combination of multiple layers of acrylic paint, paper collage, litho crayon and nylon thread. I am fond of abstract and figurative imagery, which are depicted in these visual narratives. Incorporating concepts of scale, space, rhythm and movement lend to the perspective of each piece. There is a reliance on repeated patterns, gestural lines, and grids. Patterns that exist in nature, intertwine with personal stories to inspire the compositions of my paintings. I began hand-sewing nylon thread directly into certain pieces. This subtle, beautiful, detail of fiber infuses the canvases and adds a sense of permanency and reinforcement.
Artist History
EDUCATION
Rhode Island School of Design
(RISD)
BFA - Textile Design, 1991
A BIT OF ME
Born in California, as a young girl, colored pens and grid paper went everywhere with me...coloring in the squares and making patterns. Observing small details sparked my interest in drawing which led to sketching and exploring different art mediums. I learned ceramic techniques and different forms of mark making through art and design classes in high school. Pursuing my artistic interests, I earned my degree in Textile Design from the Rhode Island School of Design.
I am a lifelong swimmer and the love of water is reminiscent in my work. I have lived on the West Coast for most of my life and currently reside in Olympia Washington, raising two awesome young adult children who continually inspire me!!