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. I enjoy weaving luxurious one of a kind textiles 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 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. I began fiber infusing certain paintings by hand-sewing nylon thread directly into the canvases. This subtle pattern of fiber adds texture and fine detail.
Artist History
EDUCATION
RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN
BFA - Textile Design, 1991
Gallery and Social Media Links
GALLERY
Art House Designs - Olympia, WA
Persimmon Gallery- BigFork, Montana
LINKS
RISDMADE.com
WestsideArtists.org
Artistintersection.com
A BIT OF ME
Born in California, the love of the warmth of the sunshine, and spending time at the beach enhanced my appreciation of the outdoors and its continuous inspiration. Colored pencils, markers and paper were important tools as a child, sketching and coloring in squares of grid paper making patterns and designs. Observing small details of textures and shapes sparked my interest in drawing which led to exploring different art mediums, including ceramics, printmaking and sculpture through art and design classes in high school. Pursuing my artistic interests, I earned my degree in Textiles from the
Rhode Island School of Design.
I am a lifelong swimmer and the love of water is a source of inspiration, along with botanical details, succulents, colors from nature and all things patterned, including vintage handkerchiefs, quilts, woven tapestries and rugs. I have lived on the West Coast for most of my life and currently reside in Olympia Washington.
***The logo of the "jac" was drawn in my baby book by my mother, a clever way of representing my initials....Julie Ann Clendenen.... I have a large collection of metal and ceramic JACKS which was a favored childhood game, originating hundreds of years ago in Ancient Rome.