Born and raised outside Philadelphia, I spent many childhood hours drawing horses and painting in oils. This love of art led me to a BA degree in art (University of Delaware) and graduate studies in art and art history (Tyler School, Temple University), followed by many years teaching art in grades K-12. A move to California in my mid-twenties allowed me to pursue my interests in outdoor activities. Upon retiring from teaching, I began my adventure with watercolor.
The vibrancy and versatility of watercolor led me to choose this medium for my artistic journey. Attracted by the effect of light and shadows, I chose landscapes, cityscapes and florals to be the subjects of my early paintings. Over time and after study with many expert watercolor artist-teachers, my interest shifted to figures. Using a camera as a sketchbook I seek the interesting, zooming in to create compositions with a unique point of view. These black and white photos provide source material for my paintings.
My work may be seen in the monthly juried exhibitions at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s Liberty Station gallery (www.sdws.org) where I have won many awards. In addition, my work is on display in periodic shows of the Point Loma Artists Association, at whose website my work may be viewed (www.pointlomaartists.com/julie-anderson) ; in occasional group exhibits at Gallery 21 in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village; and on various utility boxes in Point Loma and Mission Beach.