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Biography
Julia Pappas, a Michigan native, specializes in figurative and urban oil paintings. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with High Honors from Michigan State University. A former public school art instructor, she currently lives and works in Dallas, TX as a Fine Art painter. Influenced by Expressionism, Pop Art and architecture and design, most of her paintings feature bold colors, lines, and texture, representing both the physicality and psychology of the figure. She is well known for her series based on city reflections, exploring the relationship between an individual and their location. Julia was one of the selected artists in the 2013 Fine Art in Dallas Engagement Book. Also in 2013, Julia’s painting entitled Arrival was selected for the purchase prize award by the City of McKinney for their permanent art collection at the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Pappas’ work can be seen on display in galleries, in public and private collections both nationally and internationally.
Artist Statement
Julia Pappas’ current body work is derived from the belief that cities are made up of individual narratives. Julia recently moved her studio to one overlooking downtown Dallas, TX. With this shift, she became inspired by the connections she made with people in this new urban context. Through her reflection paintings, Julia has opened a dialogue to the viewer - How do you define yourself? We may choose to carry out our existence in one location, but that’s merely the physical part of it. We’re not simply defined by what we've done or where we've been, but where we feel connected.
Throughout the painting process, Julia playfully uses additive and subtractive methods, provoking one’s mind to inquire where the foreground starts and the background ends. The surface becomes a field of color, overflowing with the liberating satisfaction of creating in an Abstract Expressionist style. The striking colors, thick brushstrokes, and textural quality of the expressionistic face draw the viewer in, where further discoveries are made - a skyline in the sunglasses reflection and hidden details that are only noticeable from a close perspective.
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