Artist’s Statement
I am concerned with the many complexities of intimacy, as found in natural phenomena and internal mythologies. Through the structure of oil painting, I use jeweled color and thermal implications to create forms and environments characterized by their luminosity. Metaphor is central to the work: how one thing can become other things, represent something more intimately, or perhaps carry within it multiple identities.
Within the paintings, the natural world curls, expands, and pulls apart from itself forming stages for symbolic acts. Visions of attraction and temptation present themselves on living structures made brittle. People and other animals hover and move through the feverish landscapes, exploring the various divides and barriers between subjects and their ambitions. In some works, exotic cats hang in my childhood garden. In other works, I empathize with Narcissus and Eve through their respective quests. My paintings teter between reality and fantasies of platonic wholeness, presented through evolutionary and allegorical metaphors. While rooted in classical narratives, archetypes fall apart as personal mythology narrates the complexities of desire.
Sultry florals, trophy animals, and other residues of gluttony inquire into the nature of my character, and perhaps a larger question towards how our chosen perspectives place us in the Anthropocene. Metaphor and symbolism hold fast moments of beauty and grandeur, while appreciating the fragility of environmental and interpersonal climates. Commanded by color, light, and composition, my work explores the various fractures and joinery that define our niches.
Bio
Julia Gould is an Artist living and working in Baltimore Maryland. Julia holds a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she majored in Painting, and minored in Printmaking. Julia’s work has been exhibited and awarded by organizations such as the YoungArts Foundation in Miami, the Baltimore Museum of Art, ABR Contemporary in Tribeca, T & Y Projects in Tokyo, and the National Society for Arts and Letters in Washington DC. In addition she has lectured in the Baltimore area along with exhibiting in solo and invitational, juried exhibitions.
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2024
“Dry Land”
La Cuchara
Baltimore, Maryland USA
“Nocturnal Pollinators“
Gallery Blue Door
Baltimore, Maryland USA
2020
“Repeat/Reflect”
Collection of 30+ Oil paintings, monotypes, and ceramic works, accompanying a lecture to art students.
George Washington Carver Center for Art and Technology
Baltimore, Maryland USA
2019
“Of Saturation”
Collection of 19 oil paintings, prints, and poetry
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland USA
https://www.mica.edu/events-exhibitions/past-exhibitions/details/julia-gould-of-saturation/
“Figure and Abstraction”
Collection of 20+ oil paintings and drawings, accompanying a lecture to art students.
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore, Maryland USA
2017
“Bearings”
40+ works on canvas and paper
George Washington Carver Center for Art and Technology
Baltimore, Maryland USA
Group shows
2024
“True Ecology”
Trophy III Oil Painting
East Manning Projects
Providence, Rhode Island USA
2023
“In the Heat of the Night”
Pool I, Branch Climbers, Valentine Oil Paintings
Andrew Reed Gallery
Tribeca, New York USA
” Alumni Exhibition”
Web, Psycopsis, Sphinx Vase II, Oil paintings
George Washington Carver Center
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
2022
“Narration Within the Materials”Dusk is for Lovers, Mixed Media Painting
Curated by Amani Lewis
T & Y Projects
Tokyo, Japan
“Chimaera”
Ouroboros, Editioned print
SGC International: “Madison Our Shared Future”
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
“Art Walk Undergraduate Exhibition” Collection of paintings, drawings, and prints Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
“Preview #12”
Creekside Lovers, Ink wash
Sheila & Richard Riggs Gallery
Baltimore, Maryland
2021
“Ephemera”
Nocturnal Pollinators, Lithograph and Monotype print.
15/15 building, Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, Maryland USA
“Combust”
2 oil paintings
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland USA
“Selections”
Two painting diptychs
France-Merrick Foundation Gallery
Baltimore, Maryland USA
“Back to Work”
Oil painting
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland USA
2019
“D.C Chapter Gala“
3 oil paintings, accompanied by an Artist Lecture at NSAL annual meeting
National Society for Arts and Letters
Washington DC, USA
“Personal Directions ’19”
Collection of 7 oil paintings, and ink washes
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland USA
“Juried Alumni Show“
Oil painting
George Washington Carver Center
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
“Arnell Lewis Scholarship Exhibition“
5 oil paintings
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland USA
“Summer Foreign Travel”
3 oil paintings
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland USA
2018
“Winners in visual arts“
Her Danes, Grief as a Green Fruit, 2 Oil paintings
National Young Arts Foundation,
Miami, Florida
“Preview #5”
5 oil paintings
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland
“Go Figure”
5 oil paintings and a charcoal drawing
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland
“FYE”
7 mixed media works on paper and canvas
Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, Maryland
2017
“52nd Annual Baltimore County Public Schools Art Exhibition” Grief as a Green Fruit Oil painting
Goucher College
Baltimore, Maryland
2016
“Art is for Everyone”
Pandora and the Lenten Rose, Oil painting
Baltimore Museum of Art
Baltimore, Maryland
Accolades
Awards
2022
Highly Commended
National Society for Arts and Letters, USA
2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017
Dean’s List
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
Creative Vision Award
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
2019
National First Place in Visual Arts
National Society for Arts and Letters USA
BPI Gallery Artist of the Month Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore, Maryland
2018
Silver Award in Visual Arts
National Young Arts Foundation, USA
2017
Best in Show Award
52nd Annual Baltimore County Public Schools Art Exhibition
Baltimore, Maryland USA
Teacher’s Choice Award
52nd Annual Baltimore County Public Schools Art Exhibition
Baltimore, Maryland USA
National Silver Medals Portfolio. “Exhaust”
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, USA
National Silver Medals Portfolio “Bearings”
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, USA
2016
National Silver Medal In Painting
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards USA
National Silver Medal In Drawing & Illustration
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards USA
Scholarships
2022
Figure painting workshop with David Antonio Cruz Anderson Ranch Arts Center Aspen, Colorado
2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017
Arnell Lewis Land Art Scholarship
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
Fanny B. Thalheimer Scholarship
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
Academic Excellence Scholarship
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
2019
Venice Biennale art history intensive Maryland Institute College of Art Venice, Italy
National Winston Art Scholarship National Society for Arts and Letters USA
2018
Figure painting workshop with Vincent Desiderio
New York Academy of Art
Tribeca, New York
Publications
Collections
2022
Southern Graphics Council International Editioned Print. Kennesaw, Georgia
University of Wisconsin-Madison Editioned Print. Madison, Wisconsin
2021
Dolphin Press and Print Editioned Print Baltimore, Maryland
2019
Decker Library, Maryland Institute College of Art Poetry chapbook. Baltimore, Maryland
2017
George Washington Carver Center, Atrium Permanent Display Oil Painting. Towson, Maryland
George Washington Carver Center
Drawing Department Collection Charcoal drawing. Towson, Maryland
George Washington Carver Center
Library Collection Sketchbook. Towson, Maryland