JULIE M FOWELL ART
MDIA, AADipl(BArch), TSACert Japan, ESTC Cert
julie.fowell@aussiebroadband.com.au
​https://www.instagram.com/juliesartcollective/

CONVOLUTION_01
a mobius loop 
Drypoint etching 

Artist Statement


An exploration of drawing, drafting and experimental mark making on found plastic packaging using drypoint needle points, Dremel and sandpapers. Printed on BFK Reeves paper 4 x 90cm x 30cm sheets. Connected using sewing machine and buttons in a mobius loop construction to float, move in a slow spin, to represent the repetition and convolution of our lives.

Based on an Architectural concept project sited in Aagersborg on Limfjord, Denmark and inspired by Viking long houses. At 1:200 scale, this 360m long set of buildings, connected by communal yards, supported with pole construction floating over the marshlands and ending over the shallow waters of Limfjord.

Combining the precision of drafting, freeform marks from Dremel and sandpaper and difficulty using clear plastic, made chance and accident present.
Coloured inks, different methods of wiping, textures, tonal value and drafted lines of sharp contrast. This artwork is meant to be contemplative.
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GALLERY CENTRAL NORTHBRIDGE PERTH
NMTafe Staff Exhibition
"What is Drawing?" Pushing the boundaries of drawing.
Opens 28 January 2025
Launch 11 February 2025
Closes 21 February 2025
Size: 64cm x 62cm x 30cm 
Medium: Drypont etchings, Mobius loop mobile, 3 layers of BFK Reeves paper
Price: $1,200 AUD
Researching the issue of spacejunk inspired me to create this piece of floating models. Folded and cut forms and disjointed imagery. Held in an unpredictable Orbit around a central OBJECT.
Title: Space Junk - Lost Gold
Medium: 3D models constructed from etchings and drypoints, on Fabriano and Saunders printmaking papers. Unique state. 
Size: 1m square (approx)
Price: $750 AUD
Exploring the idea of “lost gold” in orbit around planet Earth I wanted to create an artwork that would express the excessive waste of resources and how the Earth has been scoured, chamfered, dug up, dumped on, and scarred for the desire of progress & GOLD.  
There is an estimated 7.5 million Kilos of space junk containing gold parts and MLI (multi-layered Insulation),  orbing the Earth. Concepts for in-orbit manufacturing, de-Orbiting space debris, and recycling are being actively explored by Space Tech companies, including Australia.

SPACE JUNK – LOST GOLD 
​Printmaking Models Mobile 

I wanted the objects to move independently so I designed a MOBILE, where the centre piece represents the EARTH, the floating objects represent parts of derelict rocket bodies, old spacecraft, & satellites, with elements of gold.
PAWA EXHIBITON 
Moores Building Art Space – Golden GALA,  PAWA members exhibition, celebrating 50 years of the Association.
9 – 24 November 2024.
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​​Applying my architectural background and practice of drafting and paper model making, I challenge the notion and preciousness of hand pulled copper plate and drypoint prints again by turning 2D etchings, cut and folded, into 3D forms. Etching papers’ tactile nature and stiffness performs well, with its ease of cutting, folding and holding forms.
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"Life is a Balancing Act" Printmaking sculpture 


"Life is a Balancing Act"

Artist statement:

In our personal journeys and everyday life, we are constantly juggling and trying to keep “the balance.”
Metaphorically, my composition of forms, is testing the balance,  putting them in precarious situations - tipping points.
The notion of “being unbalanced” can be unnerving.
Harmony can be restored by joining, one just holding onto the other.
The etchings, depicting bush plants and jungle’s seeming disorder, have become ordered geometric sculptures that in their composition maintain each-others balance.
A red central view-port acts as a lens, circle subverts to a square as the viewer peers through.



On show at Atwell House & Gallery,
586 Canning Hwy,
Alfred Cove Perth WA 6154
8 - 21 JUNE 2024 
Medium: Charbonnel Aqua Wash on Fabriano Rosapina & Unica paper

Technique: Drypoint & copper plate etchings folded & cut to various 3D 

SIZE: 42H x 35W x 26D cm

PRICE: $500 

​​  LOOKING BACK ON 2023
CITY OF GOSNELLS COMMUNITY ART AWARDS 2023
Saturday 20 May to  Sunday 28 May 2023​
ARTISTS STATEMENT – CABINETS OF CURIOSITY FOLDED AND CUBED 
Challenging the preciousness of a hand pulled prints by turning 2D Etchings into 3D forms. I have created self-supporting maquettes of folded forms using original monoprints and drypoint etchings. Using my Architectural background and practice of model making I have used Fabriano paper, for its ease of cutting, folding and stiffness. With changes in technology I have many obsolete data CDs so I used these as drypoint plates. I also explored printing on both sides of the paper. So interior views could be possible, circular cut-outs were added to allow viewing points, thus became the Cabinet of Curiosities Folded and Cubed
  

Gallery 152 York
Winter Salon Art Exhibition
Exhibition dates: 15th July - 27th August 2023

152 Avon Terrace York WA
This group exhibition features a selection of prints by contemporary Western Australia artists working in print . The exhibition includes Stephen Castledine, AHC McDonald, Elmari Steyn, Chris Pullin and members of the Printmakers Association of Western Australia.
My piece in this was a single "cabinet of curiosity" with many openings for interior views.
  
Titled: Cabinet of Curiosity Artificialia Cubed  #1
Size: 50 x 12.5 x 50 cm.
Etching drypoint, colour À la poupée.

PAWA CONTEMPORARY PRINT MEDIA AWARDS EXHIBITION 2023


  
The base form, a pentagon being 5 sided refers to the label “unbalanced” used to describe a person’s state of mind. Collared from a young age to follow convention – to “fit in”, “behave”, “speak only  when spoken to, ”do as your told” etc. As an artist or creative thinker can be draining, and after years/decades of “compliance” the collar becomes tight and the draining more exhausting. The dry-point image with lines of restating, indecision, downward movements, trapped shapes, the monoprint under colours, the yellow essence of the life being drained and changed, red and green as different moods. The disks (CD’s) are past life memories scratched into and circling around the five sides.
  
  
  
Exhibitons 2022
​2  -17 July Nyisztor Gallery Perth
The concept for the exhibition of "framed unframed" triggered an idea to create drypoint prints that then became 3Dimensional by cutting and folding the large sheets of printmaking papers.

April - May 
ArtMarx Gallery Fremantle


15 High Street Fremantle WA

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'Light Flows' - a group exhibition around the way that light influences our every day and how it can be represented in abstract art.

"The painting above "Traffic in my Head" expresses movement and energy when so may ideas and information are rushing around in my subconscious, sometimes confusing, sometimes contemplative, sometime joyous or happy. " This was SOLD!!! 
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 Above Top: 
TITLE: "The Heart of Things"
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 51 x 41 cm
PRICE: $520, 
Above Right:
TITLE: "Traffic in My Head" SOLD
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 76 x 51 cm
PRICE: $720,
Above: 
TITLE: "The Astronaut"
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 76 x 51 cm
PRICE: $720
Right:
TITLE: "Code Orange"
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 76 x 61 cm
PRICE: $750

 "How we evolve and continue to be resilient in difficult times, the paintings and prints reflect the ideas of escape, other-worldliness, and expression of different moods".​​

​
Looking Back at my exhibition held at 
ARTGEO Cultural Complex BUSSELTON 
10 February - 8 March 2022
H_O_P_E 
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TITLE: "Planets Collide"
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 56 x 56 cm
PRICE: $650  
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TITLE: " A Tear for a Friend"                 
SIZE: 51 X 76 cm                        
PRICE: $720                            
TITLE: "Sea Creatures"
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 61 x 61 cm
PRICE: $680
  

TITLE: "Hidden Agenda"
MEDIUM: Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
SIZE: 51 x 76 cm
PRICE: $720

​​“Colour is high impact, and gets all the credit, but tonal value does all the work.”

My ongoing experimentation with etching and printmaking has eventuated in a new series of works that explores tonal value and colour theory.​


"Astronaut" Blue Orange

 "Astronaut" Purple Yellow              

 "A Tear" Green Magenta                                       

Abstract Paintings translated to tonal  copper plate etchings with rolled colour 

​​​Copper etching processes fascinate me.
The outcome always a surprise.
Working on a plate for many weeks, hard ground linework, aquatint for tonal areas, finally printing requires wiping and more wiping to take off the excess ink and expose the unetched areas of copper. Anticipation when a proof print is pulled off the press, how will it turn out?

  
Translating my abstract paintings originally in multiple colours to Tonal studies at a different scales.
Transferring these images as drawings to copper etching plates, using line and tonal aquatint.
​
Etching plates are inked up and wiped with a dominant deep colour, then a vibrant colour is rolled over the plate then printed.
Orange rolled over Phthalo blue
Magenta rolled over Phthalo green
Yellow rolled over Indigo purple

Causing the under colour to change to a chromatic black or Triadic brown
Testing the amount of colour each print has its own particular identity and appeal.

A varied edition is possible.

Adjusting the transparencies of the rolled colour allows the under colour at times to come through to show its true vibrancy.
​
In this series the tonal value of traditional etching has been altered by vibrant colour experimentation and colour theory. 

TITLE: "A Tear - Blue Orange 1"
MEDIUM: Etching and relief print on Stonehenge paper
iMAGE SIZE: 15 x 19 cm
PAPER SIZE: 32 X 44 cm Framed 
PRICE: $280 Framed $150 Unframed
 


TITLE: "The Rescue - Blue Orange 3"
MEDIUM: Etching and relief print on Rosapina paper
iMAGE SIZE: 10 x 12 cm
PAPER SIZE: 19 X 25 cm
PRICE: $130  Unframed
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S_A_F_E  Acrylic on canvas76 x 76 cm
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ALL ART WORKS CAN BE VIEWED ON THE PRINTMAKING, ABSTRACT  PAINTING,​​
 ISLANDS & BIRDS GALLERIES ​​
If you wish to discuss my work or purchase any of my paintings or prints please email:

  
About

Recently I have been developing a new series of abstract paintings and printmaking.  Since the 1970's I have studied visual arts, design and architecture. This is my passion which had been instilled in me from my grandfather Joe who was an architect and artist. This website is dedicated to the visual arts aspect of my life, my interest in pure abstraction, landscape iterpretation and my concern for our fragile environment.
​​My grandfather Joseph C Fowell, architect and artist (right) with friend, Tom Bass, Sculptor (left), 1956 ​​