Julie Robinson's Blog

I am an abstract painter living and working in Asheville, North Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana. My current work uses mixed media on a polyester film that has a  translucent frosted matte finish. Because of its transparency it gives an ethereal appearance of floating in space without a ground.

Each layer is a dialogue with the layer underneath and has to dry for 24 hours before I can add another layer. The process is a synthesis of intuition, patience, and skill.  Each year I grow more and more in love with painting on this surface.  Something new and unexpected happens with each painting that excites me.

Best of Both Worlds

I recently returned to Asheville after spending the winter in New Orleans, where I decided to make a second home to be near my kids. I lived in New Orleans for 30 years, and raised my children there, so the past few months were like a wonderful homecoming reconnecting with friends and colleagues—many that I hadn't seen since I left in 2001. This is the first time in my life that I’m living and working in 2 different cities. What a ride! 

My New Orleans studio is in Mid City, an historic district just 9 blocks away from the house I lived in for 21 years. It’s taken some effort to make the studio functional and it’s practically the polar opposite of my set up in Asheville, but I really love it and relish the experience.

My studio in New Orleans.

My studio in New Orleans.

Now I'm back working in Asheville and it's wonderful to be in the mountains to experience spring’s unfolding of the new leaves and blooming trees everywhere. This is my favorite season of the year, and I find that the chartreuse greens and pinks of spring are finding their way into my paintings.

Scenes from my Asheville Studio.

Scenes from my Asheville Studio.