Inaugural Exhibition of Abstract and Minimal Art

 Happy New Year, everyone!

The Inaugural Exhibition of Abstract and Minimal Art launches today at Sikora Arts Gallery, Cortland, New York.

1st January - 21st February 2026

A brilliant start to the year to be part of this online exhibition of curated works.

Please see link to explore the exhibition. My five paintings are shown on the first floor, alongside three other painters.

https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/14940301/inaugural-exhibition-abstract-and-minimal-art-2026-1st-floor

 

i-D x Ray-Ban

 

Octagon (red)
Julie Umerle

I was absolutely delighted to hear the news that my painting Octagon (Red) has been selected as part of the i-D x Ray-Ban global competition - RED campaign! RED is a partnership between i-d and Ray-Ban that celebrates creative expression through the colour RED. My artwork was selected by judges made up of i-D’s and Ray-Ban’s Creative Teams.

 

i-D and Ray-Ban present RED. Before the name, there is a feeling. RED. The spark for the creative. The colour for the bold. The energy that creates what’s next. It is the thread connecting every artist and visionary; the belief that the brightest ideas deserve the boldest stage. This is a collaboration of pure optimism. A vivid snapshot of a world seen through a new filter. A way of seeing. A way of living. The official colour of right now.

UEL Archive

 

I am very proud that University of East London will house my archive as part of their Special Collections.

I still have some work to do before I have completed the project, but it is so wonderful to know that my archive will be cared for by them.

The archive has an important role in amplifying underrepresented voices and diversity, and as a tool for legacy and research. This is something that UEL is particularly passionate about. Very excited that my goal in preserving my history as an artist has been achieved.

Complementary material is held at Tate Library and The Women's Art Library, Goldsmiths University.

 

6th anniversary of 'Art, Life and Everything'

This year marks six years since the publication of my memoir 'Art, Life and Everything'. 

I have really enjoyed watching it gain an audience. It is so exciting to see my book out in the world and reaching out to people.

So on this occasion I'm posting a few photos of 'Art, Life and Everything' in such settings.

Enjoy!

The Library at Norwich University of the Arts

Waterstones, Canary Wharf, London

Waterstones, Walthamstow, London

Wimbledon Bookshop, London

Bloomberg Connects

  © Julie Umerle

Delighted to share that the Priseman Seabrook Collection is now available to view via the Bloomberg Connects app.

My painting 'Eclipse' is part of their collection.

ECLIPSE
1999-2000
Oil and acrylic on canvas

DESCRIPTION
Umerle is an American-born artist who lives and works in London. In this work she presents us with a process-driven abstract painting in which oil and acrylic paint have been applied to create a beautiful pattern, somehow reminiscent of rain trickling down a window. It has been achieved because oil and acrylic paints don't mix, as acrylic is water based. This allows Umerle to play with the disruptive patters the mediums themselves have created, forming a beautiful painting from their interplay.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dimensions
51 x 46 cm

Accession Number
131

Green Light and Yellow Light

Here are two small paintings on paper I have made this summer - acrylic on watercolour  paper - that are postcard-sized (ie 6 x 4 in/15 x 10 cm). 

Both are photographed on my ancient i-phone so apologies for the rather poor quality of the photographs!

Green Light: this painting will be donated to Artists Supporting Palestine and will be exhibited and sold at studio1.1 gallery in Shoreditch, London to raise money for medical aid to Palestine.

                                                                © Julie Umerle

Yellow Light:  this painting will be donated to the Art on a Postcard charity auction to fund the Hepatitis C Trust's mission to eliminate Hepatitis C.

 © Julie Umerle

 

I very much value being able to fundraise for charities with my paintings in this way, alongside pursuing my practice.

Artfacts

"Julie Umerle's artistic practice revolves around investigating the relationship between materials and image perception, focusing on the balance between precision and chance in abstract painting.

She works with paint on unprimed canvases and wet stretched paper, exploring the texture of materials and the organic qualities of ink.

Umerle's main themes include the interaction between freedom and control, chaos theory, and fractals, with a stylistic approach that involves creating open-ended series inspired by previous works and refining older pieces".

Artfacts

Julie Umerle

'Art, Life and Everything' by Julie Umerle

 

Opening paragraph of 'Art, Life and Everything' by Julie Umerle -

"Recently returned to London from Cornwall with a first class honours degree in painting from Falmouth School of Art, I was 23 and excited by the prospect of what lay ahead. I knew the joy of painting and believed that with enough effort and a little luck, I would become an artist. However, as a wheelchair user, I would face many additional challenges."
.

'Art, Life and Everything:  A memoir' is available at Waterstones, Foyles, Amazon and a few independent bookshops.

Artist Fundraiser for Médecins Sans Frontières

Resonance III
Julie Umerle

Resonance II
Julie Umerle

Artist Fundraiser for Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) UK working in Palestine 

Leading voices from across the field of contemporary art join forces to raise funds for essential  humanitarian aid for Palestine through an exhibition and major online art auction. Over 200  artworks have been donated, spanning the disciplines of art, architecture, engineering, and literature.  All proceeds will go towards the work of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) UK  in Gaza and the West Bank. Please support if you can by making a bid at this auction. .

I have contributed two works on paper - Resonance II and Resonance III. You can find these in the catalogue published for the event along with work by 200+ artists.

Online auction dates: 18th November – 1st December 2024: artistfundraiser.com Exhibition dates: 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th November & 1st December, 11am - 5pm 14 Wharf Road, Islington, London N1 7RW Private View: 22 November. 5 – 9pm   Curated by: Rahila Haque & Nabila Abdel Nabi Organised by: Adham Faramawy RA Alumni, Alan Stanton RA, Alison Wilding OBE RA,  Emma Stibbon RA, Fiona Banner aka the Vanity Press RA, Goshka Macuga RA, Mali Morris RA,  Piers Gough CBE RA, Rana Begum RA, Dame Sonia Boyce OBE RA, Tim Shaw RA

Saatchi Art

Cobalt II
Copyright: Julie Umerle

I'm pleased to share with you that I have just opened an account with Saatchi Art where you can buy eleven pieces from my most recent series of geometric paintings. 

Saatchi Art

Please follow this link to see the works on offer. 

Find art for sale at great prices. It is easy to shop art online. Discover art you love at Saatchi Art, the worlds leading global online gallery. 

I'll be adding more paintings to my account at a later date so please check in regularly!

            

 

Biography

Julie Umerle is a contemporary artist born in the United States and based in London, UK. 

Her work is primarily abstract, exploring the boundaries of painting through her engagement with concepts of repetition, variation, and the investigation of the materiality of paint. Umerle's vibrant paintings "transform the environments they inhabit".  

Umerle studied at Falmouth University, Cornwall and later at Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her artistic career has been marked by a number of exhibitions, both solo and group, in the UK and internationally. 

Umerle's paintings are characterised by their subtle textures and layers, often invoking a sense of the meditative process through which they are created.

Her work is included in various private and public collections, reflecting her ongoing contribution to the field of contemporary abstraction.

'Art, Life and Everything : A Memoir', detailing her early life as an artist in London and New York, was published to critical acclaim in 2019.