Delighted that my practice in painting has been longlisted for the 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize.
The 2026 jury includes curators from the V&A, V&A Dundee, The Photographers' Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Royal Academy of Arts and Whitworth Gallery.
Both short listed and long listed artists will be included in the show, in digital or physical format, alongside online publication.
York Art Gallery, Exhibition Square, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7EW
18 July - 15 November 2026
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| Julie Umerle x Ray-Ban RED |
I am delighted to have been invited to present my solo show 'Surface and Space' at the gallery from 1st March - 23rd April 2026.
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| 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 painting was selected by a panel of 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.
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.
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!
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| The Library at Norwich University of the Arts |
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| Waterstones, Canary Wharf, London |
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| Waterstones, Walthamstow, London |
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| Wimbledon Bookshop, London |
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| © 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.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.
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.
I very much value being able to fundraise for charities with my paintings in this way, alongside pursuing my practice.
"Julie Umerle's practice investigates 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".
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| Julie Umerle |
