I paint because it engages my senses, my mind, my soul, and stirs a passion in me unlike anything else. My aim is visual poetry that is simultaneously elusive and evocative. I want the viewer to look into the painting, not merely at it.

Combining brushmarks, knifework and reverberating color, I desire to send the viewer on a journey that speaks life to the soul. It's as much about the interplay of texture and surface as it is about the visual subject itself. My desire is to pay homage to the beauty that captivated my attention in the first place, and for the application of the paint to reflect my fascination with the subject.

My art exploration parallels my faith. There’s no end to the journey, but the reward is a wellspring of revelation that helps me know myself, the world, and my God more fully.

"I paint to tell myself about myself." ? Eric Fischl
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." ? Psalm 19:1
"Art is communication.” ? Madeleine L'Engle

Artist's Biography

Julia Chandler Lawing paints from personal observations of life, expressing her aesthetic and allegorical impressions in compositions of landscapes, structures and figures.

Born in Atlanta and relocating to St. Simons Island, Georgia at age 12, Julia was recognized early for her artistic talent. She majored in journalism at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (’90), advertising sequence, with a minor concentration in drawing and art history. After a brief period in admissions at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Julia worked as an advertising copywriter at The Charlotte Observer for several years. She filled her artistic well by taking night classes at Central Piedmont Community College in everything from stained glass and woodworking to ceramics and pastels. As a young mother, Julia's artistic outlets included creating artwork alongside her four daughters, docenting at the Cabarrus County Arts Council, and teaching elementary art.

In 2014, Julia began studying oil painting with nationally renowned artist and teacher Andy Braitman, her mentor. She has twice completed the intensive Artist in Residence program at Braitman Studio. Julia resides in Concord, NC, with her husband Bruce, four teenage daughters, and black Labrador Lincoln, who are constantly forgiving her for not having dinner ready on time, crowding the garage with canvases, and leaving traces of paint everywhere.

CV available upon request.