BFA, Studio Art (Painting & Drawing) 

juliabradfish@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/juliabradfish_art/

Artist Statement

The pattern of a knit sweater in a fashion magazine, the bold orange used in an advertisement for a plant propagation system on Amazon, the rough texture of Elizabeth Murray’s most recent painting, the evidence of imperfection that a printer left in a 1970s magazine– these subtle details are what inspired Fragments.   Through my work, I investigate a culmination of imagery while also highlighting the materiality of paint and the ways in which an image can be rendered. Manipulating and extracting an image from its context has always been a source of inspiration for me. I pluck from physical and digital media various patterns and information from which I construct new potential in forms and color palettes. The removal of context leaves remaining fragments of an image, full of potential.   My work starts with the creation of a physical collage, which becomes a foundational reference for each composition. The painting gradually unfolds through a series of experimentations, alteration and layering from this collage. This process allows me to disconnect from the self and make intuitive marks that are not constrained to the boundaries of the initial imagery. I prioritize the materiality of paint. The rawness of the material and potential for the paint to lift from the surface in areas of my work are elements that I am inspired by.   This mode of working requires me to stay present in the moment. The final product reveals itself gradually, and the viewer is given clues to figure out the origin of the work. My process provides me with freedom to explore all the possibilities in which oil paint can then alter the imagery, in ways that only paint can do.