To see more paintings by Barter, Kristofik and Oliver, go to www.artistsnetwork.com/ gallery.

Julie Ford Oliver
Inner Vision

Iusually plan a painting in my head before setting it up,” says Julie Ford Oliver, former illustrator turned full-time artist, whose passion for painting has been part of her makeup since she was a small child in England. “Something will spark a reaction, like glimpsing a textile or an object and I ‘see’ the entire setup, including items and colors.”

Translating this inner vision, Oliver stages an arrangement and, experimenting with lighting, which she lists as the most important element, does several value studies under different lights until she finds what works best. Her choice made, Oliver lightly draws the main shapes in charcoal and then sets her image with fixative. “This saves lots of time,” she advises. “ If I don’t like the

way the color is going, I can easily wipe it back to my original drawing.”

Oliver introduces color to canvas using a watercolor mop brush and loose brushwork. “I wash in the large base areas in transparent oil colors, sometimes using a darker version of what’s there and the complementary color in other places. It all depends on how I intend to use the second layer,” she explains.

As the wash dries, starting with the darkest dark and a touch of light, Oliver pre-mixes her colors, producing a full range of hues from a limited palette of six. She claims this helps her judge midvalues. “If the colors work on the palette, you know the harmony will extend to the painting.”

After blocking in the main shapes, it’s on to the background before tackling the rest of the composition. “When the first layer is dry, I again pre-mix my colors and paint it all over again,” she explains, “letting some of the colors underneath peek through. If I’ve painted flowers alla prima, however, I’m careful not to touch them.”

Certain flowers and fabrics consistently inspire her. “The calla lily has been my favorite flower for the past few years,” she says, “and it goes well with my

www.artistsmagazine.com ■ November 2008

Encouraged by an art teacher, Julie Ford Oliver won a scholarship to Manchester School of Art in England, where she decided to pursue a career in illustration. When Oliver’s last child left for college, she decided to go into fine art. She has shown her work in several solo and numerous group exhibitions, and is presently represented by the Patio Art Gallery in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Gallery in the Sun in Tucson, Arizona. Her website is www.juliefordoliver.com.