ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Julie Caves

Julie Caves makes books and paints. She paints because she is fascinated by colour. She layers transparent colour, looks at how colours affect one another, and tries to capture light inside the paint. Because the subject of the work is colour she has been called a “colourist”. The finished paintings become a record and trace of her practice. They have been described as “very painterly” and she thinks this means that the viewer can feel the process of painting as if they had made the marks themselves.

When she needs to use sequence or groups or concept, she makes a book. An artists' book is art that simply chooses to use the format of a book. Hers usually use drawing or photography, and text. As Julie says: "I make books that offer a moment of cheerful confusion, books that celebrate the beauty of the so-called ordinary, books made of groupings and lists, cataloguing the things and places we think we know, books that offer a new look at things you see every day. I like that a book is a piece of art you can hold and look at all by yourself. I think the best artists' books are silly or funny on the surface while encouraging you to think about something more meaningful. I am trying my best to make contact with humanity." Serendipity Press is the imprint name she uses to distinguish her bookworks from her other artistic work.

Julie began her art studies in California in 1989, studied art in Spain, received a BFA in Studio Art (Sculpture and Printmaking) in Texas, and an MA in Bookarts from Camberwell College of Arts in London. She has participated in exhibitions in the US, Spain, Korea, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Mexico and the UK. She has artists' books and prints in a number of public and private collections including the Tate Britain Gallery Special Collection. Before arriving at Blackhorse Lane Studios, in East London where she is now based, Julie's studio was located at the historic Abbey Art Centre in North London and the Chocolate Factory N16 in North East London. She is a member of the Colour Group of Great Britain, The Walthamstow Arts Club, the Pacific Centre for Book Arts and the CREATE group of Bristol.



Strange Fruit
Oil on wood panel
16x20 inches
2009
Click pic to see more of Julie Caves’s work.
Julie Cave’s Blog
Julie Cave’s Artist Books