Sailing West Sailing East / Duet Painting

Julia Ismambetova was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from Almaty State University (ASU) in 1995. Between 1996 and 1998, she taught and lectured in the ASU Arts and Crafts department, before pursuing her artistic career full-time. Julia creates her art using a batik technique, and has been known to describe her self-expression as akin to ‘graphics on silk’. She freely admits that she was won over by the unlimited opportunities and diversity that batiks can offer to the artist. The batik technique is a rather complex and painstaking type of fabric painting, requiring the artist’s patience, skill and ultimately, mastery. Julia has been working with this technique for almost two decades now, and has succeeded to combine this ancient craft with her own unique style and modern elements. Julia has exhibited widely almost every year since 1998, in Kazakhstan, at Christie's Auction House in London (UK) and in New York City. Individuals and corporations around the world, including in Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain, South Korea, the USA, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and Israel, have purchased her original artwork for their residences and offices, and the rights to her images for marketing purposes.