Julian Sharples

Painter based in Peckham.

Inspired by reading philosophy and novels. Many of the narrative and formal devices I use in painting come from closely related equivalents in my reading.

Ultimately the painting is made of carefully mixed paint applied with big brushes in meaningful strokes. The pen sketches I use, record composition information and the best of the brush strokes, macro and micro levels. That's enough of that, though happy to share my methodology with anyone.

But just a tiny bit more: My studio day is bookended with colour mixing for 2 hours at the beginning and cleaning the brushes for the same time at the end. The brushes are always immaculately prepared for the next session.

Finally my greatest discovery is a method of working non-stop for 12 hours that lets me pass through all the hopeless stages in between without quitting. The clue to that is I do 12 hour cycling rides as a hobby. To stop a painting is like quitting a bike ride and getting a train home. In a word, unthinkable!

Goldsmiths MA fine art 1995-6
St Martins BA (1st) fine art 1992-5
Birkbeck College MA philosophy 2008-10
Hertford College, Oxford University BA (2:1) Science of Materials 1986-1990

2024 Double Vision, two person show (get the pun) at Tension Fine Art
2019 Cell Graffiti, solo show at Tension Fine Art
2017 Royal Academy Summer Show
2015 Let's Come Together, solo show, Artcpgalleria
2015 From Indifference to Engagement, Artcpgalleria
2011 Creekside Open
2010 Royal Academy Summer Show