Julie Acquaviva Hayes

I love the freedom of expression I feel when I'm painting. To be in the moment, letting go of boundaries, rules and limitations, is heavenly. I am liberated. It's this feeling of freedom and liberation that I find most appealing about abstract painting where there are no mistakes and no judgements, just the beauty within revealed.

Before I put paint to canvas, I love to run my hand across the fresh white canvas and feel the texture under my fingertips as I contemplate a new beginning. I never plan the ending. I let the paint flow and do as it will, letting the colors combine and overlap on the canvas in their own unique way. I love this middle process where everything is fluid and ever changing. With each new layer of paint, I add texture and dimension to the painting until I feel a sense of balance and completeness.

California Lutheran University, Bachelor of Arts