Born and raised in Vancouver, Julie Ireton is a Design Professional with 40 years of consulting experience in the architectural and real estate community. For the majority of her career, she was a partner with one of Winnipeg’s leading architectural firms. During that time, Julie was a sessional instructor in the Faculty of Architecture, where she taught graphic presentation as well as other design courses. Her painting journey started with a recommendation from one of her own former professors who introduced her to Bridgewater (formerly the Schneider School of Fine Art) near Tweed, Ontario. There she studied under Donnah Cameron II and for the next 20 years, Julie followed Donnah on several of her painting junkets to France, Italy and Greece.
Julie recently retired and is now living full-time on Mayne Island, one of BC’s Gulf Islands. Here, she has been a “weekender” since 2017. She is greatly looking forward to once again hosting watercolour workshops for multigenerational participants. In the interim, she enjoys painting with a group of other en plein air artists and exploring her new "forever" home.
Statement
It’s when my watercolour brush is fully loaded and I am about to place the first stroke on a new sheet of paper, that my heart sings. Painting is my passion. And for as long as I can remember, the school’s art room was my happiest place to be. I am inspired equally by nature and the built environment, and they are my subject matter of choice. Although my preference is painting en plein air, with all the rainy days, I am forced to retreat inside on a regular basis, and as a result there is an occasional still life in the mix.
“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.” Wayne Dyer’s quote resounds with me for many reasons but most of all because my painting is still a journey, and not a destination.