JULIAN M C SCOTT
Artist’s Statement:
My work is abstract and results from a creative process that is primarily, though not exclusively, intuitive. I tend to work on several paintings at a time, often revisiting them over periods of weeks, months or even years. I interrogate the boundaries and nature of painting as an interaction of process, idea and material, consciously working within self imposed constraints of surface, paint, edge, etc. as this limited space offers seemingly infinite possibility.
I look to evoke a personalised, lived, spatiality in each work and to be surprised by what I find. Visual propositions and juxtapositions are sought and explored that are often ambiguous, sometimes awkward and hopefully unexpected. Each work is a journey and an exploration of painting and how abstraction enacts dramas that can speak to experience and memory.
Biography:
I was born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex and grew up in Bristol. My father was the artist and sculptor Gerald Scott. My developing passions and interests led me to attend art school where I initially studied for a degree in sculpture followed a little later by a Masters in painting. Alongside my continuing creative practice, I followed a career teaching at various art schools in the UK. Most recently I designed and led the Fine Art degree programme at Bristol School of Art and the new Integrated Foundation Programme in Art, Media and Design at Bristol UWE.
I left teaching in 2021 to concentrate more fully on my own painting, working from my studio on top of the house that I share with my wife and where we brought up our family.
Education:
Foundation Studies in Art and design: Bristol Polytechnic (Now Bristol UWE)
BA (Hons) Fine Art: Kingston School of Art (Kingston University, London)
MA Fine Art: Cardiff School of Art & Design (University of Wales).
Teaching experience :
I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and have taught at undergraduate and postgraduate level in various Universities and Art Schools including:
Harrow School of Art (now the University of Westminster): on the Foundation Course and BA(Hons) Illustration.
Bristol School of Art: Tutor on several undergraduate programmes and Course Leader for: Foundation Art & Design (UAL); FdA Creative Practices and BA (Hons) Fine Art.
Bristol UWE: Tutor on several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and Pathway Lead for the BEd (Hons) Fine Art Pathway, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Education in Professional Practice and, most recently, Foundation in Art, Media & Design.
Consultancy etc.:
Former member of the Artists' Committee of the King’s Street Gallery, Bristol.
Founder member of ‘Artery’, an organisation set up to organise temporary and 'pop-up' exhibition venues in and around the City of Bristol.
Former Scheme Advisor and External Examiner for Foundation Studies in Art & Design for the Awarding Body Consortium..
Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions:
RWA Bristol
Embankment Gallery, London.
Syon Park Art Centre, London. Three person show with Pip Thompson and Ann-Marie Foster.
Acme Studio Gallery, Brixton. Solo Show.
National Museum of Wales. Cardiff.
Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery. Kanagawa, Japan. (Catalogue)
The Festival Gallery, Bath. Two person show with Howard Hodgkin.
Brewhouse Gallery, Taunton
Kingswood Civic Centre, Bristol. Solo Show.
Bristol School of Art. Bristol
Talbot Fine Art, Tetbury, Gloucestershire.
Chapter Gallery, Cardiff: Sites and Sensibilities.
Howard Gardens Gallery, Cardiff.
King Street Gallery Bristol.
Leadworks Pop-up space. Bristol. A3-Artery Artists Artworx at the Leadworks,
John Street Gallery, Stroud.
2021:
Espacio Gallery, Shoreditch. "Abstract" -
Victoria Gallery, Bath. Bath Society of Artists Annual Open exhibition
2022:
East Cliff House Gallery, Essex. "About the Size of It"
Centrespace Gallery, Bristol. "Imagined Things" – Two person show with ceramicist, Oliver Kent.
La Grange Gallery Cernay-Lès-Reims, France. "Like a Slight Hiccup..." / "Comme un léger contretemps…" (Catalogue).
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield “Paint"
2023:
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield "Beneath the Earth"
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield "Magic"
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield “Abstract”
ACEarts Gallery, Somerton “ACEarts Open”
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield “Fronteer open”
2024:
HOURS, Bristol. "In the Abstract", Solo show.
Bocabar Arts, "Springtide". Paintworks, Bristol.
Terrace Gallery, London. "Concrete > Abstract". Curated by Stephen Keane.
Terrace Gallery at Patchworks, London. "It Rose and it Fell" - 20 years of the Terrace Gallery, curated by Karl Bielik.
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield. "Abstract '24".
No Format Gallery, Debtford, London. "Finding Form" Curated by Stephen Keane & Sara Breinlinger.
2025:
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield "Painting"
Open Gallery, Halifax. "Abstract Art" (Catalogue).
The Ropewalk, Barton-upon-Humber "Abstract Encounters". Curated by Anthony Housman and David Alcock.
Art On the Hill, Bristol. Art Trail,
ACEarts Gallery, Somerton “ACEarts Open”. Until 24 Dec.
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield “Fronteer open”
2026:
Linden Hall Studio, Deal, Kent. "Winter Group Open" (Catalogue).
Julian is also a musician and a member of the band 'Venn'. See link on the 'Links' page.