Brief Biography

Julia Clift is a Philadelphia-based artist working primarily in painting and drawing. Her pieces have been exhibited throughout the United States, at locations including Massey Klein Gallery, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Pentimenti Gallery, Fleisher Art Memorial, MassoniArt, Bloomfield Richwood Gallery, GreenHill Center for NC Art, Philip Slein Gallery, and Arnot Art Museum. Her work is included in the permanent collection at Penn Medicine’s Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs, curated by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as Wythe Hotel’s permanent collection in Brooklyn. A passionate educator, Julia has taught at The Pennsylvania State University, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Maryland Institute College of Art, and West Chester University. At Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, she co-created and continues to teach Visualizing Anatomy, a course that deepens medical students’ understanding of anatomy through hands-on art lessons. Julia’s writing has been featured in BOMB, Hyperallergic, Title Magazine, and HuffPost, and she's recently enjoyed curating exhibitions. She received her MFA from Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University and her BFA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Artist Statement

My paintings and works on paper combine imagery from different American regions with invention and abstraction, constructing new worlds while reflecting on the present moment in this nation and on Earth. The work draws on landscapes from Central Florida, the Philadelphia area, and the Appalachian Mountains, all places where I’ve lived or spent a significant amount of time. Ranging in scale up to six feet tall, my oil paintings typically evolve from small collage sketches that I make from printed snapshots, tourism advertisements, and color swatches. Alongside my canvases, I make smaller works on paper that often incorporate natural inks, concocted from foraged plants, kitchen waste, and scrap metal. Through all of my creative processes, I grapple with Anthropocentric ways of thinking, American culture, the expanding role of digital technology in daily life, and my own filtered perceptions of reality. I see the work as simultaneously unsettling and holding a sense of possibility.

CV

Learn More/Contact

Check out my blog for a mix of writings, studio news and more. For the most up-to-date information about upcoming exhibitions and projects, follow me on Instagram @julia.clift, or reach out to be added to my mailing list. My email is juliaclift5 [at] gmail [dot] com.