Profile Photo

Julia Baker

  • 480 Gate 5 Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
  • 282 A

About The Artist

Artist Statement

I grew up in a rambling old beach house in New England, where creativity was woven into everyday life. My bohemian parents nurtured it from the very start—my sister, who is also an artist, and I spent evenings drawing on a huge chalkboard while they cooked dinner and danced. My father always brought home art supplies, including a massive drafting table, and they encouraged us to paint anything we wanted—our bedroom walls, furniture, and fabric to make clothes. My first job was sewing clothes for a boutique when I was 13!

Ballet, sewing, and art were part of my early creative exploration, and in 1981, I moved to San Francisco to fully embrace a career as an artist. I began exhibiting in Bay Area galleries like Shorebirds in Belvedere, Greenleaf Gallery in Saratoga, the SFMOMA Rental Gallery, Art Works Downtown in San Rafael, and now at the ICB in Sausalito. Along the way, I worked as a textile designer, a faux finisher, furniture painter, restaurant owner, and designed closets and window coverings. Each of those experiences has influenced my creative process and found its way into my work.

Franz Kline, Robert Rauschenberg, and Nathan Oliveira have been the strongest influences on my paintings, which are mostly abstract. I often use mixed media—pastels, graphite, torn paper, old photos, and other ephemera, layering paint and ink to build depth. I love the process of transforming a blank canvas, drawing inspiration from my environment—the shifting seasons, the moody presence of fog and water, and the way light constantly changes over the bay, creating an ethereal atmosphere.

Biography

I earned my BFA in painting from UMass Amherst and studied at the Museum Schools in Boston and Worcester, and Rhode Island School of Design. Chuck Close had been a professor at UMass, and when he spoke at our graduation, his words solidified my decision to pursue painting seriously.

Art Medium(s)

Oil Paint, Acrylic Paint, Mixed Media, Encaustics

Group Studio Details

 

 

Studio Information

Building Name

Industrial Center Building

Studio Or Unit Number

282 A

Special Location Or Visiting Instructions

I'm on the second floor, North side of the building

COVID Precautions

Contact Information

Artist Full Name
Contact Email Address
Phone

415-613-0738

Exhibitions & Press

Group Exhibitions

·   Marin Open Studios, ICB, Sausalito, CA May 2023

·    Belvedere Tiburon Library, Tiburon, CA-By 94920-Celebrating Creativity, Juried show August-October 2023

·    O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Fresh Art Juried show December 2023

·    Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA-Cornucopia, December 2023-January 2024

·    Cafe Del Soul, San Rafael, CA-featured artist, December 2023-January 2024

·    Winter Open Studios, ICB, Sausalito, CA December 2023

·    Marin Society of Artists, Fresh Art, Juried show December 2023-January 2024

·    Graton Art Gallery, Graton, CA-Small Works, Juried show December 2023-January 2024

Industrial Center Building, Artists at Work March 2024 and October 2024

UCSF Alliance Health Project, Art for Aids Auction-juried show April 2024

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Strictly Abstract Juried show April 2024 

Marin Open Studios, Bon Air Pop Up Show, Greenbrae, CA May-July 2024

·    Marin Open Studios, ICB, Sausalito, CA May 2024

Art Works Downtown Donor’s Gallery, Solo Show, San Rafael, CA August-September 2024

First Tuesday Art Walk, The Depot Cafe, Mill Valley, CA September-October 2024

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Wabi-Sabi Juried show October-November 2024

Marin Open Studios, Marin Art and Garden Center, November-December 2024

·    Winter Open Studios, ICB, Sausalito, CA December 2024

Education

Description
  • BFA, Painting-UMass, Amherst, MA
  • School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
  • School of the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA

MOS GALLERY

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