Julie Martini is a visual artist working in drawing, painting, sculpture and installation. Her work explores the interplay of materials: the automatic and the handmade.
Using paper marbling techniques dating back to the 12th century, Julie produces paintings on paper. Each painting begins with drops of acrylic paint on a liquid bath. The paint is induced to spread, move, and fragment by successive layers of paint and surfactants. The “floating painting” is then transferred to paper, and the final pieces are shaped with layers of pigment blown through a mouth atomizer and paint applied by hand. The paintings resemble celestial forms and cellular growth, composed of particles and fractal patterns, that split, move and regenerate.
Julie’s sculptures combine hand-built clay forms with digital modeling/fabrication. They are versions of the human body, imagined through the analogues of AI and human consciousness.
Her work includes references to NASA images, microscope photography, and humanist writing.
Her studio is in Jamaica Plain, MA.
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Floating, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
Fan, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
Overgrown Self, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
Cosmic Vibration, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
Eye in the Sky, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
Meandering Time, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
Landscape, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2024.
September 8, 2023, handmade paper and head, XX in. x XX in., 2023.
Head, 3D print with hand marbled finish, 14.5 in. x 13 in. x 3 in., 2023.
A Room of One's Own (Diptych), information about materials goes here, XX in. x XX in., 2023.
The Widest Eye, 3D print, 9 in. x 4 in. x 2 in., 2023.
Dreaming, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 22 in., 2022.
Portal I, acrylic and gouache on paper, 50 in. x 58 in., 2022.
Portal II, acrylic and gouache on paper, 50 in. x 59 in., 2022.
Portals offers imaginary views of the universe created with water, pigment and breath. Each piece began with the creation of a floating painting on water that was transferred to paper.
Asteroid, acrylic and gouache on paper, 50 in. x 51 in., 2021.
Cosmic Body, acrylic and gouache on paper, 50 in. x 60 in., 2020.
I Don't Believe in Magic, acrylic and gouache on paper, 35.5 in. x 26 in., 2020.
I Just Believe in Me, acrylic and gouache on paper, 35.5 in. x 26 in., 2020.
Celestial Ooze (diptych), acrylic and gouache on paper, 85 in. x 30 in., 2018.
Collapse, materials go here, 30 in. x 42 in., 2018.
Petrify, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2018.
Purple Outer Space, materials go here, 30 in. x 42 in., 2018.
Vibration, materials go here, 30 in. x 42 in., 2018.
Planetform I, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2017.
Planetform II, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2017.
Planetform III, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2017.
Planetform IV, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2017.
Multiform, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2017.
Untitled, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2017.
The Cosmos uses paper marbling techniques dating back to the 13th century to evoke celestial forms.
Building With Light, light installation, 6 ft. x 30 ft., 2017.
Building With Light is an installation made in collaboration with more that 200 young artists from after school programs around Boston. It was exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from May 2017-November 2017.
Efflux, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2016.
Efflux II, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2016.
Half Moon Framed, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2016.
Microview, acrylic and gouache on paper, 30 in. x 42 in., 2016.
Untitled, materials go here, XX in. x XX in., 2016.
Light Body I, acrylic and gouache on paper, 42.5 in. x 28 in., 2014.
Light Body II, acrylic and gouache on paper, 41 in. x 29 in., 2014.
Light Body III, acrylic and gouache on paper, 33.5 in. x 29.5 in., 2015.
Light Body IV, acrylic and gouache on paper, 41 in. x 30 in., 2014.
Light Body V, acrylic and gouache on paper, 35.5 in. x 26 in., 2014.
Light Body VI, acrylic and gouache on paper, 42.5 in. x 30 in., 2015.
Light Body VII, acrylic and gouache on paper, 43 in. x 30 in., 2015.
Light Body VIII, acrylic and gouache on paper, 40 in. x 29 in., 2015.
Particle I, acrylic on paper, XX in. x XX in., 2014.
Particle II, acrylic on paper, XX in. x XX in., 2014.
Constellation consists of hundreds of paper tiles arranged in a spiral, inspired by complex patterns in nature and tiled mosque domes in the Islamic world.
Constellation, collage, 96 in. x 96 in., 2013.
Constellation consists of hundreds of paper tiles arranged in a spiral, inspired by complex patterns in nature and tiled mosque domes in the Islamic world.
Everything Out of Nothing, glass, graphite and acrylic, 90 in. x 90 in., 2013.
Everything Out of Nothing consists of hundreds of Petri dishes arranged in an exploding circle, inspired by the dramatic rose window at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.
Untitled I, acrylic and gouache on paper, 42 in. x 29.5 in., 2010.
Untitled II, acrylic and gouache on paper, 35 in. x 26 in., 2011.
Untitled III, acrylic and gouache on paper, 42 in. x 31 in., 2011.
Untitled IV, acrylic and gouache on paper, 42 in. x 31 in., 2011.
Untitled V, acrylic and gouache on paper, 35 in. x 28 in., 2011.
Untitled VI, acrylic and gouache on paper, 36 in. x 29 in., 2011.
Untitled VII, acrylic and gouache on paper, 42 in. x 31 in., 2010.
Untitled VIII, acrylic on paper, XX in. x XX in., 2010.
Untitled I, acrylic and gouache on paper, 21 in. x 14 in., 2011.
Untitled II, acrylic and gouache on paper, 21 in. x 14 in., 2011.
Untitled III (Diptych), acrylic and gouache on paper, 21 in. x 30 in., 2011.
Untitled IV, acrylic paint and paper, 30 in. x 22 in., 2011.
Untitled I, acrylic paint on paper, 45.5 in. x 35 in., 2011.
Untitled II, acrylic paint on paper, 50 in. x 40 in., 2009.
Untitled III, acrylic and collage on paper, 18 in. x 13.25 in., 2008.
That Body Which I Call My Own, acrylic and collage on paper, 16.5 in. x 13.75 in., 2008.
Pilot, acrylic and collage on paper, 17 in. x 12.5 in., 2009.
This Machine My Body, acrylic and collage on paper, 18 in. x 13.25 in., 2008.
Untitled IV, acrylic paint on paper, 18 in. x 13.25 in., 2008.
Bones, Nerves, Muscles, Veins, Blood and Skin, acrylic and collage on paper, 18 in. x 16.25 in., 2008.
Pilot of a Vessel, acrylic and collage on paper, 16.75 in. x 16.25 in., 2008.
Untitled V, acrylic and collage on paper, 17.25 in. x 13.75 in., 2008.
Big Bang, acrylic and collage on paper, XX in. x XX in., 2010.
Untitled II, acrylic and collage on paper, 20 in. x 15 in., 2010.
Untitled I, acrylic and collage on paper, 22 in. x 24.5 in., 2010.
Natural Selection 1-6, acrylic and collage on paper, 16 in. x 11.75 in., 2009.
Natural Selection 13-18, acrylic and collage on paper, 16 in. x 11.75 in., 2009.
Natural Selection 19-24, acrylic and collage on paper, 16 in. x 11.75 in., 2009.
Natural Selection 25-30, acrylic and collage on paper, 16 in. x 11.75 in., 2009.
Instrument of the Senses, low relief paper sculpture, 52 in. x 48 in., 2009.