Julie Ward nee’ Stephenson was born in Sale.  As a music teacher she has frequented this area the yearly Eisteddfods with her choirs, orchestras and man soloists.  Art was sidelined for her career at Gippsland Grammar school and her family.  Painting has graduated from a hobby to an inevitable ‘must do’ for Julie when she gets to her Artsea studio in Seaspray most weekends.  She has exhibited here at the Courthouse as a soloist and on many other occasions like the Yarram Archies and Miniatures in May.

 NEAR.  Julie is well known for her seascapes and has included a few for your enjoyment.  She has also visited the old Woodside cemetery and was completely intrigued by the fenced family plots there.  Tiny miniatures of our wonder 90 Mile Beach will also feature and make an inexpensive souvenir of this area.

 FAR.  Recently Julie and her husband John drove to Western Australia and this gave Julie an opportunity to paint more of her beloved scenery, with the Great Australian Bight, the Indian Ocean and the pink salt lakes of South Australia most obvious.  Desert scenery (as opposed to the 90 Mile Beach) with water tanks and burnt out forests, the longest straight road in Australia; all were subjected to the often large canvases Julie prefers to cover.  Bright colours prevail, often with strong textural highlights.

We hope you will enjoy visiting this exhibition.