In the exquisite oil painting on board titled "Cosmos Flower," a singular Cosmos flower takes center stage against a sophisticated dark grey-blue background. The artist's delicate brushstrokes meticulously render the fine art details of the Cosmos bloom, capturing its inherent elegance and grace. The flower, though stylized with finesse, emerges as a focal point, commanding attention with its inherent beauty.
The dark grey-blue backdrop provides a striking contrast, enhancing the vibrancy of the Cosmos flower. The artist's approach involves a balance between detailed finesse and broader brushstrokes, creating a nuanced interplay of form and shadow. "Cosmos Flower" invites viewers to immerse themselves in the refined beauty of this floral masterpiece, where the subtle dance of light on the delicate petals becomes a testament to the timeless allure of nature's artistry on the rich canvas of a sophisticated background.
Cosmos Flower
10 x 15cm
Julie Tugwell
I was raised to appreciate the arts by attending ballet performances and dancing at PACT in Pretoria as a young child. Many afternoons were spent visiting art galleries with my mom and it was her dream for me to pursue being an artist like my father, the renowned landscape painter Chris Tugwell. It took some time for me to start painting, and only after the passing of my mom in my mid-twenties did I reach for a brush in an attempt to connect with her. I soon realized that I wanted to succeed at art and chose to dedicate my life to being a full time artist.
A chance meeting with accomplished fine artist James Mooney led to my apprenticeship in his studio for the next 16 years where I learned from his mastery of the skills and techniques of hyper-realism. Whilst James trained me in the discipline of fine art realism, it was Jill Mooney, Jame’s wife, who introduced me to the world of colour and liberated my brush to become deeply self expressive. This signature of their combined tutelage is evident in the abstractions, flowers and colourful figures prevalent in my current body of work.
My days are now mostly spent in the studio where I work as a full-time artist on both large expressive canvases of colour and also smaller pieces of hyper realism.