Wirral arts: Vivid Wirral coast brought to life

Mar 6 2013 by Linda Foo Guest, Birkenhead News

VIVID scenes of the Wirral coast have been brought to life by a local artist.

Julia Duerden loves to capture the mood and atmosphere of the Dee estuary with its stunning expanse of sand, marsh and water, as well as taking special interest in Hilbre Island.

She also draws inspiration from her travels and places visited. The talented full-time artist uses watercolour and acrylic to create vivid scenes and colourful landscape.

Julia, from Heswall, said: “I have always painted since I was a little girl either drawing and painting.

“I am interested in the relationship between light, air and the ever changing environment.

“I like to paint places of interest and from my travels, such as Whitby, Wales and Malta where I have been on holiday. I like to capture the atmosphere.

“Hilbre is such a fascinating island and is silhouetted against the distant coast of Wales, under a vast imposing sky, or sometimes shown remote at the far end of an expanse of sand left wet by the retreating tide.

“There are two ways of looking at the place; one of which is from the shore and how remote it is. Viewing the houses and wondering if do people actually live there and what happens when the island is cut off.

“The other way is from a low eye line to capture the whole island and using the expanse sky and colour to bring the whole painting to life.

“I paint wet in wet when using watercolours and love to be creative. Blues is a predominant colour used when I am painting Hilbre.

“My work has been exhibited in many galleries around the country.”

Julie’s work is exhibiting at two galleries on Wirral – Dee Fine Arts in Heswall until March 22, and Staacks in West Kirby to the end of the month.