Portrait of Julie Kessler by Roberta Weir

Julie Kessler is a contemporary realist painter working primarily in oils. She comes from an artistic family and has been in love with drawing and painting all  her life. She studied with Theodore Fried at the Hudson Guild, and with Sam Adoquei at the National Academy School of Fine Arts. She lives to paint in New York City.

Artist Statement

Usually we are oblivious to the vibrant colors, textures and shapes of commonplace things in our immediate environment. My work is about taking the time to notice and appreciate the beauty of our everyday world. At times the objects sitting on my table vibrate in warm yellows or icy blues, or they may be brilliant and shiny, soft, or subdued. I may be out walking on a crowded, busy street in New York, and suddenly glimpse a majestic tree lit up in an orange blaze. Or I may see the tiny points of red traffic lights echoing far into the distance under a massive gray sky. My desire is to remain open and alive to the extraordinary in the ordinary, and to express my delight in this magic reality by painting what I see.