Bethesda’s “Fair Focus” Art Exhibition artist discusses the inspirations behind her work and what her life would be like without paint
Potomac Patch, 14 May 2013
As part of Bethesda’s Art Walk festivities, the “Fair Focus” Art Exhibition was an event for the community to enjoy unique masterpieces by reputable artists from all over the world, including Julia Fernandez-Pol.
The Argentinian-American artist grew up looking either under a microscope or through a telescope. Over time, Fernandez-Pol used those same observation techniques to create her paintings. After moving across the country to Los Angeles, Fernandez-Pol is establishing herself on a new coast and her work is just getting started.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch: Who is Julia Fernandez-Pol?
Julia Fernandez-Pol: I think Julia the artist is allowing my eccentricity to be my important feature. One of the things for me is that I love the quirkiness and subtleties that come from nature. A lot of the experimentation comes from trying to find those unique characteristics in nature through a parallel world in paint.
Patch: What inspires your paintings?
Fernandez-Pol: Science, research and the idea of beauty and grotesque. I like when I start to get a little bit grossed out by my paintings, because then I know that I have gotten somewhere.
Patch: What do you like about your paintings shown at the “Fair Focus” Art Exhibition?
Fernandez-Pol: What I like about the work there is the idea of color and light coming from darkness. As much as I like the really intense, heavy and dense fields of paint, I think it is nice to see some space, especially in a world of digital culture.
Patch: Out of all of your paintings, which one did you have the most fun creating, and why?
Fernandez-Pol: I like to work on a lot of paintings at once, because if I am struggling with one painting then I can usually find the answer in another painting. I do a body of work in terms of using the dark fields and bioluminescent neon colors.
Patch: What do you love the most about painting?
Fernandez-Pol: I love when it is unexpected. There are so many ways to use paint and it’s like this never-ending exploration.
Patch: What could you see yourself doing if you were never introduced to painting?
Fernandez-Pol: I would want to be a neuroscientist. I love to know about the brain and I think that it is really important in my work.
Patch: What’s next for you?
Fernandez-Pol: I am out in Los Angeles; I moved here about three months ago. I am trying to work on more sculptures and develop other projects.
Morton Fine Art: curator's notes 