Mithra Stevens in Conversation with Artist Julia Vanderbyl
Julia Vanderbyl is an Australian painter and regenerative farmer who works from her studio on Bundjalung Country set in the rainforest of Byron Bay, Australia. Her works explore the liminal space between figurative reality and emotional abstraction, and her expressive brush strokes and mastery of tone and colour create a symbiosis that hums with the feeling of a world beyond what the eye can see.
The discourse between her landscapes and bodies is rich with symbolism, reminding the viewer of the inherent connection between the two. We recently caught up with the artist to discuss the relationship between humans and the environment that is explored throughout her oeuvre, evolving as she grows with her practice and building on her unique iconographic language.
Julia Vanderbyl.
“…I am endlessly drawn to understand the intricacy of nature’s systems and our role within them.”
Mithra Stevens: Could start by introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about where you’re from and how this impacts your work?
Julia Vanderbyl: I work from my studio in the middle of the rainforest on Bundjalung Country, near Byron Bay. My paintings are always about how we interact with nature, and I find endless inspiration in the colours and light of the wildness that surrounds my studio. I also work as a regenerative farmer; caring for the land on which I’m lucky to live. This practice deeply influences my work.
Julia Vanderbyl, Boys Who Share The Same Poison, 2020. Acrylic on canvas, 146 x 97 cm.
MS: Your use of colour and the fluidity of your brushstrokes feel effortless and, at the same time, deliberate and controlled. What is your favourite medium to work with?
JV: I paint with acrylic on canvas and love working on a large scale. In the freedom of this, I can balance the fluidity and detail of my work, creating in a way that is natural and intuitive.
Julia Vanderbyl, Birth of the Anthropocene (We Are Falling Farther Still), 2020. Acrylic on linen, 80 x 64 cm.
MS: What time of day is your favourite to work in? I know you have mentioned lighting as being important in your practice–could you tell me a little more about that?
JV: Living in close proximity to nature, I have begun to notice the subtle changes in light as the seasons shift; the way the shadows change on the mountains and cliff faces that surround the valley in which I live. I feel a need to document these changes, to paint the colours and depths of the changing shadows. At this time of year, these shadows suddenly turn deep blue, and as they stretch in the afternoons my studio is filled with the golden light of autumn. This is my favourite time to create.
Julia Vanderbyl, Long Immense Summer, 2020. Acrylic on linen, 22 x 15.5 cm.
MS: Your connection to place is ever-present in your work, what in particular motivates you to create?
JV: My work focuses on storytelling within the Anthropocene. The urgency of the climate crisis has informed a lot of the motivation behind my work and I’m constantly compelled to create about what it means to exist within this time–when our understanding of our role within the environment is shifting so drastically. I documented living through the 2019 bushfires, and now after surviving the worst flood disaster of the last 1000 years, I feel the need to tell this story. Lately, I have also been creating through a lens of hope, using my imagery to make art about a harmonious relationship with nature and what this might look like.
Julia Vanderbyl, Ghost Gum (Even I Will Carry), 2020. Acrylic on canvas, 183 x 122 cm.
MS: Your relationship between lived experience and artistic expression shines through your work and can be felt by the viewer in such a tangible way. Does art help you in other areas of your life?
JV: Absolutely, perhaps the biggest driver behind my work is being able to tell the story of myself, the landscape, and those around me. Using creating as a medium to process the hardship and beauty of life has been invaluable to me. The perspective that I’m able to gain after hours of painting, thinking about nothing but form and brushstrokes and colour, has allowed me so much growth.
Julia Vanderbyl, Patina on the Porcelain, 2017. Acrylic on board, 27 x 35.5 cm.
MS: What challenges have you faced in your practice?
JV: I have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), and the challenges that I’ve faced as a disabled artist have been immense. But, I can also attribute my chronic illness to what has allowed me the perspective to become the artist that I am today. I’ve learned to shift my art practice with the fluctuations of my body’s abilities, making big paintings when I can, and turning to more accessible mediums like filmmaking when I’m not well.
Julia Vanderbyl, Our Great Mother From Whom I Come, 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 116 x 81 cm.
MS: It’s incredible that you’ve always found a way to create through exploring interdisciplinary techniques. Where do you find your biggest source of inspiration? Do you have a favourite artwork or artist?
JV: I have a big bookcase filled with second-hand art books that I’ve collected over the years. In them, I can find references and so much inspiration. There is no internet or phone reception at my studio, but I think that being surrounded by trees with only art books for company has been an amazing source of inspiration. At the moment, on the top of the stack are books about the work of Edvard Munch, Dorothea Tanning, Yasuzō Nojima, Guglielmo Castelli, Ben Quilty, Michael Armitage, and Maja Ruznic.
Julia Vanderbyl, In Mother's Unbreakable Pottery I Am Bound, 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 194 x 97 cm.
MS: How has your practice changed and evolved over time?
JV: Over the years, my practice has grown through observation and honestly, just the simple act of creating freely and endlessly and experimenting with anything. In the hundreds of paintings that I’ve made over the years, I’m slowly becoming the painter that I dream of being. I experiment with different mediums and am always surprised by where they take me and the lessons I learn along the way. In the last few years, I’ve been making films and am always surprised by how similar filmmaking and painting can be. It feels like the same dance, balancing movement, form, colour, and light.
Julia Vanderbyl, Icarus; My Heart and Yours, 2018. Acrylic on board, 120 x 90 cm.
MS: What do you think the role of the artist is within society today?
JV: I once believed art served only to document and tell stories–to consolidate the truths of our lives within history and, by doing so, inspire change. Now I wonder if it serves more for the viewer to find some piece of themselves within; a glimmer of truth, remembrance, or even hope. The way that we consume and present art has shifted so quickly in the online space, and the fact that it can now be accessible to almost anyone, anywhere makes me feel that it must give something to its viewers, more than anything else, whether this gift is inspiration, the understanding of a need for change, a sense of community, hope, escapism, or joy.
Julia Vanderbyl, Mithra, 2022.
Thanks to Julia Vanderbyl on behalf of MADE IN BED.
Mithra Stevens
Features Co-Editor, MADE IN BED