About
Where the paint meets the land.
“I paint what the valleys whisper — the hare on the hill, the light on old stone, the stories the rivers carry.”
Roots in the valleys.
Julia grew up in Pontardawe, where the Swansea Valley opens like a breath between green hills. The landscape seeped in early — the way mist clings to hedgerows, the way sheep scatter across a ridge like brushstrokes on wet paper.
She studied at Swansea College of Art, where she fell in love with expressive, loose painting — the kind that captures a feeling rather than a photograph. That philosophy has never left her.
Now based in Abercrave, Julia paints from a studio at Abercrave Welfare Hall — the same warm, welcoming space where she runs her popular weekly workshops every Tuesday and Saturday. The kettle is always on.
Julia’s work on display
What flows from the brush.
Julia’s subjects are the characters and landscapes of Wales — quirky cows with soulful eyes, hares caught mid-leap, proud pheasants in autumn colour, and happy dragons with names of their own. Her beloved Hare with Attitude has been a best-seller for over 25 years. Griffith ap Dargon — a quick, cheerful dragon whose name means “Griffith, son of Dragon” — is another firm favourite.
Beyond wildlife, she paints atmospheric landscapes, whimsical illustrated maps of the Brecon Beacons, and scenes steeped in Welsh legend — from the Lady of the Lake rising from still water to the ancient Physicians of Myddfai and their herbal healing traditions.
Her style is contemporary and loose. She works in watercolour, acrylic, pastels, and mixed media — always encouraging painting from imagination and memory rather than copying. Every piece carries something felt, not just seen.
Fifteen years of sharing the joy.
For over fifteen years, Julia has opened her door to anyone who wants to pick up a brush — absolute beginners, returning painters, and everyone in between. Four years ago she opened her own studio at Abercrave Welfare Hall, and it quickly became a creative home for the community.
Her workshops are calm, encouraging, and full of laughter. She teaches watercolour, acrylic, pastels, cold wax painting, lino printing, and collage — with themes that shift with the seasons. Spring wildflowers. Autumn hillsides. Winter firesides. Welsh wildlife all year round.
She also runs immersive Big Skill days at Craig y Nos Country Park, where the landscape itself becomes the teacher — and offers private lessons, group events, and art therapy sessions that bring creativity to care homes, wellbeing centres, and community spaces across the valleys.
A relaxed session at Abercrave Welfare Hall
At a glance.
15+ years
Running workshops
Tue & Sat
Weekly classes at Abercrave
All levels
Beginners to experienced
All included
Materials & refreshments
Where to find Julia’s work
You can browse and buy prints, cards, and originals at these lovely local stockists:
Abercrave Welfare Hall
Studio & weekly workshops
Emporium at Craig y Nos Country Park
Prints, cards & gifts
Cofin Cynnis, Ystradgynlais
Selected prints & cards
Myddfai Visitors Centre, Llandovery
Prints & cards
Come and paint with me.
Whether you want to join a workshop, take home a piece of Wales, or simply say hello — the door is always open and the kettle is always on.
Get in touch