About the Julia, the Bird in France

Julia Bird, Nature & Wildlife Artist

Original art inspired by the beauty of the natural world

The artist and her inspirations

Hi I'm Julia and I became a 'Bird In France' when I decided to move from the Fens of East England to the heart of Brittany in France.

Located in the Côtes-d'Armor countryside, I am an artist with one foot always in nature.
After 25 years of working with horses, in 2017 I launched my studio Bird in France Art to create artwork inspired by my love of the natural world.
In my old barn here I found some old Breton roof slates and pieces of chestnut wood that I reclaimed and which became beautiful natural canvases for my work.
The history of these materials, the colours that age has given them, creates a connection across time as I paint underneath to create something with new life celebrating the joy of the natural world.
I have been surrounded by animals since a young age and I always love receiving commissions for pet portraits!
The eyes are the window to the soul and when I paint an animal, it is once I have painted its eyes that I feel it begins to come to life and its unique character emerges.
I welcome visitors to my studio by appointment and I can always be reached via my website and on Facebook and Instagram.

My Values

Nature & Wildlife

I'm passionate about the environment, preserving wildlife and wild places and when I moved to my little corner of magical Côtes-d'Armor, I fell in love with the glorious local slate used for roofs here and old pieces of oak and chestnut wood that I salvaged from old outbuildings.

Animals

I am an animal lover through and through and when I'm not in my studio painting you can usually find me outside wearing my trusty wellington boots trailing mud and hay back into the house!
My beloved animals, a Spanish stallion named 'Bizarro' and my rescue dog, Bob, get me outside in to nature every day and inspire me to focus on capturing the vibrant colours, energy and emotions of all nature's glorious plants & creatures.

How Nature inspires my Artwork

I love using natural materials and vintage and recycled items in my work. The colours and textures in French oak and old Breton roof slates, and the rounded curves of coastal stones have become unique canvases that seem to perfectly showcase my work.

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