Julie Goodson-Lawes: about

My training in applied artistry was entirely hands-on: I learned to paint a variety of faux finishes—exotic woods, valuable stones, and textured glazes—while helping to renovate Victorian buildings in New York and San Francisco; how to apply embellishments—such as gold and silver leafing and antique appliqué “carvings”—while restoring salvaged frames and furniture; and how to glaze and color-wash walls and woodwork by experimenting on just about anything that stood still.

After years of working as a faux finisher, I spent one hot, memorable summer at the Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, which reinforced my already classical renaissance tendencies in portrait and figure painting. I now focus primarily on portraiture, fine art reproduction, specialized decorative finishes, historical restoration, murals, and figure painting, as well as offering tutoring in drawing, painting, and finishes in the “Old Master” tradition.



		Simply holding a paintbrush in my hands makes me happy. It always has. As a child, I was punished for painting on the walls; as an adult, I get paid for doing just that. That’s true job satisfaction.





		My training in applied artistry was entirely hands-on: I learned to paint a variety of faux finishes—exotic woods, valuable stones, and textured glazes—while helping to renovate Victorian buildings in New York and San Francisco; how to apply embellishments—such as gold and silver leafing and antique appliqué “carvings”—while restoring salvaged frames and furniture; and how to glaze and color-wash walls and woodwork by experimenting on just about anything that stood still. After years of working as a faux finisher, I spent one hot, memorable summer at the Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, which reinforced my already classical renaissance tendencies in portrait and figure painting. I now focus primarily on portraiture, fine art reproduction, specialized decorative finishes, historical restoration, murals, and figure painting, as well as offering tutoring in drawing, painting, and finishes in the “Old Master” tradition.