ABOUT

Julia McNairn White (b 1962) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Edinburgh College of Art (1988–89).

Based in Edinburgh, Julia's work primarily explores the emotional and personal resonance of spaces. Her medium of choice is oil on canvas, though she also works with pastel on paper and acrylic on board.

Her compositions are intentionally peopleless, allowing the viewer to connect more deeply with the feeling within the landscape. This absence invites an emotional response, evoking a cinematic quality where there's often a sense of something lurking in the shadows just beyond the frame. The tension between the serene and the unsettling adds layers of intrigue to her work.

Following her graduation, Julia exhibited in prominent exhibitions such as 'Young Contemporaries' at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) and 'New Contemporaries' at the Compass Gallery in Glasgow, where she exhibited alongside renowned artists like Alison Watt. This led to a solo show at the esteemed Loomshop Gallery in Fife, further solidifying her place in the Scottish contemporary art scene.

After a career break, Julia returned to painting in 2013 with a highly successful sell-out show at the Sutton Gallery in Edinburgh. More recently her work has been featured in a retrospective at Collingwood College, Durham University. Julia's art is held in private collections worldwide, marking her as a respected figure in contemporary art.

“Julia McNairn brings a Hopper-type vision to bear on urban backwaters, proving once again what is before one’s eyes is holy ground. A bleak stretch of canal, a nissen hut are sufficient fodder for the poetic eyes of this most promising artist.”

Richard Jacques, The Scotsman