“This blend of realities, seen, imagined, read about and felt is at the heart of what I have come to call ‘Real Time painting’. This is a form of painting that is based on the constant examination and reassessment of the picture in progress, enabling ideas and thoughts to enter the working day in an up to the moment fashion. Nothing ever being allowed to settle in paint until the final moment of resolution.” - Julian Bailey
For Julian Bailey (b.1963) capturing fleeting moments of light, movement, and human interaction within his artworks is central, often drawing from the area surrounding his home on the Dorset coastline and his own garden. His subjects range from lively café scenes and bustling boats to sunlit interiors and serene landscapes, always infused with a sense of immediacy and emotional depth. Bailey’s paintings choreograph life, distilling complex observations into dynamic compositions that balance realism with abstraction.
Drawing is fundamental to Bailey’s process, serving as the structural foundation of his paintings. His rapid in-situ sketches, stripped of unnecessary detail, convey mood, space, and movement with remarkable economy of line. Working primarily in oil and gouache on board, he meticulously refines his brushstrokes, often scraping back areas to enhance contrast. Colour is central to his work, bringing vibrancy and contrast, while his simplified forms and strong horizontals create a distinctive, structured visual language.
Born in Cheshire, Bailey studied at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford (1982–1985), followed by an MA at the Royal Academy Schools (1985–1988), earning multiple prestigious awards, including the Turner Gold Medal (1986) and the Landseer Scholarship (1988). His career began with an early exhibition at Malvern Public Library and later flourished with solo shows in London, notably at Browse & Darby since 1999. His works have been exhibited internationally and are held in significant collections, including those of HRH The Prince of Wales and New College, Oxford.
