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Inside the Studio: Julia Noble
- Art Dealer Street
- Jul 1
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 2
From practicing law in the UK to embracing life as a full-time artist, Julia Noble’s creative journey is anything but conventional. A series of personal milestones—including the profound loss of her sister—sparked her realization that life is too short not to follow what lights you up inside. With an unshakable desire to explore her artistic voice, Julia left her career as a litigator to study Fine Arts and embark on a new path rooted in curiosity and self-expression.
Her artwork is a testament to this spirit of reinvention. Combining stitching, resin, and richly layered textures, Julia’s pieces dance between geometric abstraction and the natural world, weaving stories of resilience, joy, and remembrance. Whether she’s working instinctively with color or reimagining her compositions in unexpected ways, her art embodies a playful yet intentional exploration of form and feeling.
In this interview, Julia shares how she balances her passion for experimentation with her commitment to creating uplifting work, why she loves deadlines, and what she hopes viewers take away from her vibrant, joyous pieces.
Read on to learn more in an exclusive interview with Julia Noble :
1. You transitioned from a career as a lawyer to pursuing art professionally. Can you share what prompted this dramatic shift, and how your previous career influences your perspective as an artist today?
A number of things prompted my change. I sadly lost a sister, and it made me think that life is too short not to do things that you love. I had really enjoyed being a lawyer, but things changed at work. I worked four days a week as I had three kids, which limited my promotion prospects, so I decided I needed to get out as I was not happy. I hadn’t studied art at school, but in my free time I always did creative things, so when I suddenly had time on my hands I started doing adult education classes in art. I had a wonderful tutor who suggested that I should do a foundation course in art. That was the start of my journey. After the foundation course I decided that I needed to do a degree in Fine Arts, so I went back to university to study.
I was a litigator, so process and problem-solving were a large part of my role, as well as dealing with clients. This has definitely carried over into my art practice. I use processes to create my art pieces. I set myself rules and use problem-solving to try and work out how I can make the piece I want to make. Once the processes are completed, the work is finished. I am also quite happy talking to people about my art in the same way that I would talk to clients about their issues. I also love a deadline!
2. Your artwork beautifully integrates unconventional materials like stitching, resin, and layered textures. How did you first come to experiment with these materials, and what significance do they hold for you personally and artistically?
Texture, complexity, and colour are important to me. I feel that they make a piece of art more interesting. My grandmother was a seamstress for Burberry, and as a kid staying with her, we would always have a sewing project. I love the texture that stitch creates, and I love it as a drawing tool, and I love the memory that it evokes. I have been working on paper since I went to a Matisse exhibition at the Tate in London of his “Cut Outs.” I was absolutely bowled over by the beauty of paper and sought ways to work with it. I experimented with all sorts of paper to work out which would hold the stitch the best—which turned out to be Lotkha—which often comes in black. I like to work on black as the bright colours that I use pop better. The resin and water-soluble crayons came about by chance. I made a work with oil pastels which I hated because of its tackiness, so I just threw resin at it, which completely transformed the piece, and I thought if it worked like that with pastels, what would happen with water-soluble crayons—and a process was born that I use both in my representational and geometric pieces.
3. Your vibrant abstract pieces often celebrate nature through rhythmic patterns and rich surfaces. Could you walk us through your process—from initial inspiration to the final layers—and how nature informs each stage of your creation?
I sometimes work with forms of nature, particularly plants. In lockdown I did a “Jungle Series” to transport me out of grey London to places I had been lucky enough to travel to. My more representational works are inspired by places that I have been to, but I also work a lot with geometrical forms, and with those pieces I use the colours of nature or places to inspire them. For example, when I am using pinks and greens, it makes me think about rose gardens or flowerbeds. When I'm using blue and orange, I think about sunsets or clay soil and blue skies. Equally, I could visit an urban area where the houses are painted colourfully, and this can provide inspiration. I also love circles—they remind me of the sun and also more spiritual things such as the circle of life.
My starting point is a drawing on black paper. I then stitch the drawing on a sewing machine to create texture. After this, I glue the paper onto a wooden cradle frame, and then I work into the drawing with either water-soluble crayons or a mixture of metallic acrylic paint and water-soluble crayons. The larger pieces involve a bit of a puzzle, as I love to make them but the paper only comes in small pieces, and in any event, I cannot sew the paper if it is too large. I have to work out a way to match the pieces of the paper drawing so that when stuck to a large frame they make the whole piece. With the colours I use, I just work instinctively—I don’t pre-plan, I just see where it takes me. Finally, I put the resin on the work. This involves using strong tape around the edges, laying the work flat, and then adding the resin. I use a flame torch to try and get rid of as many bubbles in the resin as I can. Then I just have to wait for it to cure before painting the edge of the frame white.
4. You emphasize creating artwork that is uplifting and joyous. How do you balance this intent with exploring deeper, more personal or conceptual themes in your work?
I think losing my sister has had a big impact on the art that I bring into the world. There are so many problems, and so much sadness in the world, that I intentionally want to create joyous work—work that makes people smile or makes them feel uplifted. This for me is a very personal theme, and I love seeing people's reactions to my work, and if they do smile when looking at it, I feel like I have done something right to alter the balance.
5. Your practice involves considerable experimentation and bold choices. Can you recall a particular artwork or project that significantly pushed you outside your comfort zone? What did you learn from this experience?
I recently did an art fair where each artist took over a motel room complete with furniture and had to transform it into their own gallery. The rooms were really funky colours, and we were not allowed to use nails or screws to hang the work. This was a real challenge—my initial thought was, what have I signed up to? I then decided to work with the room—there were beds, so I printed my art onto velvet and made cushions for the bed. I made a lamp base in a pottery class and had a lampshade printed. I ordered a footstool printed with another artwork. There was a wardrobe, so I made dresses from fabric, again printed from my artworks, and hung them in the wardrobe. I was really pleased with the result—it was like a concept store, and it got loads of positive responses.
I think that what I learned from this experience was that anything is possible if you put your mind to it and sometimes think out of the box. Be prepared to adapt your plan—I had to change some of the ways that I hung things as the dimensions weren’t how I remembered them on my one visit to the room. Work with the space.
6. Your work has found homes in both commercial and domestic spaces—offices, clubs, and private collections. Do you think the context in which your work is displayed influences how it’s experienced?
To be honest, no. I think that my larger pieces are sometimes too big for many houses, so the smaller works fit better in a domestic situation, but wherever they are, I hope that they provide the same uplifting experience.
7. In your opinion, what role do artists have in engaging the public with complex ideas or emotional narratives, and how do you see your own work contributing to that kind of conversation?
I think art does an immense job of highlighting a vast range of complex ideas and emotional narratives. Sometimes this is through the subject matter of the work, and sometimes it is through people's very subjective emotional responses to the art. I have explained my very personal reasons for making joyous work, and when people engage with my art and I chat to them, they invariably remark that they find it very uplifting. Depending on how the conversation goes, I might volunteer my reasons for making the work, but I am more interested to know their response to it and how it makes them feel.
8. Lastly, for aspiring artists who admire your journey, what advice would you offer about finding the courage to follow their passion and developing a distinctive artistic voice?
Art is so subjective that there is a place for everyone, but you have to be prepared to put yourself out there, baring your soul. Baby steps are all it takes—one step at a time—but if you are making work and not showing it, no one will come to you. Be bold, be fearless, and have confidence in yourself, and be prepared to talk about the work. I love making what I create, and I'm passionate about bringing colour and joy into the world. I think passion is also important.
Julia Noble’s journey is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to honor your creative impulses and redefine what a fulfilling life looks like. Through her bold experimentation, tactile surfaces, and luminous palettes, she has created a body of work that speaks to the healing power of art and the importance of following your passions wholeheartedly.
Her commitment to making art that lifts the spirit while inviting thoughtful reflection is evident in every piece she creates. Whether displayed in a gallery, a collector’s home, or an unexpected setting like a reimagined motel room, Julia’s work resonates with audiences eager for color, energy, and authenticity.
To explore more of Julia’s art and stay connected with her evolving practice, visit her website and follow her journey as she continues to inspire with her fearless approach to creativity.
You can learn more about Julia Noble and her work via these links: Website: https://www.noblejulia.com/ Instagram: @jujunoble Facebook: Julia Noble Artist
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