Julia Ismambetova

Julia studied creative visual arts at university and graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Almaty State University (ASU) in 1995. Between 1996 and 1998, she taught and lectured in the ASU Arts and Crafts department, before pursuing her artistic career full-time. Julia creates her art using original technique, taking a modern approach to the traditional art of batik, and has been known to describe her self-expression as akin to ‘graphics on silk’. Julia has exhibited widely almost every year since 1998, in Kazakhstan, at Christie's Auction House in London (UK) and in Toronto. Individuals and corporations around the world, including in Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain, South Korea, the USA, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and Israel, have purchased her original artwork for their residences and offices. Each painting begins with a simple pencil sketch—monochrome and minimal—serving as a guide for the composition. The color palette is envisioned intuitively from the start, forming the emotional foundation of the piece. The image is lightly drawn onto stretched silk, then painted in layers. Two distinct types of paint are used: thick, opaque paints to define and seal areas, and fluid, watercolour-like paints that flow within those boundaries, creating vibrant gradients and textures. Hot paraffin wax is applied to preserve selected areas of color and create unique crackled effects. Layers of wax and color are built up, with each splatter and brushstroke contributing to the painting’s rich surface. In the final stages, the entire piece is waxed, cracked by hand, and stained to enhance texture. Remaining wax is removed by carefully ironing the silk between layers of paper. Final touches include delicate, wash-resistant outlines—like shimmering gold lines or the artist’s signature—before the work is varnished, framed, and made ready for display.