Julie Podstolski

Born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, I studied art at University of Canterbury in Christchurch, gaining a Diploma of Fine Arts (a three-year course) with a major in painting.  I graduated in 1980.  Since 1982 I have lived in Australia.

I am a full-time artist who, in the mid-1990s, swapped oil painting for colored pencils due to the demands of motherhood.  Very quickly I found I loved using colored pencils so by the early 2000s oil paints and I parted company forevermore.  I have been exhibiting my art (paintings and drawings) since 1982 with many solo exhibitions over the years.  I hold an exhibition every 24 to 36 months.

In life and art (because the two are inseparable) I love to walk, observe and photograph.  I am drawn to cities with a feminine vibe.  I love narrow intimate spaces spilling over with elegance, mystery and nuance.  The three cities that, to my mind, meet these criteria are Kyoto, Paris and Venice.  I have made numerous trips to (and drawings from) these enigmatic cities and held exhibitions dedicated to each.

One of my main subjects is Kyoto and the Maiko (meaning apprentice Geisha) and Geisha who live and work there.  I have been going to Japan since 2003 to observe and photograph.  I have made twenty-one trips, the most recent in February 2024. 

Though I only drew “Pontocho Perfect” late last year, it is from a photo I took back in 2005.  Two Maiko walk down the famous passage known as Pontocho.  Pontocho is one of five Geisha districts of Kyoto. 

At midday in autumnal November 2005 when I took the source photo for this drawing, the lane was empty except for two Maiko and myself.  This is indeed a beautiful memory because in the intervening years Kyoto has become a very popular tourist destination.  It would be impossible to see this peaceful scene today.  Too many tourists have become a nightmare problem for Kyoto – and a difficulty for Maiko and Geiko walking between appointments.  Pontocho is NEVER empty of crowds today!

Drawing this idyllic scene was like drawing a daydream as opposed to here-and-now reality.  I took myself for a walk in the tranquility of romantic Old Kyoto.