Julia Bottoms

Labels by Emily Constantin

A black woman stands before you, basking in a blue light from a mysterious source. A hot day, her skin glows as an iridescent halo surrounds her. A piercing stare says here I am tired, living, breathing, bearing weight of those who can’t. I wear what I must and what makes me beautiful as I am human. The acrylic painting on vinyl reveals a hyper realistic portrait with striking brushwork and accuracy, demonstrating Frankie’s every feature. No details are left untreated—from jewelry and folds in the silky fabric to a tattoo on her bicep. The vinyl allows shadows to surround the portrait creating a 3-D effect making the figure stand away from the wall and meld with her surroundings as if she is in the room. Julia Bottoms shows us a real woman transcending stereotypes, captured exactly as she is in that moment of life.

For Kids:

An artist can choose what to paint. Their subjects may be wearing a fancy dress, costumes, clothes, or nothing at all. The human body has been worshipped for thousands of years allowing artists to show us as we are: human. Artist Julia Bottoms wanted to paint this woman as she was in that exact moment in time. The blue hue on her skin comes from a light not shown in the painting. Where do you think this light is coming from? Does she remind you of anyone you know? The painting is on a vinyl sheet which allows the figure to make shadows. Would you ever paint on clear plastic? Did you notice the luminescent, glittering, sparkling paint as you move from side to side? What else do you notice about this moment captured in time?