Julie Shymansky

Thank you for taking an interest in my paintings! I am a self-taught abstract artist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I dabble in oils, inks, acrylics, metallics, and resins.

I think I’ve always been an artist at heart, though my artistic path has sharply veered and swirled around a bit over the years. When I was in kindergarten in 1967, the local newspaper was doing a story called “Art Knows No Age Limits.” A reporter randomly interviewed me and asked me a fair question about my drawing: “What are you drawing?” he said. I had not yet completed my picture and I answered, “How do I know until I am finished?” It was an honest response, not intended to be smart, but it still makes me laugh. I think of that response often as I am working through a painting that has sharply veered off my initial path and it reminds me to take faith in the fact that I will know what I am painting when I am finished!

Fast forward many decades: from grade school to high school at Mount de Chantal in Wheeling, West Virginia; from West Virginia University to Duke Law School; and from entertainment law in Los Angeles to IT related in-house legal work in Pittsburgh. One thing, though, has remained constant. I have been painting for over 25 years. It has been a great work/ life balance for me. When I first started painting, I focused mostly on oils. Over the past few years, I have enjoyed experimenting with all kinds of mediums (acrylic, ink, resin, and metallic.) I particularly enjoy doing mixed media pieces. I’ve always been drawn to abstract florals and landscapes filled with color.

I am drawn to drama in my paintings, yet I do also seem to be pulled in by the natural grace and tranquility of land and seascapes. I find the soft and gentle pastel expressions and natural elements very grounding for my abstract work. Flowers always inspire me. I am moved by their colors, transparency, dynamic energy and their grace of form. With both drama and tranquility equally pressing for their due in my mind, I hope to project an overall "balance" in my works of flora, forms, land and seascapes. Many of my paintings translate particularly well to "super-sized" fine art prints.

My goal as an artist is to make my paintings sing with color and fill them with beauty, light, movement and joy. I love it when people connect with one of my pieces and want to see that painting every day in their home or office. One of my favorite compliments was from a friend who recently purchased a large beach inspired oil painting from me entitled “Peace of Mind.” She said: “Peace of Mind” will be perfect in our house! On the first morning walk that I took on the beach, I felt like I was walking through your painting!” To me, that said everything.

Please contact me directly to purchase original paintings or Fine Art Prints: julie@julieshymansky.com or 412-401-1880