Julia San Román is an artist born in Madrid, Spain with residence in San Diego, CA. Although she concentrated her formal education on science (she earned her PhD in Biology), the influence of her childhood exposure to art remained an integral part of her passion for life. In 1988 she immigrated to the United States to develop her doctoral thesis and to pursue a career in scientific research but her obsession with art continued to blossom and since 2000, after attending local colleges and numerous workshops for training in studio arts, she has committed her life to painting.
The unifying quality of my paintings is their romantic nature. As a romantic painter I yearn for the pure, transcendental and universal in life. Thus, I create my art to convey a state of mind that longs to escape the quotidian. Being raised with a strong sense of the past, I like to look back in history to transcend the face of a present world that I find socially and technically alienating. My subjects, though always evolving in the form, they are constant: the human figure interacting with nature and most significantly, with birds – in flight, at rest, and in relation to the figure. Birds for me have become the liberating icon, the ever present emphasis on the spirit taking flight beyond our common reality."
When growing up in a neighborhood close to the Prado Museum, Julia was exposed at an early age to the art of the old European Masters. She attended school in a 17th century building belonging to the Order of Mercy and spent her childhood running through corridors embellished with antiques and original paintings by the baroque master, Zurbarán.
Since her epiphany, Julia San Román has exhibited in several solo and group shows throughout the Southwest and she is represented by a number of professional galleries across the States. She was the recipient of several art awards for exhibitions between 2004-2011. In 2006, based on her comprehensive body of work, she was selected by the Chief Curator of American Art to exhibit in a group show at Gallery 15, San Diego Museum of Art. In 2010, the work "Cante Jondo” was selected for a 6 month period audio-painting installation at the public space “West- End”, San Diego International Airport. Her work has been reviewed by the L.A. critic Grady Harp for “POETS and ARTISTS”, Joe Nalven for San Diego Union Tribune and it is included in the book “INTERNATIONAL SURVEY” by Crussell Fine Arts.
Julia San Roman
C U R R I C U L U M
Education
1996. Ph.D. Life Sciences, Summa Cum Laude / Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
1985. Bachelor of Science / Licenciatura en Ciencias Biológicas. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
2000-03. Undergraduate Studies in Art. Grossmont – Cuyamaca College. San Diego, California. USA.
Shows
2013. W.D. Cannon Invitational. Carlsbad, California.
2012. SALAZAR Contemporary Art Exhibits. La Jolla/San Diego, CA
2011. L-Street Fine Art. San Diego, California. 2010. West End Gallery, San Diego Airport, California
2007. Galerie D’art International. Solana Beach, California
2006. Galerie D’art International. Solana Beach, California.
2005. Cygnet Theater. San Diego, California.
2004. Complexions. Solana Beach, California.
Published Reviews
POETS AND ARTISTS, critical review by Grady Harp (Fall 2010)
SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, Interview with Joe Nalven (August 2011)
DIARIO LA OPINION, Diario Español de Zamora, April 2013, July 2014.
Awards
2014
"SANCTUARY" at The Front Casa de Cultura. "Honorable Mention."
"ILLUMINATIONS" San Diego Museum of Art-Artist Guild. "Honorable Mention.'
2011.
SDAI Regional Exhibition "Juror's Choice Award" and “Honorable Mention”
2009.
SDAI 50th International Exhibition. "John Mckee Figure Drawing Award."
2006.
“UTOPIA”, A Shenere Velt Gallery, Los Angeles. "First prize."
Bonita Museum & Cultural Center. San Diego. "People's Choice Award."
SDAI Regional Exhibition “Honorable Mention.”
2005.
SDAI Regional Exhibition “ Juror’s Choice Award.”
2004.
SDAI Southern California Regional Exhibition “Second Choice.”
SDAI Regional Exhibition “Honorable Mention."
2015.
SAN DIEGO DREAMING. Oceanside Museum of Art. San Diego, California.
ARTIST ALLIANCE at the MUSUEM. Oceanside Museum of Art. San Diego, California.
Shows
VIGNETTES. MaryAnn Doran Gallery. Tulsa, Oklahoma.
2014
VIEW POINT. Cheryl Hazan Gallery, New York, NY.
STATE OF BEINGS. Studio Place Arts. Barre. Vermont.
ILLUMINATIONS. San Diego Museum of Art- Artist Guild. Poway, California.
Oceanside Museum of Art - Artist Alliance. Del Mar, California.
STEPHEN CLAYTON GALLERY. Coronado, California.
SANCTUARY. The Front- Casa de Cultura. San Ysisdro, California.
THE EMPEROR OF MALADIES. 100 x 100. Hyde Gallery. Grossmont College, CA.
2013.
W.D. Cannon 20th Juried Biennial. Carlsbad, California.
GALLERY 21 "To Send Light into Darkness". Digital Art Guild. San Diego, CA.
Alexander Salazar Fine Art, San Diego, California.
Graphyte Galleries. New Orleans. Louisiana
2012.
TRANSAFORMER. Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, DC
WOMEN'S MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA. San Diego, California.
Alexander Salazar Contemporary Art Exhibits, La Jolla/ San Diego. California.
Dawson Cole Fine Art. Laguna Beach. California.
MaryAnn Doran Gallery. Tulsa . Oklahoma.
Graphyte Galleries. New Orleans. Louisiana
The Black Iris Home. San Diego , California.
Compuesto de Partes. SAPCE 4 ART. A project by San Diego Mesa College. CA.
2011.
Dawson Cole Fine Art. Laguna Beach. California.
MaryAnn Doran Gallery. Tulsa . Oklahoma.
Laura Rathe Fine Art. Houston. Texas.
Studio Place Arts Gallery. Barre. Vermont.
DEEP. Orange County Center for Contemporary Art . Santa Ana, California.
A Celebration of Music. LATINO MUSEUM. Los Angeles, California.
51st International Juried Exibition. San Diego Art Institute, California.
Celebrating Giants. WOMEN'S MUSEUM . San Diego, California.
Celebrating Women Artists. 2nd City Council Art Gallery. Long Beach, California.
The Naked Truth. Main Street 5 Gallery. El Cajon, California.
2010.
Dawson Cole Fine Art. Laguna Beach. California.
Laura Rathe Fine Art. Houston. Texas.
Southern Cal Regional Award Exhibit. San Diego Art Institute, California.
2009.
Dawson Cole Fine Art. Laguna Beach. California.
Lew Allen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Madison Galleries, La Jolla, California.
50th International Juried Exibition. San Diego Art Institute, California.
2nd City Council Art Gallery. Long Beach, California.
2008.
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. La Jolla, California.
2nd City Council Art Gallery. Long Beach, California.
Christopher Morgan Galleries, Palm Desert. California
San Diego Art Institute (SDAI). San Diego, California.
2007.
Galerie D'Art International. Solana Beach. California.
Red Dot Fine Art. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
San Diego Art Institute (SDAI). San Diego, California.
2006.
Galerie D'Art International. Solana Beach. California.
Red Dot Fine Art. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Gallery 15, at San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California.
Gallery I-5, at Brewery Art Colony. Los Angeles, California.
A Shenere Velt Gallery. Los Angeles, California.
Institute of the Americas. University of California San Diego, California.
San Diego Art Institute (SDAI). San Diego, California.
Bonita Museum & Cultural Center. Bonita, California.
2005.
Galerie D'Art International. Solana Beach. California.
Red Dot Fine Art. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
San Diego Natural History Museum. San Diego, California.
San Diego Art Institute (SDAI). San Diego, California.
2004.
San Diego Art Institute (SDAI). San Diego, California.
LRC, Cuyamaca College. San Diego, California.
2003.
Hyde Gallery, Grossmont College. San Diego, California.
2001-02.
San Diego Watercolor Society. San Diego, California.