Visual artist Julie Gil’s debut solo exhibit, “Palette of Allegory,” is a window to the human experience, rendered through the delicate medium of watercolor and mixed media. The show, currently on display at Art Lounge Manila at Molito until Nov. 29, showcases themes of freedom, transformation, hope, affirmation, and faith. 

Gil used storytelling in her allegorical imagery. “The main elements or ‘character’ in this exhibit are the flowers and insects, birds, or other small animals,” she explains. “Their interaction in the painting, and the clues provided by the title and the short captions, convey the theme.”

One such piece, See It, Have It, is about the power of belief and intention. “Here we see in the foreground three birds, looking for their provision for the day. Two aimlessly or anxiously look for the solution from different directions, one bird is fixated on its target. He sees it, he will have it. We experience what we see. We allow what catches our attention, whether grief or happiness,” says Gil. “What you see or perceive, whether real or not, and allow to incubate in your mind, is conceived. What you conceive is ultimately what you receive. It’s my visual definition of faith.”

The artist’s inspiration for this body of work stems from her keen observation of nature. “I look at nature—flora and fauna in particular—and review their movements in my mind, and then I ask what’s the message here?” she says. “I paint those that have helped me in my journey through life, with the hope that viewers who have experienced or are currently experiencing the same will connect and be affirmed, edified, or pointed to a positive direction in their own journeys.”

Gil’s creative process is as fluid and intuitive as her art. “Sometimes I put order where there is chaos, other times I put chaos where there is order,” she reveals. “Even in terms of method, sometimes I start with watercolor, other times with the other media. While I have a picture in my mind, often it changes. Not the message but the visual interpretation of it. Even that is an allegory-in-the making. We can plan our lives all we want, but unplanned changes either destroy or lead us to perfection.”

The artist’s dedication to her craft is evident in every brushstroke. “I’d say all my paintings have received my discriminating attention to detail from the concept to rendering to framing,” she says. “But there’s this one paining that not only challenged me artistically but spoke to my heart vividly. I called it Handiwork. While doing each petal of the flower and each wing of the dragonfly, I realized how intricately, individually thought of and wonderfully made each creation of God is, each one having a purpose, a passion, and a reason to exist. We are all God’s handiwork with our own unique roles. We all seem to work best at the intersection of our gifts and passions, individually. And as a race, as dragonflies play an important role in the pollination process, we humans also play an important role in each other’s lives.” 

As for the impact she hopes to have on viewers, Gil simply desires a connection. “The best scenario for me is when the viewers connect so much with the artwork and its main message. Or they can interpret the message for themselves—that they would want the piece permanently and buy them,” she says. “Seriously, not every viewer would connect with the painting as it connected with me during creation. So I let the painting interact with the viewers for their best benefit.”

Through “Palette of Allegory,” Julie Gil invites us to slow down, reflect, and find inspiration in the beauty of the natural world and the human spirit. 

“Palette of Allegory” runs until Nov. 29 at Art Lounge Manila.