Texas artist Julie Davis has long been drawn to the character of the landscape. Working primarily in oil, she often thinks of her paintings as portraits of trees with distinct expressions or old structures marked by the passage of time. Her practice begins outdoors, where she seeks subjects that kindle an emotional response.“Everything I do starts outside,” she explains. Plein air studies form the foundation of her work, intuitive sessions that capture essential color, light, and form. These studies become touchstones in the studio, where she develops more deliberate paintings that preserve the freshness of the moment while deepening the story within the land. Davis and her husband share a tradition of collecting art each anniversary, a habit that shaped her eye long before she began painting herself. That collector’s perspective continues to inform her approach, lending her work a sensitivity to both expression and presence.