Julie moved from Devon to Belfast in 1986 to study textiles at the University of Ulster in Belfast and began working on mosaics in 1990 in her backyard. By 1991 she had started Opus Mosaics and took on commissions for interiors and exteriors, and whilst working on site was asked to attempt a restoration as there was no specialist in Belfast. With her experience working with tilers, she had gained the relevant skills and was confident enough to repair and restore, and went on to specialise in restoration and consolidation of historic tiled and mosaic surfaces.
Now, with over 25 years of experience she has worked on several nationally significant listed buildings throughout Ireland and Scotland and offers a consultancy service surveying and advising on the best options for repair. She performs small repairs on site but has the facility to reconstruct larger damaged pieces in her workshop and has collected extensive stocks of reclaimed Victorian tiles over the years to ensure that a colour match can be achieved. The Old Map and an Indian commission that Julie is working on will be displayed at Hard Surfaces.
