Art event founder was 'incomparable painter'

An artist who helped found a city's open studios event "was an incomparable painter and will be greatly missed", according to one of her friends.

Julia Ball launched Cambridge Open Studios with a handful of other artists in 1974. She died aged 94 on 28 February.

Founding member Elspeth Owens said Ms Ball will be "fondly remembered for making art more inclusive and accessible".

Cambridge Open Studios is now a community of more than 500 artists from across Cambridgeshire, who open their studios to the public in July.

Ms Owen is a potter and ceramicist who began taking part in the event within a couple of years of it starting.

She has participated ever since and was a close friend of Ms Ball.

"Many of us at Cambridge Open Studios were inspired or taught by Julia and have fond memories of visiting her magnificent studio, she was an incomparable painter and will be greatly missed," she said.

"Then, as it does today, [it] helped local artists reach a wider audience, breaking down barriers between artists and the public, and allowing people to view art in the environment in which it was being brought to life."

Many of the artists are professionals, but it has remained non-selective throughout its history and is open to non-commercial or hobby creatives.

Ms Ball's paintings were mostly abstract, although much of it was inspired the landscape of East Anglia and especially the Fens.

She had lived Cambridge since the early 1960s and her work was included in the art collection of Murray Edwards College, part of the University of Cambridge.

From the early 1970s until 1990, she taught at what is now Anglia Ruskin University, while painting part-time.

"Cambridge Open Studios has been a much-loved event in the county's calendar for more than 50 years now and I am sure that Julia's legacy will be felt for many more years to come," said its chairperson Gabriella del Valle.

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