Julian Jamaal Jones: Expressive authenticity

In this episode, textile artist Julian Jamaal Jones reimagines quilting as contemporary fine art – bold, abstract works built from sketches, printed cloth, and rhythmic stitching. In conversation with Angela Truscott, Julian reflects on making through grief, family lineage, and the freedom of abstraction as protection. A thoughtful episode about taste, confidence, and building a signature language in cloth.

Show Notes

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Abstraction as protection. Julian uses abstraction as a way to speak honestly while keeping parts of his story private, allowing the work to remain open to interpretation.

• From sketch to quilt. Learn how his quilts begin as sketches and visual notes, then move through scanning, printing and reconstruction to become large-scale textile works.

• Breaking tradition with intention. Julian shares why bending quilting rules – cutting up old works, using digital printing, and redefining structure – is central to his practice.

• Trusting colour and taste. A thoughtful look at how placement, contrast and intuition allow colour to work freely, beyond rigid rules or safe choices.

• Building confidence over time. The episode offers grounded insight into developing a sustainable practice through consistency, honest critique, community and rest.

During the live interview, we shared some images of Julian’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made these images available for you below. 

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p.s. some good news… we are filming a course with Julian soon! And you can...

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