Ioulia at her garden in Varosi, 1970, with her sculptures
Media: painting
Source: Η Αμμόχωστος της εικαστικής δημιουργίας, Μαρίνα Σχίζα, έκδοση Συνδέσμου Αποφοίτων και Φίλων των Ελληνικών Γυμνασίων Αμμοχώστου, 2008
Ioulia Kempelide Toumazi was born in Famagusta in 1920. She married Panagiotis Toumazis in 1945. She studied at the Senior School of Education with Eleni Hatzipetrou as director and Telemachos Kanthos as teacher. Ioulia had a passion for painting from an early age. Kanthos recognized her talent and encouraged her, which contributed greatly to her decision to take up painting. She attended St Joseph’s School, where they also provided art lessons. Upon leaving school and, even though she had already decided to follow the path of art, mainly due to the unstable political situation at the beginning of World War II, her father did not allow her to do so. Ioulia continued to paint in oil and acrylic. She mainly painted landscapes of Famagusta city, scenes of everyday life, people of the villages in their daily activities and traditional buildings. In 1970, the sculptor Andis Hadjiadamos opens the School of Art in Famagusta and Ioulia is one of the first students to enroll. She was studying at the school until 1974 and there she was introduced to plaster art, drawing and perspective. Her big love for art was the moving force behind the organisation of groups at the Hellenic Lyceum, where she teached for free.
In 1974, being force to flee, she moved with her family in Limassol. Her subject matter changed a lot, the colours became darker and the subjects revolve around the pain of being a refugee. Ioulia had two solo exhibitions while away from Famagusta, one in gallery Zygos in Limassol in 1979 and one in Salonica in 1980 by “Inner Wheel Thessalonikis”.
She continued painting and being part of group shows till the end of her life.
