The French philosopher, Denis Diderot, is claimed to have said that only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things. If ever there was a person who lived by that philosophy, it is Jules François - artist, author, chef and gallery owner.

 

Jules is the owner and curator of Sydney's Red Door Gallery in Summer Hill, above which sits a rambling, sundrenched studio that is filled with as much love and cheeky chatter as it is the spilt paint of passionate creating. To the rear of the gallery and studio - a second home for many adult students who seek out Jules' quiet perfection and guidance - is a room that has been lovingly welded, pummeled and hand crafted to resemble a rustic French kitchen, laying testament to Jules' other great loves, food and France. A dedicated, unwavering Francophile and cook, Jules has spent years travelling in France, and also owned for more than two decades Sydney's award-winning La Gerbe d'Or boulangerie-pâtisserie.

 

In a life made rich by her many passions, Jules has been a professional jazz singer, ballet dancer, business owner, chef, author, mother, wife, curator, painter, teacher and devoted animal lover. Jules is currently writing her second cook book and painting for an upcoming exhibition. She's familiar with the concept of spare time, but is yet to find the store that sells it.