Julian Friers was born in Bangor, a seaside town on the county Down coast, in Northern Ireland in 1956.
He developed a keen interest in wildlife and the countryside from a very early age, probably through the ‘nature table’ at primary school and the family’s once yearly holiday to rural Tipperary. His interest in drawing has no beginning that he is aware of and was just always there.

He is essentially self taught, having left Art College in Belfast after a single term. His first exhibition was a joint show with Elizabeth McEwen RUA in Bangor in 1977. He has exhibited regularly with other international wildlife artists in America, Canada, Japan, Germany, The Netherlands and France as well as in the UK.
He has had solo exhibitions in Ireland, Scotland, England, America and the Middle East.
Joint shows include LYWAM, Natural History Museum in London, Dublin Castle, Natural History Museum in Bonn.
He has completed work for a number of different conservation bodies including RSPB, IWC, WWF, IFCDW.
He designed the first Irish Duck Stamp for the American Duck Stamp Program.
In 1998 he was commissioned to create thirty-two paintings to celebrate the conservation efforts of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family. This project was entitled ‘Gifts from the Desert’ and became a touring exhibition which went from Castle Espie in Northern Ireland, to the Mall Galleries in London, to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington and finally to the Bourg al Arab in Dubai. A limited edition book was also produced.
In 2008 he was elevated to become an Academician in the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts where he is the President.
His work is represented in Royal collections in Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, also in LYWAM, WWT Castle Espie and numerous private collections.