July has been hot. But you know that already. It's so hot. But also so wet. A dynamic combination, especially with a little boy who fears no weather and only wants to be outside all day every day. Good times. 😂 Notable Family Event We went to Santa's Village in New Hampshire. In the rain. You can see much of our visit in this month's Member Vlog, as well as our visit to nearby Storyland. Notable Personal Event I have started going for a quick walk by myself at lunch time every day and I love it. I come home... Read more →

Monday was the Member Livestream and someone asked a question about drawing. The main demo I did was based on a photo of Lady Gaga from a magazine advertisement. This is how it turned out: But, as you may have guessed from the title of this post, I've got a bit of a lecture to deliver. Drawing is a skill, like writing. Some people may be naturally more gifted at it, but with practice, everyone can draw. The key here is practice. When you say, "I can't draw," I hear, "I don't practice drawing." I'm pretty sure that I can't... Read more →

Back in February, I created this mixed media collage piece: It was meant to be part of my ongoing series of work about my experience of motherhood. The series features vessels (bowls, vases, cups, etc.) and plants in various stages of bloom. I showed it to my Mom and she was insistent that it was a house with a staircase and somehow, that bugged me. I lived with it for a few weeks, but it kept bugging me. So, I painted a new painting on top of it. This version of the mixed media collage is more flat and contained.... Read more →

Hello friends! This week I thought you might be interested to see the collage palette I used in my recent Collage Faces class. Just as you might swatch paint colors when working on a painting, it's extremely helpful to have a quick reference sheet for collage. Watch the video for more: Here are a few reasons you might want to swatch your collage papers (aka create a collage paper palette): Visual Reference: Just like paint swatches, I like to see at a glance what I have on hand. It helps me to make decisions. Opacity: You can use a non-white... Read more →

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here. All of the previous posts can be found archived here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday or #artjournalingwithjulie so that we can all take a peek. You can find my favorite art journaling supplies HERE. I'm back with more art journal pages from my 2022 art journal. It's quite a departure from my earlier style with lots and lots... Read more →

A few weeks ago, I made this lovely little painting: I named it "River Walk." It's available in my shop if you want to grab it for yourself. You can watch a short (one minute) process overview below: One of the reasons that the painting works is because I was very careful about the paint colors I chose to use. My value structure was very clear before I even began the painting process. Why does value matter? Value is like the artwork's undergarments. It does the heavy lifting and shaping. In art terms: A well-defined value structure creates visual organization.... Read more →

It's difficult to work out new ideas for your artwork. And, in my experience, the ideas are rarely great the first, second, or even twenty-fifth time around. In this Studio Visit video, I'm sharing a peek at an idea I've been working out for quite some time. And it feels like I'm getting closer to something that works! If you've got an idea percolating, but it's just not coming out the way you want it to, try some of these approaches: Brainstorming: Set aside time to brainstorm ideas without any judgment. Write down or sketch anything that comes to mind,... Read more →

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here. All of the previous posts can be found archived here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday or #artjournalingwithjulie so that we can all take a peek. You can find my favorite art journaling supplies HERE. Back in February, I shared some pages from my 2022 journal. Looking back at old journal pages is a little like looking back at... Read more →

This month we read Expressive Sketchbooks by Helen Wells and I loved everything about this book! You can watch the video for more: In the video, we worked through Helen Wells' exercise, "Beauty in the Mundane." To participate, please have the following supplies ready: Sketchbook - I used one I made in a class I taught. Golden SoFlat Matte Acrylic Paint Paintbrush and Water Jar Writing/Drawing Tools - I used my favorite china markers Optional: Apron, Heat Gun, Rag, Baby Wipes, and I used Golden High Flow Acrylic Paint for the splatters Here's a peek at my completed sketchbook: It's... Read more →

A few weeks ago, I wrapped up my three-part live online Collage Faces class. For class number three, we focused on troubleshooting, backgrounds, bodies, and finishing touches. For instance, I shared how to take this perfectly great collage... ..and make it even better! It's more complex, more interesting, more layered, and more nuanced. Here are a few of my other demo pieces: Much of my focus in class was about embracing your personal style and I think you'll fall in love with the beautiful and unique work from the students. I asked if any of them were willing to share... Read more →