At first glance, you may think that the title of this post, "Why is Creative Block," is either a grammatical error or an unfinished sentence. But perhaps it's simply a new and different way of looking at the same old problem. I'm sure you know what creative block is. It's possible that you also know yourself well enough to know why creative block happens to you. And you might have developed some solid strategies for breaking through creative block, such as: Look for inspiration: Watch YouTube videos for inspiration. Look at art technique books. Search Pinterest. Look at blogs. Take... Read more →

I'm currently participating in a critique group and we had to introduce ourselves to each other with a short (5 minute) personal history. I thought you might be interested to see mine: I hope you feel you know me a bit better after watching that. I'm going to encourage you to make your own version -- even if it's not a video. Maybe a social media post? Or simply a presentation for your family and friends? It could be the basis of an artist talk too! The point of an exercise like this is to force you to think about... Read more →

My current #PrintInktober project is to use my Art Foamies Bauhaus Set... ...for all 31 of my prints. I've set some parameters for myself, such as: I don't have to use all the Bauhaus stamps in every print. I can use other stamps/stencils in the prints. I will use 9x12 paper for all the prints. I will use acrylic paint for all of the prints. I will put all of the prints up for sale. I'm not using any prompts for my prints. I will share a process video for every single print on instagram. Here are days 9-15: Something... Read more →

I'm so pleased to share that I was the guest on Kellee Wynne's most recent episode of the Made Remarkable Podcast. You can listen to our conversation below: This is what Kellee wrote about our conversation: Julie shows us that achieving greatness in both art and motherhood is possible through love, perseverance, and a dash of humor. She shares her insights on the importance of passive income and the need for alternative revenue streams for solopreneurs. From royalties to affiliate fees, and teaching fees to artwork sales, Julie delves into the various avenues she has explored to support her business... Read more →

Artists, like me, have long loved Golden's Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold for several reasons: Vibrancy: Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold is known for its vibrant and intense hue. It has a rich warm tone that can add a brilliant pop of color to artwork. Transparency: It can be layered over other colors or used as a glaze to create luminous effects and depth in paintings. I love that it doesn't cover up what's underneath, but instead seems to highlight it. Mixing Properties: Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold is particularly useful for mixing various shades of oranges, browns, and earthy tones. It's a... Read more →

My current #PrintInktober project is a riff on my unfinished 2020 #PrintInktober project. Back in 2020, I wanted to use the same set of hand carved stamps for all 31 of my prints. So this year, I'm trying it again (going to finish this time!), but with my Art Foamies Bauhaus Set... ...as the stamps I'm using. Here are my first eight prints: A few notes: You can see that I allowed some additional stamps (and one stencil) to enter into the prints. Each of the original one-of-a-kind prints I make this month is available for purchase! $65 (free shipping... Read more →

What's a monotype and what's a monoprint? And why does it matter? In essentials, a monoprint is repeatable -- for example, a stenciled design, as in these examples: Or a block printed design, even in multiple colors. There's a matrix that you can use to repeat the design, even with small variations, like color. You will often find monoprints as part of a numbered series, as in these watercolor monoprints I made a few years ago: They were a limited series, because only a certain number of prints could be pulled from the plate before it disappeared, but still a... Read more →

As you might have guessed from the title of this post, I have brand new Art Foamies I designed to share with you -- just in time for PrintInktober! Yay! There are SEVEN new designs/sets to choose from. Many of the designs come in two sizes. Watch the video for more: And here are the stamps from the video: In case you don't know, Art Foamies are high quality foam stamps made by artists for artists. I use them with both paint and ink. They take a beating and keep on making great prints. You can see them in action... Read more →

This is an 18x24 monotype collage I titled "Boy Colors." It's part of my ongoing series of work exploring my experience of motherhood. Like many mothers, I am mired in the complicated push and pull between what I feel I ought to do as a mother vs. what I am doing. Glennon Doyle has a great bit about motherhood and martyrdom in her book, Untamed: “Mothers have martyred themselves in their children’s names since the beginning of time. We have lived as if she who disappears the most, loves the most. We have been conditioned to prove our love by... Read more →

September is definitely starting to feel like Fall. We had some scorchers at the beginning of the month, but the evenings are turning cool and we're enjoying the change of seasons...and welcoming Halloween with open arms. Family News The decorations are up. His costume has been ordered and hemmed. The pumpkin is carved. Now we just have to wait a month for the trick-or-treaters to show up. Work News This month has felt very much back-to-school for me. I've been teaching a lot, with three in-person classes, a new online class, and a new live online class, plus all the... Read more →