Hello from my studio!
I’m in the middle of painting a new collection, inspired by lots of fall color. So I’ve been thinking a lot about my creative practice and how my process has changed since I started painting in 2009.
As I’m painting, I always take the parts that I love most from each piece and recombine those elements in new ways. Sometimes that means I’ll take a step back and find my favorite thing from my last painting – maybe it’s the water-soluble pencil that I smudged out to soften the wings or the neon pink and orange I added to the body and background. Then I repeat these favorite things in my next painting to create a series of paintings that really show my style.
But I often have to get out of the studio to loosen up.
Having fun and letting go have always been essential to my creative process.
If I’m feeling really stuck with a painting, I’ll go for a photo walk. Then when I come back into the studio, I’ll layer at least three new colors or different supplies onto the painting. Sometimes this means covering up what I’m not loving, but I need a new place to begin.
If I’m feeling too intimidated to cover up the face, I’ll start in the background, mixing a little acrylic paint with acrylic ink, then add a new face on top of the old features by scribbling some water-soluble pencil.
This keeps my portrait looking super loose.
Then, layer by layer, working slowly, I add more definition and detail to the abstraction that’s already there.
Sometimes all I need is to get out of my comfort zone and start playing again so I can stop thinking so much and really get into a flow.
That’s what happened when I painted this new painting… she’s called Butterfly Dreams – 12″ x 16″ on stretched canvas, Mixed Media.
I had to take many steps away so that I didn’t overwork it or cover everything up. I had so much fun dripping inks and acrylics to create her wings and body. Yet even though I loved the color, I wanted to give her a more solid background.
So I took a step away before making any big decisions. I went for a walk, and when I came back into my studio I could see her with new eyes. I became more confident in her imperfections.
She’s a bit wonky and reminds me of a butterfly transforming into light. Instead of defining her beauty I realized I wanted her to spread her uniqueness and true spirit. She’s also inspired by the transition of the seasons from summer into autumn, and all of the butterflies and blue skies around my garden here in Wisconsin.
I hope she brings a little extra beauty to your day!
If you’re interested in learning more about my creative process and inspirations, I recently did an interview on The Creative Genius Podcast – we go deep into my creative journey. I hope it brings you a lot of encouragement and inspiration!
With love + gratitude,
xo Juliette
PS If you want help loosening up and letting go in your art, you might enjoy Watercolor Joy, my new self-paced mini course – it’s all about loosening up, letting go and play. You can register here for Watercolor Joy – A Mini Course, get out your sketchbook and let’s paint!
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HELLO
I'M JULIETTE
A painter, writer, and creator of The School Of Happy Painting, online courses to help you loosen up, let go, and develop your own unique style.
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