San Francisco, CA

I got to spend a wonderful, relaxing, soul-lifting 6 days in the San Francisco Bay Area last week. I used to live fairly close to the Bay Area, so I've been many times. But this time, I decided to see it like a tourist... and boy! Was it fun! I thought I'd share some pictures with you in hopes that they will lift your spirits, as well!

Our flight there was beautiful and one of the smoothest flights I've taken.

After spending the first day with family and friends, we hopped on BART (a first for me!) and headed to downtown San Francisco. 

Even the walls of the BART station inspired me that day.

We decided to start our day with drinks, since we were on vacation after all! 

Walking down by the Wharf, San Francisco is one of the prettiest cities I've ever seen!

I was ready for an adventure in the Bay, with my walking shoes on!

While it seems campy and touristy, taking the double decker bus (another first for me) was one of the highlights of my trip. It was SO much fun! I highly recommend it. 

These weeping ladies were beautiful. 

The weather couldn't have been bribed to be more perfect. It was simply gorgeous! And look! There is the Golden Gate bridge. We're headed towards it: and crossing over it is yet another first for me during this trip. (I have, however, been below it on a boat before.) 

It was so gorgeous close up.

We stopped in Sausalito and saw yachts and...  

Happy trash! (I guess California's cows are the only ones happy to be there.)

I took this shot from the cable car (yet one more first for me!) and used no filter. This day was perfection!

I also stopped by my friends' shop and checked out their Volkswagens in progress. 

When this one is done, I want it! DREAMY! 

I also got to see Niles, CA. Where Charlie Chaplin filmed his movies. Cute small town.

I went to parties and BBQ's, too. I got so tired, I took a quick nap before party 2. So sleepy in this pic!

I LOVE Portland, so much this gypsy has made it her home for good. But I will always be a California girl at heart. So going back really filled my spirit with joy. I hope you enjoyed these pictures of the trip... I sure enjoyed taking them!

People's Art of Portland Show

I am honored to have a piece included in the "For The Love of Portland" art show at The Peoples Art of Portland. This Saturday is the opening reception, and I hope you can make it out, if possible! 

art bullsh*t

I have struggled with the fact that art school seems to be a good 50%-85% lessons in bull-shittery. But this web site is GENIUS!

artybollocks generator

abstract art

Even though I LOVE painting people (because, well, I LOVE people!), I occasionally like to let go about make abstract art. Here is an example:

I have a few others in my etsy shop, too. I feel like they would make a great little instant collection, if displayed together. 

texture

it really DOES snow in Portland!

(Just not very much, and not very often... Just the way I like it!)

West Coast Beard and Mustache Competition

So a couple of weeks ago I had the extreme pleasure of attending the West Coast Beard and Mustache Competition at the Crystal Ballroom here in Portland, OR! It was my first time attending, and SO MUCH FUN! Although it started a little late, all of the contestants put on a great show!

We got there early and waited in line. Thank goodness it wasn't raining. :)

In fact, the sun was *really* shining on Raul!

We got seats upstairs at first, and watched the crowds pour in...

My friend Summer got mustaches for us to wear so we wouldn't feel left out!

Here I am, sporting mine:

Raul is always sporting his:

And THIS guy was sporting quite the outfit!

The contestants were working the crowd for support:

And if you haven't been to the Crystal Ballroom, you should really try to go. It's one of my favorite venues in Portland...

The man next to me won 3rd place in his category:

And, of course, Raul got some swag while we were there:

We had such a great time, and definitely plan on going again next year. In fact, I found out they have a competition for the women, too, and I'm already planning my beard design!

notes to self

new custom portrait

So before Christmas I got another request for a custom portrait... Which is something I LOVE doing. But this one was a little different. It was a gift. For a teenage girl. Who is also an artist. These three facts put additional stress on me!

Because:
a). It was a gift.
People typically buy art they love, they they are drawn to... sometimes compelled to own! But giving art as a gift can be tricky. Art you may love, someone else might detest, and vice versa.

b). It was for a teenage girl.
Teenage girls are probably harder on themselves than any other group of people! I would only want to improve her self-esteem with the painting. I'd have to make SURE it was really, really good...and flattering. ;)

c). She is an artist herself.
She will have her own sensibilities and... (now I'M the one being insecure!) what if she doesnt' like it?!

Her father sent several reference photos to choose from, from the are of 4 until about 15. I hemmed and hawed (the four year old picture was DARLING!), but finally chose one from when she was 12-13.  I worked very conscientiously and this is how it turned out:

I thought it was soo sweet! And I mailed it off to her dad a couple of weeks before Christmas. So I waited, on pins and needles, until after she opened it on Christmas morning, to hear her response. Here is a just a bit from the note I received from her dad:

"Thanks again Julie, she was ALL LIT UP when she got this : )"

And THAT made my day! 

p.s. Get your own custom watercolor and ink portrait in my etsy shop. (And of course, it makes a great gift, too!)  

a sneak peek into my painting process.

I remember being in my early twenties when I asked my friend Brian - a singer, guitar player, and song writer,  with awe, admiration and wonder, how he created a song. He just laughed at me and blew me off. He wasn't a jerk (well, most of the time!), but now that I am making art full time, I think I know why he didn't answer: it's not easy to explain the creative process.

It's one part inspiration, one part skill, and one part mystery. There's also tenacity (many extraordinarily talented people simply don't make anything.)

But the other day a friend of mine said to me, "I don't know how you do it: the way you catch the expression in people's eyes... It's just...amazing!"

It was so sweet! And, of course, made me feel great. But I thought I'd share with all of you some of my "process." These photos are taken of a custom portrait I did of my oldest daughter. She has a great sense of humor, and so I took the first photo of the painting to text to her (she goes to college in CA), because it looked a little... well... funny! But then I decided to document the process. Here goes!

The photo I used as a reference:

And this is the first photo I took to send to her to make her laugh (I was tempted to tell her this was the finished product!): 

As you can see, I've started with some undertones in her skin.

Here I've added undertones in her hair -- which is really curly:

This next one is a pretty big jump -- I've filled in her shirt, and more of her skin and hair:

She loves makeup, so I had to add more to the eyes:

But she is an olive-skinned, dark-haired beauty, so I darkened up her eyebrows and hair a bit:

And when it was all dry, it looked like this:

The colors do dry a bit more muted, so remember that while you're mixing colors and during the painting process. As you may have noticed, I used the inside page of a vintage book cover. I typically use these for my portraits. It not only pays homage to my love of books, but I think it also adds an extra level of interest and depth.

I can paint your portrait (or someone you love) any time. Just come to my etsy store for all the details. I'll have another set of photos showing my process again later this week. Thanks for looking!

because I'm in love...

my favorite advice, to artists young and old:

my favorite song, right now...

all hands on deck!

I found my first sketchbook from college the other day, and was surprised, delighted, and at times a little embarrassed about what I found inside. But mostly it just brought back so many wonderful memories. The only sweeter might be if I found my middle school diary. ;)

In my first ever drawing class we had to draw hands, over and over and over and... well, you get the idea. But my teacher really liked "my hands" and used them as an example to everyone else in the class. Being the kind of girl who always likes to get A's, I kind of (okay, REALLY) liked that.

So here they are, for those of you who like drawings of hands... (and who...doesn't?!)