Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Closet Aprons



Closet Aprons

8x6in oil on canvas board  $125. SOLD

#30  - Final Painting for the 30 in 30 Days Challenge
My personal goal for this challenge - to paint only
what I have never painted or thought of painting before.

 I want to thank Leslie Saeta for coming up with such
a positive Challenge. I have enjoyed seeing all the artwork
and have been introduced to some fabulous painters.

Artist Note.
The challenge I gave myself has been stimulating for me.
Time flew by and I never felt I was just painting to get it done.
I also learned to see beauty in a different way and that has been a
big surprise.
I am grateful for the support I received from so many of you
on this journey. And for not minding the vacuum, broom, detergent,
fire extinguisher etc.
For my final painting I wanted to push myself into more of an abstract
painting. I am hoping that most of you cannot really tell right off
what this is . By that I mean it is not explicit.
I have been inspired by Roger (Akesson) who has been testing
a voyage into more abstraction. To my mind, these aprons
were the perfect subject to give it a go.
Here  is a photo of the closet in the Artists Guild's Studio.
Just as it was - not arranged.
Notice how bright the aprons are. They are gifts from well meaning
friends who do not realize that color bounces back onto surfaces and
can effect your colors.



















 I do wear them, but only at times when color does not matter.
The  light colored one is the one I usually wear for painting.
I made some artistic decisions by making changes from the
actual scene...more for color and linkage than anything else.
The talented artist,  Dean.  from Deano's Den has a great
 term for these artistic decisions; he calls them
 Artful Departures. 
Isn't that a great - doesn't it fit just right?

My video showing how I paint with the fracturing technique
will be released this weekend by Daily Paintworks. 
(Are you hearing that, Miss Patient Lavon?)





55 comments:

  1. Oh I have enjoyed following this challenge of yours, and it too made me look at ordinary things differently. I have a couple of ideas myself now, so thank you

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    1. You have a great awareness of life and it comes through in your writing and art. I am looking forward to following your work.

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  2. I really like what you did in this painting, Julie!
    Suggested/implied detail really involves the viewer.
    Congratulations on completing your 30/30!!

    Thanks for the mention of the term. Feel free to adopt it and make it your own.

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  3. Julie
    Congratulations! You did 30 accomplished paintings in 30 days and I have had fun following your progress. Thank you for posting them on your blog.
    Yours in art,
    Pamela

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  4. Julie, you are the most gracious person. Truly, this challenge was a growth experience for us all, wasn't it? Your closet is done so well, the contrast between the colorful and the quieter areas surrounding it is just right. I worked on my abstract in class again yesterday. Perhaps one day I will be ready to share. For now it gets painted over each week, exploring where I am that week and what the paint and I want to say. And tomorrow flowers?

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    1. Hi Helen. YOu really did so well painting every day. Yes there was a growth experience for me, but aking the workshop at the same time added a stress level and now I can take time to go over what I learned. I will enjoy that.
      I love the sound of the painting you keep painting over.

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  5. Very nice Julie. Bold and abstract but still very representational. I like Roger's work too (I even have one :). Congrats on the 30 day challenge.

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    1. Thanks for the visit and comment Scott. I loved your mountain landscape.

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  6. Congratulations Julie! I think your painting adventure has been a tremendous inspiration to a GREAT number of artists that follow you and you did it so beautifully and gracefully. I LOVE your closet/apron painting and it's a million times better that the photo with your delicate painterly style. Now I have to go take my GREEN Starbucks apron out to the garbage. Who knew?

    And now I want to go do SOMETHING for 30 days. I am SO inspired by this. xo

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    1. You have me laughing, dear Lisa.
      I am looking forward to seeing the other paintings in this neat series you are doing.

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  7. Your closet, the robe, your broom, and now this painting are all favorites. Your entries to this challenge have provided wonderful examples of how art is capable of transporting the mundane to the sublime.

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  8. Love the abstractedness and I so enjoyed sharing your journey this month!

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  9. I too have enjoying viewing your work during this challenge. You picked a great theme and stuck with it! Who knew a vacuum could look so cool or a fire hydrant so shiny...and your winter closet is SO organized! : )

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    1. Yes...who knew indeed, certainly not me... but I am looking forward to getting into figures. (Remember?) I took a workshop at the beginning of the challenge and have not been able to focus yet on what I learned.
      Love your champagne cork a-flying! Maybe congratulations too?

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  10. This is a strong finish on well done challenge, and I love the graphic and abstract qualities.
    PS! Thanks for mentioning me as an inspiration, you are big inspiration for me to.

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    1. Thank you Roger. it was a pleasure to mention your work. The cupcake you did today is another great example. I have never done a cupcake and pondered on doing one for the challenge, but worried mine maybe too sweet. Yours are not sentimental at all.

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  11. Nice Grand Finale Julie! Congrats too on reaching your goal! Thanks for sharing it!

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    1. Goals are good if only to have the sense of relief when they have been met. Looking at your blog I see I missed a couple I liked and the one of the birdcage is particularly beautiful.

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  12. Wow - makes a great composition! Love the colors.

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    1. Hi Kathleen. Love the great design in your beautiful rock painting too.

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  13. Wow the colours are fabulous, ILOVE this work! Thank you Julie for sharing your wonderful work, you are an inspiration! Well done and take care x

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    1. And how I love your shoes. They make me think your smile matches your personality so well. FUN!
      Thanks for the comments - you make me feel good!

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  14. Absolutely beautiful, Julie! I can't wait to see more of your work here on your blog and on the DPW site. P.S. I have sent you an email.

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    1. After you ended the challenge with such a marvelous painting Claire - Rock Star - I am wondering what could top that. I mean the glasses with the pacifier is just fabulous.
      Will look forward to seeing more...

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  15. Well I've just run out of superlatives! This is one of the best, when you should be your most exhausted after 30 days! Bravo :)

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    1. Thanks for the really nice comment, Mary. Your last couple of floral paintings have tugged at my heart. beautiful.

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  16. I love your painting of aprons...and I am looking forward to seeing your video ...! :)

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    1. What a great landscape you have on today's blog, Celeste. I always enjoy seeing what your group paints too.
      I am amazed and grateful someone as good an artist like you would want to see my work process.

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  17. Each day you've made the ordinary sparkle and become beautiful, Julie. I've so enjoyed this series of items you've been painting. So many of them stick in my head as beautiful.

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    1. Thanks, my dear friend for mentioning my work on your blog today. It gave me such a glow.

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  18. Congratulations on your painting so much and never lose the inspiration, the originality and quality of each piece! This is a great example that helps me to improve even in the mental attitude towards the practice. Thanks Julie!

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    1. Have you ever been stuck for words, dear Rita? You always say the nicest things in the nicest way and I love your visits.
      I have visited your blog to ask for permission to use the photo of Beatrice for a painting. I hope to hear from you.

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    2. I answered on my blog but here I copy the same answer.
      "In theory it should give permission Valentina ... but since the girl's face is not frontal, and the photo was taken from me, I believe that there are not privacy issues for Beatrice. So I give you permission and I'm waiting to see your art work, dear Julie!"

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  19. Congratulations! Well done! It's been a joy to following along on this fun journey of yours!

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    1. And it has been a pleasure visiting your lovely work too. I will look forward to seeing your next painting. The tequila bottle is still one of my favs.

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  20. Thank you Julie for a perfect month of gorgeous paintings...I have enjoyed it so much..and you ended the month with a beautiful piece!

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    1. Thank you so much Hilda. How about the beautiful lake you did. hard to top that one.

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  21. I think this is a show stopper! My favorite so far! Thanks for you support and sharing so generously with all of us. The artful departures is just great!

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    1. Thanks so much Bruce. Happy to see your growth and enjoyment through the challenge

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  22. Julie - these aprons are beautiful - I have a couple I wear too - not just when I am painting but in the kitchen. Used to be they were such a part of our attire many years ago. So nice of you to visit my blog and of course you may use my photo - it would be an honor for sure. Didn't have your email - so hope you read this soon. Have a great week.

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    1. Thanks for allowing me the use of the beautiful photo of the tree, Debbie. I am excited.
      Glad you liked the aprons and that you use them too.
      Fancy you noticing my work in the book The Creative Artist and thanks for mentioning it on your blog. Loved your treasure chest.

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  23. Wow! What a 30 day voyage you've been on, Julie. I think everyone has been inspired by your versatility in converting the ordinary into the extraordinary ... as if by magic!

    Thank you for sharing,

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    1. Very gracious, John. Love the way you threw in the word "voyage". Can tell where your mind has been. Grateful you took the time to comment and I thank you. It has been a stimulating month art-wise and I like to think it has helped me grow in recognizing art is "how" something is painted not "what" is painted

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  24. I love your aprons.....and thanks for including the links to the other blogs. I'm checking them out.

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    1. You're welcome and congratulations for doing all of the 30 paintings. A huge achievement.

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  25. LOL!!! thank you soooo much, Julie!!! Sorry if I was a bit of a pain. Tho I did notice a couple other folks asking about it, too. Love your aprons. The 30/30 was a blast. I didn't post, but did do the painting for myself. I have what I call my painting clothes. Teeshirts and pants that are covered in paint. I use them for painting and gardening. I have a couple aprons for those occasions when I get a wild hair while I am wearing "normal" clothes; but I tend to just change into painting clothes when I get home from work anyway. So excited to get your Artbyte!!!! thank you thank you thank you, love, Lavon

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    1. Neat to knpow you painted every day too. How I wish I could have been a fly on your wall.
      Well Lavon - maybe I spoke too soon regarding my artbye. . Not heard back from them and I do not think they work the weekends. Stay tuned my dear.
      PS.
      YOU have never been a pain - I was always thrilled to think someone would want to see how I paint. Big complement.

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  26. Congratulations, Julie - you have made the most of this challenge with 30 incredibly accomplished, beautiful and interesting paintings. I would be very hard pressed to chose a favorite but I do love the abstract quality of this one a lot. Who would have thought that aprons on a hook could be so beautiful!

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    1. That is a comment to treasure - thanks Susan.
      Your work is so awesome.

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  27. I sure have enjoyed your work during your 30/30 challenge and especially appreciate the colors you put in this one. Wonderful finale!

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    1. Thanks Diana, I liked the colors too. Wonder wehy I cannot do it in all. But that is also the pleasure - the difficulty factor.

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I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie