Personal Art Blog

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

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Guess Where This Is?


Pikes Fish Market, Seattle.
8x6in oil on panel $135. SOLD


Never, ever, thought I would paint a fish
market, but going to the famous
 Pikes Market in Seattle
and seeing the fish throwing...
the colorful lighting...
 and the enormous
selection of all types of sea food 
made me want to tackle it.

Artist Note.
I want to thank my hosts in 
Wichita, KA,
Portland, OR and Edmond, WA
for making my time easy and enjoyable.
All of them are art lovers and collectors
so staying in their homes was a 
genuine treat.

The reception to my teaching
and the fracturing technique 
plus seeing the amazing results
was heartwarming and good for my 
ongoing growth as an instructor.

It will take a while to assimilate all the 
experiences and settle back into my 
regular schedule, but I am already working 
on a Pikes Market Series.

Now I am off to catch up on all the blogs
I follow. Looking forward to seeing what 
you all have been up to.








37 comments:

  1. Welcome back, Julie, you were really missed. The fish market looks and sounds mouth-watering and exciting.

    What a tour you have had, it sounds really fulfilling and art/fun packed.

    Always nice to get home though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a nice thing to say - thanks, John. It is nice to be home. I enjoy my routines.
      I did enjoy catching up on the amazing progress of your work-shop.
      You are quite brilliant with anything you set out to do.

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  2. Thanks for sharing you Inspiration!
    It is lovely,Julie = )

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    1. Hi Sue - thanks. Really like your July 4th collage. Strong!

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  3. So glad you're back - have missed your blog! Hope to hear more of your adventures with those lucky students. Love your new painting!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for saying you missed my blog. Nice to hear. I enjoyed being in your neck of the woods. You have many fine artists in the Portland area.
      Thank you for showing the work of your mentor, Helen Cartmell. I really was engrossed with your story and her work.

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  4. Love this wonderful fish market Julie! The warm/cool balance you found really makes it sing.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Bruce - thanks. I just enjoyed watching your video. Really really impressive.

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  5. This is a great painting! Love how it's loose and detailed all at the same time!

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    Replies
    1. LOL - loose and detailed. You should have seen it after the first round of fracturing. All ice and shapes. Took me a while to gradually bring it to where you could tell what everything was without a photographic look.
      Love the painting of the two cats. What a wonderful way you have with animals.

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  6. NOOOOoooooo!!! You were almost in my yard and I didn't know it? I'm 15 minutes from Edmonds, meet friends for coffee at Walnut Cafe, have lunch and dinner in the area, sketch and paint there. I go with Urban Sketchers to the Market and you were here? I'm so disappointed I think my heart is broken. Going now to pick up the pieces and have a cup of tea. Oh yes, and pout!

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    Replies
    1. I will pout with you.
      Would love to have seen you, Blanche. Now I am disappointed too.
      I didn't arrange the workshop. It was a small private group.There was an art fair on while I was there so I know there are lots of excellent artists in the area. I only had one day to spare and that is when I was taken to Seattle.
      You live in a beautiful area.
      I see you are not painting - hope all is well.

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    2. Thanks for pouting with me, smiles. I have been painting, very lax on posting. many things going on but I am well. I shall organize and start my posting soon.

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  7. Welcome home Julie, I've missed you!

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    Replies
    1. And a nice warm thank you in return.
      Congratulations on your first place award. Well deserved - it is a stunning piece.

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  8. Julie, I was just there myself!!! I grew up there and was "home" to visit family. Wonderful piece! I knew instantly where it was!

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    1. Yea - glad you recognized it. I love the place but the Seattle traffic was awful. They do have good public transportation though which is a blessing. I met the nicest people. My host was extra wonderful and I was taken to the Space Needle and Chihuly Museum. Both amazing.

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  9. wait a minute...you were in Portland Or? Dang! would have loved to have met you! (though I am sure you were kept very busy)!! I love this painting and I recognized it right away. What a great job you did ...you captured the very unique Pike Street Market!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Busy.. yes..very. I had a wonderful host who was the best planner, ever.
      I had hoped to meet you... and a couple of others, but time flew by and then I was on my way to Edmund. Maybe next year?
      Loved catching up with your blog and seeing everything. The sketchbook covers are amazing.

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  10. Thought Seattle first but big surprise. You've had quite a trip. Love the painting.

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    1. Hi Jean - thanks. Yes, quite a trip - I am getting too old to do three in a month.
      Just the way it worked out.
      I missed seeing your wonderful life work.

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  11. Pike's......you could paint there forever. We love that location. Welcome home.

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    Replies
    1. Seems everyone has already been there but me. I can see why it is such a draw. The crowd really gets into the fish throwing. what fun.
      Your new painting with the giant palm tree is very eye catching. Great greens!

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  12. One of my fave places in the world. So glad you could go!! It sounds like a rewarding trip, Julie. So glad so many could hear you and see your demos first-hand.

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    Replies
    1. It is pretty spectacular. Only had the one day free but I had a fabulous host who packed a lot into it. I feel good about the trip and how it went and that is always nice. How did your pastel turn out - did you spray it to fix it?

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  13. So miss my beloved Washington state. Been to Pike's market more than once and always enjoy it. You did an amazing job on this painting, Julie. So much to see and so well put together!! Sounds like you've been busy busy busy!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sherry - sounds like you have been busy too. I enjoyed reading about your trip.
      Did you ever say why you left Washington State? It is gorgeous.

      Delete
  14. Love your new subject and your energetic treatment of it. That market , drenched in color and littered with forms, is a painter's dream. Your series will be a huge success.

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    1. What a wonderful comment, Linda. Thank you so much.
      I am having fun painting some of the colorful market scenes.
      I see you are enjoying getting some vigor back into your paintings too.
      It is invigorating to shake ourselves up isn't it?. I admire the way you continually challenge yourself.

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  15. Dear Julie - only you my friend could make a fish market painting beautiful and you certainly did. So glad to see you are back and had a great trip. Have a super week. Hugs!!

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    1. Hello friend, I loved your post with all the flowers.
      Thanks for the kind words on the fish market - it was something I really wanted to paint and let me tell you - it was a challenge once I had started.
      Hope your week is a great one too.

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  16. Great job on the fish market...and I can't wait to see the rest of the series. Markets are so colorful and fun to sketch. You have really been doing some traveling to some different locations. I hope you weren't in Seattle during the heat wave.

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    1. You and I both love color and fun - and I really like your wonderful sketch of the bike on your blog.
      It was warm in Seattle, yes, but not as hot as where I live though.

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  17. Welcome back Julie with a very wonderful painting !!!
    Happy Summer days !!!

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  18. It's a real trick to get in this feeling of detail and not overdo any of it...just great!

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  19. Without even a single person around I can feel buzzing activity through this painting, incredibly well suggested.

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  20. Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
    The text in your article seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer.
    I'm not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with browser compatibility but I thought I'd post to
    let you know. The design look great though! Hope you get the issue solved soon. Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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