On the Journey to a Published Book (oh, and a bit of a Giveaway too)

Hello

I've been deeply immersed in my painting and drawing work of late.  I've been spending time working on both this farm animal inspired scene and some line and wash work (featuring rabbits) to send to my agent, not to mention filling my sketch pad with frenzied doodles and notes! 

Since my Focus Meeting which I wrote about in my last post, I've found myself being very motivated and driven, and the ideas for these new pieces of work have seemingly appeared out of nowhere.  This, I believe, is the gift of sitting down with yourself and eeking out what it is you really want to be doing with your life.  I'm a firm believer that the Universe will deliver the goods if you only focus upon what it is you actually want to be doing, believe that it's going to happen and then do what is necessary to get things moving (by which I mean that sitting around dreaming on a soft cushion isn't going to deliver the goods, you have to use a bit of action to get the ball rolling, if you get my drift).


This might sound like hocus pocus to some, but I have living proof that magic and miracles occur when we invest energy and action in ourselves and our dreams.


Anyway, I decided at my Focus Meeting that I needed to invest some energy into getting myself a children's book to illustrate so I contacted my agent last week and told her that I was in the process of creating some new work for her portfolio.  My agent is a very lovely, but very busy lady so I was delighted to hear back from her a few days later with some very uplifting news.


She has had a lot of interest in my work from many different publishers, but due to the economic climate, they're just not producing as many books as they were before and so therefore, competition is high.  This was a huge boost in two ways:  One, I'm delighted that publishers are liking my style and what I do.  Two, it means I have to go that extra yard to make sure that they choose my stuff for their books over all the zillions of other illustrators who are all gunning for the same work!


I love a challenge.


At the end of the email, she mentioned that she had been chatting with a publisher the day before who liked my work very much, and had asked if I had any ANIMAL THEMED WORK they could see which might be useful...


...I nearly fell off my chair.

You may call it serendipity or a miracle (because I could have started to paint anything when you think about it).  I'm still on my journey to getting a book to illustrate but I know a sign that I'm on the right track when I see one!

I'll keep you posted as things progress :D

Meanwhile, Spring is springing here all over the place, and it put me in the mood to host a little Giveaway!

SO!

One lucky person can win a fine art print of one of my favourite pieces; 'Home' as shown above.  The print will be titled and signed by myself.
  
To be in with a chance of winning it, all you need to do is leave me a comment under this post telling me what your favourite children's book was when you were small and why.  A winner will be drawn next Monday.  Please feel free to share this post with your friends and family by clicking on the Facebook, Twitter and Blog buttons below.


Good luck to you, and have an enormously happy week!


Love Julia x x x


**edited to add:  I am absolutely blown away by all your kind comments regarding my journey to getting a book to illustrate - I hope I haven't confused anyone into thinking I've actually got a book to do yet, as I  haven't - but I hope to one day - I just wanted to clear that up and make sure I hadn't given the wrong impression anywhere in my post.  Thank you anyway, for all your heartwarming positive messages, I will definitely let you know as and when things progress!  You're all so lovely x x x

A Rather Hooky Ta~Dahhhhhhhhhh!

It's finished!!


At long last, my Japanese Flower Scarf is completed!  I finished it last week but the weather has been so drab and grey here for days on end it has been difficult to photograph it.  Anyway, today the fog cleared for a few glorious hours and I managed to take a few pictures for you.  It was made from remnant balls of wool that were left over from my Rainbow Ripple Blanket; it's mostly Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK with the odd bit of aran here and there.  It's lovely and soft, and surprisingly warm, what with all those holes!

It's a feast of colour...

...I am smitten!


And I am also pleased to share with you that my other scarf, my Stripy Rainbow Bliss one is also completed.  I spent a long while the other afternoon sewing in all the ends; you may recall me not so long ago sharing some WIP photographs with you:

To be fair, it doesn't look that much different now it's actually finished off properly, it's just a little bit longer than it was.

I'm well and truly kitted out for the cold weather now, lots of soft warm woolly goodness to wrap around myself...I'm actually kind of looking forward to the colder days now so I have an excuse to wear them!


And of course with two projects done and dusted, it doesn't stop there.  I have embarked on another Japanese Flower shawl! There is something so lovely and cosy about shawls and I've developed a bit of a need for them around the house; they're so practical and yet so comforting.  I trawled the internet for a while, looking for another pattern but something kept on bringing me back to the Japanese Flower one.  It's so easy, so quick...and it wasn't long before I remembered something Vanessa did here.  I was all fired up with enthusiasm for this idea and before too long made an excuse to visit my local yarn emporium (aka John Lewis).  I came home very happy with a brand new yarn stash...isn't that one of life's little pleasures?  No, it's actually a Great Big One.

And so here are my colours ~ a dark peaty grey, a vanilla cream and soft purpley heather shade.  The wool is a gorgeously soft, chunky merino by Wendy.  I'm rather glad it wasn't super expensive either as it seems to disappear quite fast (it been made on a No.6 hook).  I haven't used this particular brand before but I'm quite happy with it so far, and the shawl (due to the thickness of the wool) is growing at a satisfying speed!

It's been a pretty creative time here this week what with all this hookyness and my on-going purges of decluttering.  In the middle of said decluttering a favourite painting was rediscovered.  Tucked away for safe keeping during our decorating renovations a couple of years back I had actually (believe it or not) forgotten all about it!  It's an acrylic painting on a box canvas, and goes by the name of Yorkshire Snow:

I am wondering if it may make a rather nice Christmas Card, as an alternative to the illustrative ones I have on sale...?  

...I could perhaps temporarily re-name it, to make it more appealing to everyone...maybe 'Winter Snow' instead of 'Yorkshire Snow' - what do you think?

And it may also work rather well as a print.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

Anyway, I've just noticed that I shouldn't be here - I need to be getting my bod off to Zumba!!  Thanks so much for popping in to see me! 


Sending love to you


Julia x x x

Seedheads and Boats ~ A New Painting

'Seedheads and Boats' acrylic on paper ~ 34cm x 34cm


Hello friends,

I've just had the nicest possible morning ~ I managed to get a little time to myself in which to finish this painting that I've been working on in fits and starts over the summer.  It seems a long time ago since I began this one, and if you recall, it all started with a little drawing in my sketchbook...

I had been happily inspired by a book I had purchased round about this time called Plants and Places by the talented print maker, Angie Lewin.  I have long been a fan of her work and had coveted this book for ages before it finally came to live with me.  There is page upon page of her print work, featuring her trademark seedheads and other native flora; and peeks into her sketchbook which are themselves beyond beautiful.

I myself have rather a love affair with the latter end of summer, when the dry stone walls here become fantastically enhanced by the skeletal shapes of teasels and cow parsley.  I've been known to stop the car suddenley on quiet country lanes to collect small armfuls of them to bring home and draw.

So anyway, I think what I'm getting round to saying is that Angie's book was the catalyst for this particular painting.  I decided I wanted to paint a late summer window scene with found objects from the shore on the ledge, overlooking a harbour.  I also wanted to focus (unusually for me) on a limited colour palette.  The colours I worked with mainly on this painting were:

Titanium White
Yellow Ochre
Raw Umber
Paynes Grey
Cobalt Blue (hue)
Buff Titanium
Cobalt Teal
Cadmium Red

These paints are from the Daler Rowney Artist Acrylics, and Golden Acrylics ranges. 

 

I also use Derwent watercolour crayons to add texture and detail.

As the painting progressed, I was reminded of a time I had spent in St Ives one October a few years ago.  We stayed in a little fisherman's cottage just up from the harbour, and although there were still plenty of people about, the town seemed much quieter since the summer hoardes had returned home.  It also had a beautiful light to it.  I remember there being a warmth to the days too, warm enough to sit down the harbour and catch the sun, but which turned to an unmistakeable autumnal coolness come teatime.

I hope I've managed to convey a feeling of this time of year in this painting.  

As well as using my imagination to create the layout and Angie's book as inspiration, I also wandered down the riverbank beyond my house to collect some real seedheads to use in the work (alongside the ones I had drawn in my sketchbook).  It was a bonus to discover a huge undiscovered bank of blackberry bushes as I went foraging and I shall be going back down there later on with a big bowl to fill up!! I feel a blackberry and apple tarte tatin coming on!! (something else that is very much a part of this time of year).

So once more I am at the point of feeling euphoric that another work is done, but am also on the brink of 'what next?'  It's a bitter sweet feeling to complete a painting; I've probably said so a hundred times but the journey through a painting is so deep and involved, there are highs and lows, there are absences and intense periods spent together...it is really like a love affair and I miss it when the journey is over.

However, I have a few small ideas I'm keen to start on so the fact I have projects lined up is a good thing at least!  I recently ordered some tiny canvas boards and have Great Plans for those, not to mention designs for new Christmas cards which are already happily percolating away!

 

The painting will be available shortly in my gallery, in both original and printed format. 
I hope you all have a glorious weekend, sending love and thanks for visiting ~

Julia x x x

Seedheads and Seashore

Hello friends,

I'm in the middle of a new painting which was inspired by seedheads, I started to notice them on my travels as July melted warmly into August.  There are architectural shapes appearing in the hedgerows and the skeltons of cow parsley sway in the sunshine next to the first (early) blackberries.  There are voluptuous poppy seedheads in my garden, full to bursting with next years harvest and I don't know about you, but I am all of a sudden finding myself caught unawares some mornings by the whisperings of late summers arrival.  It's a gentle infiltration of feelings and signs that come now and then; a slightly lower sun casting shorter shadows, leaves turning that dry, faded green, and a wistfulness that passes in a moment so brief, you wondered if you imagined it as another warm and dry August day unfolds...

So all this got me thinking about my next painting; out came the sketchbook and a coastal drawing emerged from my imagination.  I'm working on a much larger scale for this painting, and after marking out my space I put down a rough background wash:

I like having a base colour to work from. There are two reasons for this: the first is that it is easier for me to start work on a coloured background rather than a stark white one, and secondly it provides a wonderful depth to the painting on top.  You could try it yourself, using different colours.  


Once the background colour is dry, I draw my picture onto it using watercolour crayon.  This allows any lines to dissolve into the work as I paint.  Here's a glimpse of the work in progress, I'm really pleased with how it's coming along and I'm also enjoying working with a slightly limited colour palette for a change!

 Maybe some of you will see this painting and feel that you recognise the location.  I have a habit of doing this with some of my work; integrating my memory of a place into the painting so that although it is not the actual place (as in that it's not drawn exactly from a picture or photograph), you get a strong feel for where it might be all the same.


This picture is being painted in acrylics.  I find myself using a rather dry, almost scrubby way of painting in places, and then layering over with almost translucent, watered down paint to create luminous glazes.  I'll share more with you as the work unfolds :)


Most of you who are familiar with my little blog, will know that I have a weakness and a love affair with the coast, and despite being landlocked in a village just north of Sheffield I like to go as often as I possibly can to get my 'fix'.
Last week I stayed with my sister in Suffolk, and we took ourselves off to the beach for the day...

...can any of you guess where this might be?


It's a tiny little place called Sea Palling in Norfolk and it reminded me very much of childhood holidays on the east coast. There's a long and winding lane, flanked by tipsy old fashioned telegraph poles that leads into the heart of the village which is a cluster of little buildings nestling at the base of the dunes.  There's a couple of houses, a B&B, a small amusement arcade, a chip shop and caravan park, and then there is a ramp leading right off the road which you walk up and then there is the beach.

Norfolk has the most amazing beaches.  Most people tend to grimace slightly when you mention the North Sea, imagining it to be a cold, disgustingly brown affair that you wouldn't let your dog paddle in.  This part of the coast has mile upon mile of creamy, fudgy coloured sand, and crystal clear water.  I was utterly seduced by the simplicity of the place: dune grasses, sand, a huge expanse of sky, and turquoise water as far as the eye could see.

There were lots of starfish on the beach, beautiful peachy orange ones of all sizes.  It was one of those days where we paddled too deep and got our dresses wet, but didn't care too much; and we went home late with sand in our hair and didn't mind too much about that either.


It was one of those days I shall remember for a long time.


Well, I think I've gone on long enough!  Before I end, I'd just like to tell you about my little Book Shop which you can see in the sidebar there.  I've put together a collection of my most inspiring and favourite books and you can now buy them directly through my little 'shop' via Amazon!  


I wish you all a happy, and sunny weekend.  Looking forward to catching up with you and your blogs, and to seeing what the participants of the Being Creative Project Group have posted in the gallery so far!


Thanks for stopping by today, hugs and love
Julia x x x

Spring Morning

'Spring Morning'

Hello my lovlies!

It was a bleary eyed start to the 1st of April here.  As I registered the rain rattling against the windows, a Small Person sat on my head and demanded coco pops.  It was slightly before seven o'clock and as I blinked myself awake, Tiny Tears was shoved into my ribs and a foot squashed the breath out of me as the aforementioned Small Person made her mountaineering style descent off the bed.


But it was to get better!! 
A telelphone call from the Grandparents asking if they could take the mischievous Small out decided the fate of the day.  That Spring Morning canvas would be finished off - the paints would come out and a leisurely, impromtu day of painting and pottering would ensue.

I worked alongside these rather glorious Cornish Daffodils (a bargain from our little grocery shop, 3 generous bunches for just £2.00) and before long, the rain had stopped and the warm sunshine they had originally forcast arrived.

There's something rather pleasant, painting amongst polka dots and daffs.
Anyway - a bit about the painting!  It's an acrylic work on a box canvas (20x20cm).  It's also rather illustrative, featuring chickens, a dog, a chap digging his vegetable patch and a woman hanging up her laundry beneath the cherry blossom tree.  There are sprinklings of purple and yellow crocus not to mention a row of cheery daffodils by the wall next to the little yorkshire stone cottages.  And of course, a glimpse of the sea felt necessary for this picture!

You may recall it looked a bit like this the last time you saw it:

But I'm heartily pleased with how it's turned out!  This painting will be available on my website shortly.

Aren't pink trees just the best thing ever?!!  Our little village is a delight of candy-floss coloured blooms at the moment, and our own little flowering cherry which we planted the spring our daughter was born is looking beautiful...

 

We have had a rather quiet week at home this week, and the little one tried acrylic paints the other afternoon with a bit of mixed media thrown in.  At just three, I was impressed to see how she used the paint, colouring in this Girl that I drew for her with real effort; dabbing into the paint with tissue, drawing into it with crayon and using her finger to create texture:

 'Mixed Media Girl' by Carys

She finished her off with sparkly jewels, and her name stamped with some tiny alphabet stamps.  She has no qualms about calling herself an Artist, which really makes me smile.  There is no confidence like that of a child, their sense of self belief is limitless!  Talking of artists, can I just quickly mention for any Being Creative Peeps dropping in today, you can find a link on the sidebar for the March Gallery under our Flickr Group widget if you still want to post links to images of your work.  April's theme is Dessert, and Im already scouring my recipe books for inspiration and have something exciting planned - how about you?!

One more thing before I go ~ as the original of one of my favourite pieces, 'Home', has now sold, I just wanted to let you know that I am releasing a Limited Edition Print run of it.  The print is full sized and comes with a mount plus it will be numbered, titled and signed.  There will be only 50 of these, and they are available to buy now from my website.

'Home' ~ now available as a Limited Edition Print

You can still by Home as an open edition print too :)

Right! That's about it from me for today!  Thanks as always for stopping by to read my ramblings; "hello" and thank you for following to all of the new followers and email subscribers ~ it's lovely to have you here, and thank you to everyone who is participating in Being Creative with me, and sharing their creative journey.

I wish you a weekend full of surprises, a warm patch of sunlight to snooze in, a good book to read and a happy heart.

Sending love

Julia x

Becoming an Artist

Hello

  Art Journal ~ 2005

I've been wanting to share my story of how I became an artist with you for a while now, and it seemed like a good time to do it today.


The story starts many years ago in an art class, in a college in Sheffield.  I was generally a good student but like alot of 18 year olds I also enjoyed chatting with my friends and helplessly giggling too.  One particular day my art tutor called me into her office - we were having one on one tutorials.  She was a rather robust woman with a no-nonsense attitude, floaty clothes and Mary Jane shoes.  I remember her asking me what I wanted to do in the future and I told her I wanted to be an artist.  She shuffled some papers together and frowned slightly - I will never forget what she said next; 'You will never make it as an artist, so I suggest you start thinking about an alternative career right now'.


My world crumbled and I felt hopelessly crushed and small.  At 18 in those days, you listened to your tutor, they told you the truth and you respected their opinion and didn't think to argue back.

I left her office, closed up the creative well in my soul and stuffed my paints into a drawer to be forgotten.  I was no good at it, my tutor had told me so - so what was the point?  I left college with three A-Levels and a heavy heart, and took a job in the Payroll Department of the NHS for almost six years.  A few years passed by and one day a chap in the Pensions office brought in a framed painting his daughter had done - he was proudly showing everyone and I felt a wild stirring of envy - I could do that - yet I didn't - not anymore.

From a Sketchbook - Over to Dungworth from Stannington, 2004

That night after work, I went up to my room and dug out my watercolour pad and paints.  I remember drawing the Island in Newquay surrounded by crashing waves from an old postcard and painting it slowly over the next few days.  When it was finished, my Mum asked if she could frame it and hung it in the living room.

From a sketchbook - The Merry Maidens, Cornwall, October 2004

It was a slow process though.  I still had no confidence when it came to my art, I didn't believe I could ever be a painter, hadn't my tutor told me so?  And so I resigned myself to believing that art was a hobby, and I dabbled with it here and there as the years rolled past.  Around this time I got very interested in Interior Design and enrolled on an evening course which led to me applying for university - I got accepted by the University of Plymouth and headed south in 1997.

University was fun, and the course was fabulous.  My tutors were great too, confidence levels soared thanks to their guidance and encouragement and at the end of my course they told me to write off to the big companies in London ~ Conran and Fitch etc for work placements.  By the end of my studies, I really knew I had to do something creative with my life - nothing else would do.

Fate is a funny thing though, and inbetween writing off to all the Big Interior Design Companies begging for employment, I took a 'stepping stone job' (to earn some quick money) as a signwriter!!  I really enjoyed learning the ropes and it was also how I met my current Other Half!  He became a mentor, encouraging me to paint more when and where I could and as a creative person himself we spent alot of time talking about art and visiting galleries together.  Funnily enough though, I still didn't believe I could ever call myself an artist and the self doubt remained.

 

From a sketchbook - inspiration page

It was around 2005, when we moved into our little house that I rediscovered Sark aka Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, an author and artist with the most outrageously amazing zest for life and living the creative dream.  I had stumbled upon one of her books in a shop in Totnes whilst studying back in 1998, and liked her colourful You Can Do Anything approach to life.

So, a few years later, I bought a couple of her books and joined her forum.  I tentatively posted photographs of some of my work on there, my new online friends wrote such kind, supportive and generous things that I remember having tears in my eyes as I read them - you see, complete strangers were telling me that they liked my work, and that to me was unbelieveable.  On several occasions, Sark wrote comments too - that totally rocked my world!!!

 From an art journal - 2005

I began an art journal with the encouragement of these new friends and discovered creative resources and books that were extremely helpful - that's how I found Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way which I worked through religiously.  

I remember one of my Sark friends getting in touch to ask if she could buy two paintings ~ I was dizzy with joy.  They went to Brisbane in Australia and I began to feel the spark of possibility inside...I could do this, I could actually...be...an artist.

Moon Fishing...off to Australia...

I began to take on less sign writing work, and spend more time painting at home.  In 2006 I made the leap to work full time on my art, which was a short lived affair as soon after doing so I discovered I was expecting my daughter!

However, a milestone had been achieved.  I had rediscovered my confidence as a creative person during those years, and I fnally felt comfortable calling myself an Artist, something that was impossible to imagine ever doing once upon a time.

 Home

As my wee girl grew, I found scoops of time to create more art, teach workshops, take part in exhibitions and to begin writing this blog, which I started a few years ago when my girl was a baby.  A friend suggested I do it to keep the grey matter ticking over, when I was sleep deprived and short of time with the demands of a little one to care for.  A blog seemed like a good thing to do, to find something creative to write about each week that could be done whilst the little person napped.

This blog has led to some wonderful things - I have got to know many lovely people, have been endlessly inspired and had the most unexpected opportunities come my way.  You have all been a part of my journey as I reconnected with my artist self during those blurry days as a new Mama, to now (Big Thank You's).

Harbour

I wanted to write this story here because I know there are other people out there who are afraid they can't do something or have been told that they shouldn't, just like I was.  I am in the process of creating something to help encourage souls who want to get messy with paint, smudge coloured oil pastels onto paper, draw furiously or stitch wildly with rainbow threads...and I will post about this once it's all ready to go :)

Would you like to find your inner artist and let it out to play?  Then come and see me again soon and I will share my new project with you!

Thanks for reading and visiting, Ive enjoyed your company!


Sending love
Julia x

Delight~Full Living

Hello there!

I'm investigating Delight~Full Living today - those simple things or moments that can make our soul feel joy~filled.  It's easy to lose sight of Delight~Full Things in February, when the weather has been cold and dreary for weeks on end, and we feel as if the warmer weather might never arrive.  A succulent way of living is very necessary at this time of year and to me, this is all about happy feelings and finding pleasure in the ordinary. 

I'm going to share some of my ways of Delight~Full Living with you - read on!

 I like to fill my home with colour and my wool stash is a very pleasant corner of our home - the sight of all those colours make me smile and feel oddly satisfied deep down.  Wool to me is about comfort, about creating something snug and wearable or pretty and colourful for my little house and the people in it.

I have a very pretty rose polka dot oil cloth on my table now which is just the lovliest thing and sets off that Cornish Ware jug and happy yellow daffodils a treat!  This oil cloth is from Dunelm Mill.  It's very good and practically identical to the Cath one but at a fraction of the price.  Would you be able to tell the difference? 

Good stuff - delicious discovery, happy colourful mealtimes and pennies saved too!!

When the weather is fine, we take advantage of the sunny cold days and go outdoors.


Get yourself out in nature, listen to bird song...  

...look for new buds and shoots appearing in secret places...

...and discover new paths and magical rocks...

Have you any idea just how good for the soul fresh air and sunshine is?  Of course you have!!  Turn your mobile phone off, stuff it in your pocket and forget about it, take some good deep breaths and I'm sure you will catch the scent of spring in the breeze.

And of course, when you come home you could always bake something warm and tasty to eat!  Baking is one of my weaknesses that I indulge these days as a special treat - but eating something special once in a while enhances the pleasure of the moment for me!

There is nothing I like more than settling in a comfy armchair (or in bed) with a good book.  Book cases are magical places for me.  I'm an avid bookworm and absolutely adore the worlds that can open up within the pages of a book.  Here is my favourite bookcase - not just books on there if you look, but inspiring art cards, candle holders, vases and crystals which delight me each time I see them all together there!  Book heaven!

And you know that painting is also a very delight~filling obsession of mine...

Which reminds me - I have just released a new range of individual greetings cards which you can now find on my website.  I've been planning to do this for a while and I am so happy that it's all come together at last!  Creating is a very succulent pass time indeed and makes me feel marvellous.  If I don't do it, I feel strangely empty and detached.  


Good sea air, the sound of gulls, colourful fishing boats, crystal water on ochre sand...it's a tonic and an inspiration for me.  There is something about the coast the makes me feel intensley happy and content.

Whilst it's a little cold and too far to visit at the moment, I do like to order the odd brochure to look through of an evening and plan for a little holiday in the summer.  It is a grand feeling indeed to put the date on the calendar and count down the weeks and days until your departure!

And that brings me to camping *happy sigh* - camping is a random, fabulous and exciting thing that me and my family discovered last year for the very first time (well, since girl guide camp anyhow).  And already we are planning several jaunts, with summer weekends in Norfolk and Northumberland on the cards (fingers crossed).

 Well - if you've got this far, I'm impressed - it turned out to be a bit of a longer post than I first envisaged and I can think of many, many more things I could write about but for now I'm calling it a day.

I'd love to hear how you live in a Delight~Filling way, will you share with me?


Thanks for dropping in today, sending you bright pink hyacinths for your bedside table, hot chocolate and birdsong...


Love Julia x x x