6/4/10

Share Your Gifts

Prints available in my etsy shop

Sometimes I write quotes on my studio table. Usually it's to remind myself of something or a quote that catches my eye, and often times the words come out as images in my paintings. SHARE YOUR GIFTS was one I read a while back and thought it very important. Because sometimes I just feel like hiding in the woods. But when I take a deep breath and remember just how much can happen and change and be inspiring if you step out of your little comfortable box, I know I need to be courageous and stop getting in my own way.


Prints available in my etsy shop

I just love the rich red and greens in this painting. It really reminds me of a comfortable library where I just want to cozy up into an oversized leather chair and read all afternoon. At first, I intended for this girl to have leaves and branches as her hair. I knew she'd be pretending to be a tree. But as I drew her eyes, I realized she'd be wearing a mask instead. From there. the branches that were originally hair, turned into the woods in the background and the lovely fireflies just seemed to pop all around. I circled them with copper glitter for added magic, and then rubbed glitter into the red at her feet so it would be as if she was sparkling into life as well. Her dress and orange collar are cut from vintage wallpaper, then I added pastels, acrylics, ink and charcoal for a lovely mixed media effect.

21 comments:

  1. This was inspiring to read and see. I feel the same way sometimes, why do we get in the way of ourselves....great post. I bet the glitter looks beautiful in real life. keep up the good work! you are very talented!

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  2. Love it! Loved hearing about your process and how inspiring words make it into your paintings. I try to do the same with my photos - I feel that it helps to bring the words alive if they can be illustrated visually. Happy Friday!!

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  3. happy friday!!!

    i love her...i love the sparkle at her toes...sparkling into life as you put it...i love that visual!!!

    i think my little girls sparkle into life!!! so happy you are "sharing your gifts" with us...you have so much talent!!

    xoxox
    k

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  4. I just want to commend you again on your talents. Your painting is so rich on several levels.

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  5. oh yes! the rich colour tones in this painting is what immediately caught my eyes! how great is this painting! well done!

    come by sometime!
    ciao bella
    creative carmelina

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  6. Super beautiful...and I loved this post and everything you wrote! Magical!
    Kiki~

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  7. Oh, this is so lovely! It is a very enchanting scene - just adore the fireflies (or gloworms)... nice painting!

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  8. Lovely! I love the beautiful bright colours and her mask, I love how paintings take on a life of their own as you work more and more on them and sometimes what you had in your head turns out quite differently :0) lovely piece!

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  9. love her and her little mask. I really love your name of the painting too and how you explained your thoughts about it.

    my little boy calls them nighting bugs... haha (lightning bugs)

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  10. Great work, great colors and I especially like the fireflies. Love seeing what you do!! xoxo

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  11. Thank you everyone for all of your sweet, sweet comments! Jaime, I am delighted to hear your little boy calls them nighting bugs. just darling :)

    xo, juliette

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  12. I have to ask you, do your little people have names? They all just seem so alive, so full of personality, all having these wild existences in some magical world where the sky changes from red to yellow to bright green. Love them so much!

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  13. thank you! the characters in my paintings don't have names, but each piece has a story. i'm trying to work out the best way to tell those stories. i wrote a novel for children a few years back, and i feel like there's a picture book or a new piece of writing wanting to be born to go along with these paintings.

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  14. Oh Juliette, lovely to read your comment about each piece hsaving a story. I hope that you get to write stories about them especially as you have have done so before. I also wrote stories for children...Tiny Tiger 'squeaky' book...4 of them. Funny to think how much energy and enthusiasm I had then...if only I could harness it again. good luck to you; your paintings are a delight

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  15. Juliette, I spent a few minutes looking through your art....you do fabulous work. I love the stories and would love to see a book. Thanks for visiting me and so nice to meet you. I'm really enjoying Flying Lessons...hard to believe that it's been a week already! Shishi

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  16. Beautiful! Just wanted to say thanks for dropping by my blog - love your work, have just put your button on mine! So happy to meet you. Jen (aka Comic Mummy) x

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  17. Your painting is so beautiful but it becomes even more inspirational with your words! It is funny 'sharing your gift' was in my mind nowadays and I agree it is sooo important! As you keep sharing, it gets epidemic and others get motivated to share too and at the end (like good karma) everybody gets a good return from that. I wish more people had that mentality! Kudos to you. :)

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  18. Dearest Juliette, your work is gorgeous and this piece is really lovely! I also have the habit to write quotes on my little studio table just to remind me of all the wonderful sentiment. I really love who they turn your quotes into your art work. Have a lovely merry happy week and love to you!

    jacqueline
    http://jqlinesocuteithurts.typepad.com/

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  19. Found you through Kelly Rae's class, and I love your work! It's such a delight to look at, and I love your use of color too. This particular piece is just adorable. :)

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Feel free to say hello and ask questions. I would be delighted to hear from you! xo -juliette

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