Miniatures

A sampling of my miniatures from earlier in my career, transferred over from my old dismantling-in-progress blog. These paintings portrayed averaged about 2" or 3" though I often used to paint even smaller. I probably completed as many as 1000+ of these wee pictures and often used to use miniature work as a way to flesh out ideas for a larger composition.
These days I prefer large scale work, 30" x 40" or larger but I enjoyed coming across these and remembering another path in my artistic journey.

These works are also signed under my former married name.I guess I could have tried to photo-shop the signature out of the pictures, but it was another time and place, so I left them as is.



"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not." ~ Pablo Picasso

Collages

While going through the process of dismantling and relocating works from my old website and blog, I came across some snaps of old collages I had created years back. Rice paper, acrylic dyes and plenty of scissor work and glue. Fun, simple and joyful experimentation. All were sold at that time but I thought I would share some of them here with you.


"I don't grow up. In me is the small child of my early days." ~ M.C.Escher

Invisible

By Julie
"Invisible" A work in progress, acrylic on canvas. Posted here to hopefully inspire me to finally get it finished!





"There are no strangers.There are just people you know whom you haven't met yet." ~ Robert Brault

Oceanic

One of a series of mixed medias completed by Julie.
"Oceanic"
Mixed Media on canvas
24" x 24"

"Painting... we do not talk about it, we do not analyze it, we feel it." ~Bernard Buffet

We Are More

Finally!!
I had wanted to find a clip of Canadian slam poet Shane Kozycan's "We Are More" from the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, but anything 'Olympic' was removed off of YouTube within hours. Upon discovering his last name through another blogger, I am finally able to post a clip here that hopefully won't be removed. Great words by a great guy, inspiring.

Into the Silence

One of my favorite pieces, hands down. A multi-layered mixed media piece consisting of the first few bars of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata,an reproduction of an excerpt from a 1940's scholar essay, the dictionary definition of moonlight and the hint of Beethoven peering through the bars of the music.

The title, a nod to Beethoven's encroaching deafness that overtook his life. Can there be something worse for a musician composer?

By Julie
"Into the Silence"
Mixed media on canvas 40" x 40"
Sold


"The pain passes, but the beauty remains." ~ Renoir

Wine

Wine ~ and another chance to play with one of my favorite palettes, van dyke red, dioxanine purple and yellow. Limited palettes are a great way to experiment with painting techniques. I happened upon this palette after visiting a Rembrandt exhibition, inspired by his use of low light and glow...

By Julie
"Wine"
Acrylic, mixed media on canvas

These Boots

A smaller piece, found myself in that denim and leather mood again...

"These Boots"
By Julie
Acrylic on canvas

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Playing in van dyke red, dioxanine purple and yellows...

Eavesdropping

Sorry folks, I need to get this off of my chest...

I always thought it was rude to eavesdrop.
But I have been left no choice.
The prolific use of cell phones these days has made it impossible not to.

On a casual day I become party to plans for a birthday bash, an argument with a financial institution, a squabble with Mother, the dimensions of the room to be installed with new laminate or tonight's plans at the nightclub.

A loud and happy "Hello!" has me spinning around in the direction of the greeting only to discover the intended target is actually on the other end of a cell phone or ear-piece.

The friendly taxi driver is speaking to me then suddenly wanders off into another language and conversation. At first I thought he was talking to himself until I spied the earpiece. Our conversation had just disappeared into thin air replaced with another.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not anti-cell phone. I believe they can be a life-saver in an emergency, right up there with those On-Star devices installed in newer vehicles. I just haven't had the opportunity (thankfully) to witness that kind of conversation.

Though as a pedestrian in Victoria I was almost taken out on a crosswalk on a few occasions by drivers distracted with their conversation on their cell. Would that driver have cut their conversation short and then used their cell phone to come to my aid and call for help? I wonder about that sometimes.

I don't suffer from that here in Edmonton however. Since I discovered people here like to drive like the flames of hell are licking at their heels, I choose not to indulge in the pedestrian lifestyle as much. After 2 years of living here I understand why so many people opt for driving a Hummer.

I am not from the dark ages - someone waxing nostalgic for the 'good ol'days , I too have a cell phone. Though most of the time I struggle to remember my own number. I prefer to have people phone me at home.
I am from the mindset that if you call me and I am not home, that must mean I am busy.

My cell phone is a great alarm clock though. That little alarm function gets more of a work out then my cell minutes ever do.

I was taught that it is impolite to eavesdrop.
But I have been left with no choice... Many cell phone users speak much louder into their cell phone then they would face to face.

So, forget calling Cassie if she continues to stand you up. Go with the cream colored short shag vs the Berber. Besides, you just said they are the same price and the shag will feel softer to your feet. It's a great deal if the lights are 50% off but another week will garner you a savings of 70%. I think the Oilers will get their butt kicked in the next game, their vibe is off right now. Is that strange rash you are getting diagnosed for contagious? An RRSP loan is only good if you can support the additional debt that it will place on you without suffering financial hardship. To me it makes more sense just to get the extra money taken of each pay, at the end of the year, voila! You have your funds for an RRSP without having to have incurred more debt!


Pardon?

Oh, sorry ...
I thought you were talking to me...