FLUX in FLUX

Spring is here and though it would be nice if it were warmer the cold reminds me that there are a few school related things left on the good ol "to-do list" which need to be checked off. The most exciting of which is setting up for FLUX in FLUX the thesis group show which will be happening all day today and tomorrow (featuring painting, drawing and sculpture students work). I must say the organization and cooperation of everyone is great to see and there is a large variety of work. It should make for a great opening tomorrow night (7-10pm) at Aceartinc 290 McDermot Ave in the exchange. Here is a handy map if you are not exchange district familiar.

There will be beer and snacks at the opening tomorrow night as well as all of the artists if you want to chat about the work. If you can't make it out tomorrow night the gallery is open to the public from 12-5 Tuesday to Saturday and the show will be up until April 30th (admission is free). I hope your spring is wonderful!

-Julie

march; blink and you'll miss it

The opening for Temporary Spaces went soooo well, thank you to everyone who checked it out throughout the week. The comments in the book were overwhelmingly positive and very encouraging so thank you. It was fun to go check on my paintings everyday and try and eavesdrop on what people were saying, catch up on the new comments and go on with my day wondering campus.

[the above two photos courtesy of miss brittany mahood visit her photogblog here]

So post-show it was back to real life with a pile of not-so-fun papers to write, which I am happy to say are FINISHED! Its sinking in that I have less than 3 weeks of classes left. Last minute paintings to finish and running around to do, all very exciting. I'm happy to say that I am back in the studio, working on that final push before final crits. This was my morning :)

And as schedules lining up have it, I happen to have an art gallery date with my mom this evening, looking at art will always remain one of my favourite things. So the moral of the story is; breath in, breath out, life is good.

happy march everyone; heres hoping it warms up soon.

-Julie

best of 2010

One of my lovely friends (fellow photographer/blogger Brittany Mahood) encouraged me to post a "best of 2010". I thought it was a great idea and started scanning through the thousands of photos I have from this past year. So as most of you know this past year 2010, was a big one for me. In early January I had the amazing privilege of travelling to Costa Rica (with YWAM)... it was an absolutely insane (in a good way) experience.

bonfire, bonding time with the new family in CR

baptism at Manuel Antonio

I was in school and living in community with people I had never met. But they were all amazing, I have never felt so accepted in my life. I learned so much, and made great friends.

after a school program in Nicaragua

From there I was able to go on outreach throughout Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Haiti.

across from the Guanacaste YWAM base

Haiti was both a dream come true and a nightmare. It was hectic and blazingly hot. I went with a team of 9 other people to work with those who had been affected by the terrible earthquake (which happened in January 2010). It was life changing! The children were so precious but the atmosphere in the nation was just so different. There is a lot of poverty and fear. I feel like our mission of bringing hope was successful, and though it was challenging, it was so so worth it (these next few were my May in Haiti).

June marked my return to Canada :) how I missed so much about this beautiful country.

Tulabi Falls -- one of my favourite places on earth

I was, needless to say, happy to be back with my family here. For me that includes a lot of people outside my parents and siblings. Mostly from my amazingly supportive church. These beautiful ladies are part of a very special family that shares their love with me and so many others. This was taken right after the beach baptism in September. So carefree. I just love their free spirits.
This candid shot of my mom laughing at my brother with a kayak on his head at our family cabin in October just makes me smile. It had been years since we had all spent thanksgiving together at the lake and I was so thankful that we made it all work this year with all of our crazy schedules pulling us in so many different directions.

fall light after a second thanksgiving dinner with the Cormie family

A very oddly mild November led to this moment captured. A friend at work who always encourages my creativity was interested in some new family shots of her bunch. I really feel like family pictures are one of those very important things that we often put off in our very busy lives. And was more than happy to take these pictures for her. This one I snuck (no warning, un-posed) just wanted to capture the genuine love in this family.

My final "best" was taken a few days ago, while I was finishing off a roll of film on campus. I have taken many pictures of this spot and I always come back to it. I guess I find this graffiti on an old green house to be a little charming. The importance and power of love is underestimated daily I think. But I think its the most important.

Photography has always been such an important way of processing how I see the world. It has been a truly amazing year, full of new experiences and challenges. Hopefully I will be writing again in one year from now with more photos, and stories.

wishing you lots of love and blessings in 2011,

-Julie

fall is here! fall is here!

So its finally here! My thesis year of fine arts, I feel like I have been waiting for this since I was a little kid making watercolour paintings at the lake all summer. So this is my lovely little space... its not very well moved into yet, its quite clean and un-cluttered which is sure to change soon.

I am excited to begin this year of school and have the opportunity to paint and create! It is a huge blessing and a rare chance to make a body of work that really speaks to people. I am also taking spanish this year y yo soy muy emocionado para mis classes! (and I am very excited for my classes). I hope to improve my ability to write and speak the most, because for some reason I can understand a lot in spanish... I just can't hold a conversation.

That being said I was a little sad to see summer go, but I had the privilege of witnessing many friends get baptized on a very chilly labour day! It was a great way to end off a summer that went by way to fast.

This past week full of my new normal also was the launch of KOZ & College and Careers joint service at Dakota Community Church. We have worship all together as a youth group and college age group and then split off into our seperate services. It was a great time and I feel like this is going to be a great thing for the young ones and those who might be a little too old for youth group but love being active in discipling the teenagers who are a part of our church. Exciting stuff! Little Nae is a happy camper at her first KOZ ever!

I initially started this blog in order to update people while I was away from home but now I am keeping it around to keep everyone who is now close to my heart but far away, updated! I will do my best to update as often as possible.

Much Love,

-Julie

being home

So my return to Winnipeg has been a little crazy, and now that my "adjustment time" is coming to an end, its back to the real world (I start work next week.) I figure I should write this all down before I get too busy. My first weekend in town was spent a little out of town actually, at the Niverville Fair! It was a great to see all my little peoples smiling faces again and get to spend the day with some of my favorite families. Though I'm not one for rides myself, I do love the ferris wheel, watching everyone do crazy things and of course taking pictures.

I was also very excited to meet Joels new little cousin Azalea who was born right before I got home. She is absolutely beautiful and has two amazing brothers to look out for her :)

My wonderfully talented sister has been practising all of the things shes been learning at hair styling school on me. Which is why I am now somewhat blonde and have a new little stud in the top of my ear. I will also be her before and after model for her total makeover competition in July which I am super excited for (I havn't got my haircut since september, its getting kind of weird.)

Other than all of that I have just been trying to enjoy my time off. Get to all of my favorite restaurants that I've been missing, see peoples new places, see everyone, go through the mountain of photos I've taken over the past 5 months, and get my tummy issues diagnosed (it still might be a parasite, I'll keep you posted.) Last night Joel & I finally went to the BDI the best ice cream place in Winnipeg which happens to be in walking distance of my house. Despite the mosquitoes it was a beautiful night.

As for whats next in my life, as I said I start work next week. I'm back at the sbux and could not be happier, I love to be busy. My church is moving buildings, so I have a new neighbourhood to explore. This summer looks like its going to be a pretty great one. Thats all for now.

-Julie