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

temporary spaces

Well in true March form I have spent the past week buried in assignments and fighting off a nasty cold. But nevertheless it has been a busy great week. Despite the sickness and snowstorm, my sister and I went out to Stellas on Osborne for the opening of Canadiana - a group show full of wonderful pieces that especially speak to the sensibilities of us northerners. Two of my photo collages are among the bunch. For more about the work in this show [click here].

And tonight at 7pm is the opening of my show Temporary Spaces at GoSA (Gallery of Student Art) at the U of M, featuring paintings from this past year of thesis work. Very exciting stuff, there will be snacks and you are more than welcome to stop by. If you can't make it out tonight the show will be up for the rest of the week gallery hours are 9am-4pm

Monday to Friday.

My thesis this year has been in a way a reflection of my time spent in Haiti. For the past couple of years I have been making paintings about time, memory and dreams. Kind of dreamy landscapes varying in degrees of abstraction. My time being away impacted how I make work in that I had all of these new places in my head, new memories. I feel really good about my work at this point in the year, and I think I have stumbled upon some really interesting pieces.

In other news am getting very close to the end of the school year and I am very excited to finish, just over a month and I will have my degree. This is both great and scary as I'm not really sure what I am going to do afterwards. But I'm sure I'll figure it out as I go along.

-Julie

back in the swing

Well after a year or so of an unplanned hiatus from the art world (between academic classes and not being in the country not much art was made) I'm somewhat back. It was a great time setting up the TOMS group show at GoSA on Sunday night.

Yes that would be me with a level, feeling semi-official, I think everything was fairly straight. Group shows are a fun dynamic, and I must say everyone had a great attitude and excitement about the show. Which makes for a great hanging. The food from degrees didn't hurt either (my favourite place on campus to eat).

Some of the beautiful shoes being featured in exhibit, which runs until this Friday March 4th at GoSA (Gallery of Student Art in University Centre at U of Manitoba).

Oh and the new issue of Chesterfield Magazine came out this week and a photo of mine from Nicaragua was inside, nothing like black and white film photography to brighten my day.

Here is to a productive week!

-Julie

revelation in a kids movie

Okay so I know this is lame, I'm fully aware. BUT as some of you may know I did not grow up in church, that being said I fully choose to believe what I do. By fully I mean my family would most likely prefer that I not be Christian, I make life (especially holidays) awkward, just by being me. So when I'm at church and an old hymn starts and everyone (but a few other "first generation christians") knows it, I'm left feeling a little less than smart. Same goes for old testament Bible stories that "everybody" knows, I've been known to nod and smile and google it when I get home.

So when I was away and one of our speakers was going to play a veggie tales movie, I didn't know what to think, the only veggie tales I had ever known was from babysitting, and teaching sunday school. But I kid you not when I say this movie for children helped change my perspective. If you have the time (about 13 mins) please watch part 1 & part 2. Its all about your identity in God. And it warms my heart.

I hope this means something to somebody :)

-Julie

just a few favourite things

As it is reading week and I am on my break from classes, even though I am working full time I find that all of this free time is just lovely. I thought that since I have time to enjoy some of my old and new favourite things I would share some of them.

1. TOMS shoes/ other companies that care. (and yes i'm aware that people love to criticize others who step out in trying to do some good saying "they could do more" but at least they are seeing a need and trying to help fill it.) PLUS they are cute and I can't wait until it is warm enough to wear them all the time.

2. Listening to sermons online from Mars Hill; this one The Cost of Discipleship was just what I needed to hear this morning

3. Two new worship albums aftermath from hillsong united and be lifted high from bethel church. Both of which are amazing; hillsong favourites include "Like an Avalanche" and "Nova"; bethel favourite songs if I had to chose would be "Forever and a Day", "Furious" and "One Thing Remains"

4. Having delish lunch at Stellas on Osbourne while checking out beautiful artwork & catching up with my brother

5. Having slow mornings, in which I can drink coffee in my pjs and not have to rush anywhere

6. surviving off of my favourite diet of chips and salsa, starbucks pastries and chocolate milk because if you can't eat whatever you want on "vacation" then when can you? hah

Happy february everyone, I hope its a good one for you as well!

-Julie

thanks, i really do appreciate it

As I was thinking about how to not be jaded about Valentines day tomorrow I came across my old "green apron" cards (starbucks thank you cards meant to give to each other on staff) and the kind words from just over a year ago struck a cord. How simple is it to let someone know what you really think about them? That you really and truly appreciate them. We don't often take the time to write those things down, and though it can feel really nerdy at times I am happy to work for a company that encourages this.

I dug out the notes in the front of my Bible as well and read through them. Each one was so thoughtful, so specific, honest and encouraging.

So I guess what I am trying to say is if Valentines day gives you that extra little push to tell someone you care about how you really and truly believe in them and then it just might not be so terrible. So I'm going to do my best not to make gagging noises when I see really lame couples everywhere tomorrow, but instead write a few over-due "this is why I love you" notes. So when those people who I love and hold dear are having a tough time, they can read over and over why they are so appreciated (at least by me).

Much Love,

-Julie

february means studying, freezing and thank GOD some painting

So it is officially February, aka school mid-term explosion. Despite that I have been getting to the studio I feel like even more often than I was last term. Though that could be because I have my thesis review on Thursday this week (as a part of the mid-term fun). I am actually quite excited to get some feedback form my profs, as I have been branching out and doing some different things this year.

Some finished and not so finished things in my space as of today.

Also very exciting stuff my shoes are here! Now I have to make the final design choices and get them back for their exhibit by the 18th, its a good thing I am a girl who likes a deadline because I sure do have a lot of them in the next few weeks. I am very excited to be a part of this upcoming show.
This is a section of my BIG painting I've been working on, I have a love-hate thing going on with it right now. Working big has always been very challenging for me but I think once I get past all the scary-ness its going to be worth it. My work has been transitioning to be more about temporary spaces lately and how temporary often means ignored. I am beyond excited for my upcoming solo show in GoSA (Gallery of Student Art) in University Centre March 14th and I hope to complete this big monster of a painting long before then.

I will be studying my butt off in the mean time,

-Julie