WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BUY ART

Why shouldn't you buy art?

I know this might seem like a counterproductive topic to hear about FROM an artist, but stay with me for a minute.

I spent a lot of time in art school reading about famous art. My favourite was the Rococo period, with gilded frames, bright colours, and a general over-the-top look to everything. I'll admit, it still has some influence on my decorating style now too.

I remember looking at the stories about artists from history whose work had been "found" or new pieces discovered that they hadn't known existed, and then how much they would sell for at auctions. I remember the stories of living artists making a spectacle with their work, or filling auctions with fake buyers to help increase the bids on their pieces. And I remember thinking it was probably a long shot if I wanted to be a professional artist. I'd either have to compromise my morals, or wait until I was dead to see any kind of financial action, which, for obvious reasons, wasn't a good option.

If the art world has shown us anything, investing in art is a really bad idea. For the most part, those stories of thrift store paintings being discovered and sold for thousands are few and far between, and with most of the population choosing art for its low price point and colour scheme (to match the couch, of course), we know that there are a lot of arbitrary reasons for artwork to be "worth" a lot.

So if art has no intrinsic value and can't keep up with your ever-changing colour scheme, why buy art at all?

Ultimately, you SHOULD buy art. It's just that you should buy it for different reasons than financial investment or being generally kind of showy.

Being able to surround yourself with artwork you have truly and fully fallen in love with is a luxury. You are gifting yourself the pleasure of living with art that you find great. It doesn't have to be expensive and it doesn't have to be famous.

As an artist and art enthusiast, I must tell you ordinary people like us play a crucial role in the future of art. With AI taking over and it becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between artwork create by humans or AI, it is us who decide which artists will continue with their creative path and have the support they need to grow. Collectors play a crucial role in preserving art for the future and therefore influence the way the history of art is written. This shouldn't be in the hands of the rich and famous, because we already know they can't be trusted with such responsibilities!

If you've never purchased a piece of original art before, I hope that you experience what Thomas Hoving was talking about. And if you have experienced it but you DIDN'T buy it, you should probably get to it before someone else does, and don't worry if it doesn't match your colour scheme. Walls can be painted by pretty much anyone. 😉

SPACES & PLACES: EXPLORING THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN ARTIST AND ENVIRONMENT

The spaces we live and work in have a social and symbolic dimension to them that exists beyond the material space and as an artist, these dimensions have a huge impact on my ability to live and work in certain spaces.

I've always admired the artists who can sit down in a buzzing coffee shop and whip out a set of travel watercolours and spend the next 3 hours creating a decent masterpiece under the watchful eyes of the baristas and other patrons.

I moved into my condo 8 years ago, and I still remember the gruelling process of shopping for the perfect place. On one hand, the excitement of finding my future home was overwhelming, but on the other hand every time I entered a condo that was seriously missing that special feeling I was looking for, it felt one step closer to hopeless. Even worse was when each time I felt I'd found the perfect space, someone else had got there just a little bit sooner.

I know that in actuality, a home is what you make it, but I also believe that the history and the past human interaction in a space influences its immaterial qualities. For me, a buzzing coffee shop is a great place for a chat with a friend, but to be in a creative mindset surrounded by others just keeps me distracted and focused on the wrong parts of my art-making process and busies me with worrying about what people are thinking. Sure, one could argue thats a me-problem, but you have to work with what you have, right?

This painting I created during a bout of artist block, sketching some new ideas and exploring abstract elements with my portraits. While there isn't a story or a reasoning behind the figure or her apparent mood, I do think there is room for you to find meaning in it yourself.

In the past few weeks I've been on a bit of a journey to uncover more about my story as an artist and what is important to me, and I've discovered that space and the places we find refuge in are really important in my work. When I paint, I pay a lot of attention to the abstract spaces my figures are situated in, and I want the dreamy aspect of their reality to come through for you as my viewer. I know that sometimes the environments don't make sense or there are parts of the picture that seem really strange, but much like the places we find ourselves in in real life, there is often so much that is unexplainable or intangible.

As a child, I remember watching this particular movie a few times (my brother loved it and he tended to be a re-watcher of the things he loved) called "Wild America." I absolutely hated this movie for one reason only. I hated the feeling it gave me when the boys in the story were lost in the middle of nowhere for a super long time. It always made me feel uncomfortable and longing for the characters to just get home safe. Looking back, it kind of makes sense because I am a homebody and I often only say yes to plans that are far away from home if I know I get to go home at the end of the day. But this brings me back to that idea of finding comfort in the spaces that are our refuge.

For me, this means filling my own spaces with paintings that I love, whether they're my own or ones I've collected from other artists. I am hanging some new works in the next few weeks, so once I get that done I will share with you what my space looks like (it is pretty kooky so get ready)!

If you also feel this intense connection to your spaces, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! In the meantime, please check out my shop for artwork to decorate YOUR special spaces!

SHOP

FLORAL REVERIE

A few weeks ago I finished a new watercolour painting that I feel was a bit of a tricky but worthwhile journey for me. Despite the hurdles (and the masking fluid fiasco), it really came together in the end and I am in love with it!

On top of that, the piece was accepted into a show at Century House in New Westminster, where it will be for a few more weeks! Check it out here.

I also wrote a statement for it, framed around the theme for the show and the concepts behind the work. As a piece progresses I spend a lot of time thinking about the colours and the imagery I am using and the narrative of the work, and this one was a slow evolution. Normally I am a stickler for mixing my own colours too but the colours I needed for this piece were so specific I ended up purchasing new paint colours to get the earthy and almost glowing reds and yellows in this piece.

And here are a few in-progress pictures:

Here is the statement to go along with the piece:

"I created this artwork with the intent of using colour to address the complex emotions associated with death and grieving. The end of life is often regarded as bittersweet. The process of grieving by those left behind is treacherous and lonely, only comforted by the reminder that the person passed is free and without the pain tied to the tangible world.

The deliberate use of color serves as a metaphorical vehicle, with the deeper, darker hues symbolizing the gravity of mortality, while the hints of light symbolize the yearning for liberation and transcendence. This evocative dichotomy explores the emotional terrain between life and death, inviting contemplation of the human condition in all its complexities.

I introduce flowers into the composition to add another layer of significance, as these delicate blooms, bursting with vitality and symbolic of life's ephemeral beauty, provide a poignant counterpoint to the weighty themes of mortality and liberation. With reference to remembrance and paying homage to those dying for a selfless purpose, the poppies play a dual role both pointing to death, but also to life as flowers are so often a symbol for.

In essence, this artwork becomes a visual and emotional journey, where colour, contrast, and symbolism converge to engage the viewer in an exploration of the human experience, delving into the emotions tied to death, the longing for freedom, and the enduring essence of life."

This original painting is 10"x14" (14"x18" framed, white frame) and is available for purchase through my website or through julie@julilyart.com. Prints are also available here!

Until next time,

xoxo,