Julie Townsend Studio: July 2013

Thursday, July 25, 2013

What is your favorite summer fruit?

One of the many things that stand out in my mind when I think of summer is all the wonderful fruits that are in season, especially watermelon. I try to buy one a week because there is just something refreshing about cold sweet watermelon on a hot summer day and in Las Vegas the word HOT is an understatement. So when the City of the World Gallery that I am part of announced a summer art contest amongst the artists for the month of August this idea of a colorful pile of lemons and berries along with beautiful sliced watermelon came to mind. I decided to add the blue straw to composition and title this piece "Taste of Summer".

It's a big change from my normal gold prospector or Nevada landscape but it was a lot of fun. I don't think I have used so much yellow on one palette before. I hope you enjoy the piece and I encourage you to come stop by the gallery on the corner of Casino Center and Colorado for next weeks "First Friday". I'm sure there will be some great SUMMER art to see and you can probably find a cold glass of lemonade to enjoy.

TASTE OF SUMMER- 18x24 Original Oil Painting

Sunday, July 7, 2013

"Taking a Break"- finally complete

It seems like I have been working on this piece for longer than I care to consider but it is finally ready for a coat of varnish and framing. Yesterday I included the piece on my website gallery and my Fine Art America site. It has been a challenge not only because it was a more complex painting but because I suffered the loss of my dear mother-in-law during the process. I'm really going to miss taking each piece over to show her as I complete them. She was so encouraging to me and really acted as she genuinely loved seeing each and every painting as I finished them.

I've already started another prospector piece but this time in acrylic. Hopefully I will be able to showcase that one here in the next few weeks. I have always loved American history and trying to capture the rugged beauty of the American west is a challenge that I really want to pursue.

"Taking a Break" 18 x 24 Original Oil painting

Biography

Julie was born in Kansas City and spent her formative years growing up in the rural Ozark hills of Central Missouri. Surrounded by farming, woods, country roads and plenty of wildlife, Julie allows these rich childhood experiences to strongly influence her art. Julie’s love of art was obvious at a very young age. Drawing, writing and sewing were her constant entertainment, but as she moved into the responsibilities and stresses of a working mother, everything that was art in her life was packed up and left neglected. It wasn’t until 2010 that she decided to take a drawing class at the community college, followed by an online painting course. That was all the spark needed to rekindle that fire and get the passion burning once again in her heart. With a great deal of hard work, determination and focus, Julie’s work is beginning to be noticed around the country and even internationally. Adjectives often used to describe Julie’s art are the words “whimsical” or “childlike”. Julie has a unique ability to combine both details and bright colors to capture her audience and draw them into the piece. She sets out as a goal with each work of art to emotionally transport those that view her work to a more innocent and happy time in their lives. Smiles are what she looks for when she is watching those that are observing her work and there is usually no shortage of smiling in the room.

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

What is your favorite summer fruit?

Sunday, July 7, 2013

"Taking a Break"- finally complete