Jolie Guillebeau

75. Three-quarters. Wow.

We’ve been doing this for 75 days– you guys are awesome! I’m starting to think about how this is going to look at the end of this project and how I’m going to keep this going somehow. So I’ve made this quick survey. Will you take a few minutes and answer 5 questions for me? I’ll bribe you with the possibility of winning a print of your choice. Click here for the survey.

And here’s today’s painting– it’s another one I’ve been saving for a special occasion. I painted these cherry blossoms a few weeks ago, when the blooms were just beginning to fade. I knew I had to paint them this year, and then a few of you specifically requested it. So when I realized I only had a couple of days, I went out right then and cut a branch from the tree in front of our building. It looked like a small branch while I was outside, but once I got it in the studio I saw that it needed a long tall panel.

(The painting is so long I had a bit of trouble capturing the image with my camera– sorry it’s crooked!)

8×24 (yes, two feet long!) oil on masonite panel. $75 Sold. Join the newsletter list here.

Don’t forget the survey! You could win a print!

Other goodness to celebrate day 75: Free shipping!
If you’re a repeat buyer– from now on, you get free shipping!

Stay tuned for other small surprises throughout the week.

Rhododendrons

It’s a funny word, isn’t it? RhododendronRhododendronRhododenron. It just sounds funny.

Last week, I went to the Rhododendron Gardens here in Portland. It’s not very far from my house and it’s this little hidden treasure right in the city. Admission is free on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so we just walked right in. There’s a lake and pond, and lots of little places to sit and read– or paint. I think I’ll be making a few more trips there this summer.

Isn’t it lovely?

5×7 Oil on gessoboard $74

Hey! Tomorrow is day 75! Good stuff is happening then!!

Tulips, take three.

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when I went to the Tulip Festival? And I told you I had tulips all over the house?

I was holding out on you– I’ve been saving these for this week. Here are the final bunch of tulips from that day.

8×10 Oil on gessoboard $73 Sold. Join the newsletter list here.

Kitchen Tools Series…

A few days ago, I cooked lunch for a friend. While I was making lunch, we were chatting and ended up talking about how popular my flower paintings are.

Maybe it was just the conversation, but I noticed at the time how colorful all my kitchen utensils are. The green spatula, the red cooking chopsticks, the orange scraper thingy– I really like color. And then I had a bit of a random thought… this collection of tools in this white canister kind of looks like a bunch of flowers.

Now, I know it’s a stretch– but just humor me for a minute. Can you see it?

9×12 Oil on gessoboard $72 Sold. Join the newsletter list here.

Guiding Values, Take Two.

I got some great feedback about last Monday’s painting– everyone loved the Scrabble letters, and I really loved paintng them. So I’m going to paint a few more versions of my guiding values. And I’d love suggestions over here, or just to hear what words matter to you.

I’m even thinking of doing custom orders on these– would you be interested?

Anyway, here are two more of my 8 Guiding Values. These two fit together very nicely for me. As much as we all think about lounging around on the beach for days on end, in reality we’d be bored pretty quickly. I’m at my most joyful when I’m making a difference somewhere– when I have purpose to my days. So to me, joy is built around purpose, and it’s especially nice when you can put the “J” on a Double letter square.

(There’s a bit of glare on the photo– the paint was pretty wet when I took the picture– sorry!)

6×6 Oil on Masonite Block– Ready to hang! $71 Sold. Join the newsletter list here.

Even though I’m on an adventure, I’ve saved some good paintings for you– stay tuned all week, and pay attention for good stuff on day 75, including a way to get free shipping!

Sunday Series: 10!

You know by now that I love Mary Oliver. I’ve found at least 6 more of her poems that I could use. But I’ve loved poetry long before I learned of Mary Oliver, so I decided to go back to some of the poems that started my love affair with poetry.

So I begin with an old favorite– Emily Dickinson.

(You might want to click through to see more detail.)

Hope is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I’ve heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.

6×8 Watercolor on Cotton Fiber Paper on bamboo board. $70

Special rules apply to today’s painting. Everyone wins! On Sundays only, instead of one buyer, I’ll paint a version of this for everyone that requests one, because I think if the quote speaks to you then you should have it.

Each painting will be an original and slightly different from the others I send out, but based on the painting you see above. The only rule is that in order to paint one just for you, I must receive your email by 8pm Pacific time today.

NEW!! Your painting will arrive ready to hang, because I’ll mount it on carbonized bamboo using archival adhesive. Here’s an example.

There will be a nice little keyhole like this, so all you have to do it find a nail and hang it right on your wall! No framing required! Yay!

Want it? Email me here.

Limes.

As part of my adventure this week, I plan to have a cocktail or two. In anticipation, I decided to paint a lime a few days ago. Perhaps I should paint a salt shaker and turn this into a recipe series?

8×10 Oil on masonite $69

Remember, I’m on a small adventure this week– email responses will be a bit slower, though I will get back to you within two days, I promise.

Departures.

Today is all about departures. I’m departing this afternoon for a short vacation and adventure. Hooray! We’ve been planning this for months, and we’re so excited.

Don’t worry. There will still be paintings– I’m not abandoning you guys, just to go on a little trip! I’ve planned ahead, so there are paintings ready for all next week while I’m away from the easel. Plus, away from the easel does not mean away from the paint. I’m taking supplies with me and I’ll have a whole vacation series to show you when I get back next week.

So in honor of today’s departure, I’m making another departure here. Normally, I paint in bright colors– especially flowers. But some things just call for black and white. This is my favorite way to “paint” in black and white. It’s a masonite panel, coated in a soft white clay, then covered with India ink. I use small fine tools to pull away the ink and create a “painting”. I’ve done this several times, always intending to paint over it with transparent oil color, because it looks so bright and pretty, but everytime I just really love the white on black, so I decide to leave it as is.

5×7 India ink, clay on masonite panel. $68 Sold. Join the newsletter list here.

Want to know a little more about the behind-the-scenes of my project? Helen of Dixon Hill asked me a few questions, so I wrote a bit about what I’ve learned during the past 67 days of painting. You can read it here.

Still Life.

I love painting still lifes. Most of the time I set things up and spend a bit of time arranging for the right composition. But occasionally, just walking through the house I see something that is worthy of a painting just as it is.

That’s what happened with this.

8×10 Oil on gessoboard $67

Sometimes people ask what they can do to support this project, even if their art budget is limited. The best thing you can do is invite your friends to join the newsletter. I love new readers! Can you send me a few? I’d be grateful, giddy and oh so thrilled.

Mushrooming.

I’ve been accused of being a bit opinionated occasionally–and I always take it as a compliment. However, there are times in a conversation where I realize that I’ve gotten on a soapbox about an issue, and then I have to step down really quickly.

One of the ideas that I get passionate about is the idea of talent. People say to me, “I could never paint like that.” And I think that’s bulls**t.  I don’t really believe in talent. Yes, some people are better at somethings than others, but my early paintings were terrible– just ask any of my teachers.

And some paintings are still terrible. But I’ve learned skills that help me solve the problems or tell me when to give up and just start over.

It’s a bit like growing mushrooms. They seem to just pop up out of nowhere one day, but really it’s a process that takes several months or even years. The right humidity, the right nutrients, the right temperature and soil all lead to the fruit that seems to pop up overnight.

So when people say that they can’t paint (or write, or knit, or bake, or whatever…) then I’m going to continue to get on my soapbox– no matter how many compliments I get over my opinions.

6×6 Oil on gessoboard $66

Sometimes people ask what they can do to support this project, even if their art budget is limited. The best thing you can do is invite your friends to join the newsletter. I love new readers! Can you send me a few? I’d be grateful, giddy and oh so thrilled.