Hello art friends, As some of you may know, my father died in July. We had a family service for him in August in Maine and a larger service for him in September in Cambridge. My father was an educator, historian, and writer professionally, but also in the context of our nuclear family where he taught us many things, did all of the photo albums and Christmas letters, and wrote letters (later emails) to his three children (me and my two older brothers) that were variously charming, funny, irreverent, and wise. I miss him, especially the strong version of him when he was healthy and sedulous. He believed so ardently in creating community – from his own family to his wider circle of relatives, to his friends and neighbors and beyond. Be a participant, reach out, make an effort in life. That was one of many lessons he taught me. Two weeks after my father’s service, I had a major ankle surgery (Achilles tendon repair – soccer and tennis, two loves, presumably and primarily responsible). I’m nearly four weeks post-op, still in a lot of pain, but doing better. The first few days after surgery I had a reaction to one of the medications they gave me and I ended up in the emergency room. Thank goodness for family and friends who helped take care of me and my girls. Being a single mother is always hard, mostly hilarious, and, until my surgery, had been always manageable. I cannot imagine being a single mother and doing everything alone. I cannot imagine being partnered and doing everything alone. Community really is everything. And the challenge of today is that because we can connect digitally (which has many wonderful benefits) easily and constantly, we forget about the importance of being connected in-person. This isolation, this physical and emotional distance, shreds the threads that tie us together. It’s no wonder to me that the increasing polarization in the US is tied to the increasing isolation that people feel, and is tied to the increasing use of the Internet to fill our time. And anyone paying attention knows that loneliness and detachment are at all-time highs. If you ask me why I started painting, I would tell you the truth: it gave me peace. Painting for me (like writing, though writing takes longer) is meditative and calming, and when I am finished, I often (not always!) feel a sense of accomplishment. If you asked me why I continued to paint, and transitioned to becoming a professional artist and not just a hobbyist, it’s because not only was I giving myself peace, I seemed to be giving others peace. And that perhaps is the central theme of my work: trying to knit people back together, connect them to themselves, to their past, current and imagined future experiences. Sometimes I paint peaceful scenes, and sometimes I paint stormy scenes, and all of it is meant to give people some peace by contemplating their connection to others and to the earth. One of my father’s favorite paintings of mine is a winter birch. My father was one who wanted art to “look like something” and felt that much of abstract art (not all of it, but much of it), was “uninteresting”. The painting is of a snowy birch forest and it’s called Stillness. It hung in my parents' bedroom. It’s “so peaceful” he said, and “plus it actually looks like birches. Not a photo of birches, just the essence of them.” Just the essence. Man, I really miss my father. Some final thoughts if you have read this far: One: if you are local-ish, would you be interested in an early December holiday open studio with small original works for sale in the $300-$1,000 range, all to be purchased in person? I will post this on Instagram as well. Write me back (you can reply to this email!) and let me know. Two: two great books I’ve read recently: North Woods and All Fours. Very different. But both written by two great writers. Three: all paintings included in this newsletter are for sale. Everything can be paid for on a payment plan. Over half of my clients opt for payment plans where they can pay off the painting within 3-6 months, interest free. Have a budget and size in mind? Email me or message me via Instagram and I’ll let you know what I have. As always, I also sell prints. In closing, I have been thinking a lot about Kurt Vonnegut’s answer to the ever-present question of what young people should be doing with their lives. “Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” I hope my paintings strengthen your connections to yourself and your world just a little bit more, and in so doing, I hope they reduce loneliness. Love and connection, Julia A Collection of Recent WorksSee something you love in this series? Prices range from $800 to $15,000 (note: I also offer payment plans for pieces!). You can click each piece to email me with an inquiry.
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