Learning occurs every day on many different levels, capacities, and formats. On the surface, I understand that, but simultaneously I was surprised to notice that my encaustic painting practice has begun to inform and teach me something about watercolor - a medium I’ve worked with for roughly ten years.

The surprise came from things feeling out of order. My encaustic skillset is newer than watercolor, so the idea that I’d learn something about watercolor by working in encaustic was unexpected but also exciting.

I’ll expand.

I think all my painting stories start with “I was on the beach…,”

This one is no different. I approached the Agate Beach entrance from the lower parking lot, and the scene that greeted me was these eight distinct stripes.

My camera captured more details than my eyes did. My eyes were blurry from wind-induced tears. It looked like only five stripes.

Last week I discussed the remarkable restraint I showed in shopping at L. Cornelissen & Son art supply abroad. I opened these brown glass bottles of historical inks this week and gave them a test drive.

The smell was the first thing I noticed as being so much different than the current inks I own and use. They smell like the outdoors. They smell woody and earthy. I like it. It’s almost like a fine wine.

I loved being back in London, even for a short time.

For those who missed the blog post from a few weeks ago - I had the opportunity to live in London on a work-abroad/exchange program 23 years ago, immediately after graduating college. I lived and worked there for three months and then spent 4 weeks traveling Europe by train.

Travel photos from London trip

Yes, I've only been home from my visit to Montana for four days, but when opportunity knocks, one must answer!

And when someone asks, "Do you want to go…."
My answer will be YES 99.9% of the time.

Last week I relayed my first steps of planning a sizable three-panel triptych. I’m excited to share that I’ve started on the first panel, and while it’s not done, it is covered top to bottom in big swaths of paint and texture!

I have an opportunity!

A really BIG, fantastic, incredible opportunity!

The backstory.

In 2020 I was selected to be part of a residency program called the "Artist Accelerator Program," created and hosted by The Arts Center in Corvallis, OR. It is a program designed to help artists excel at the business of being an artist.

Last week I wrote to you about constraints. This week, I worked on a painting using only three colors. Payne’s Gray, Chromium Oxide Brown, and Raw Umber (also brown). I enjoyed the process and look forward to seeing what I can do with two colors next time.

The video linked below is almost 9 minutes long. I did not speed up any of the footage, but there was a large swath of time that I did not film.

I've been thinking recently about how putting constraints on oneself can lead to more creativity. I've had some real-world first-hand knowledge in understanding how conditions lead to more creativity by being a member of a co-op gallery. In the gallery, creating work that is appealing to people visiting the coast is in my best interests, so I paint the ocean. I love painting the sea, so it works out for everyone, but I've come up with some really inventive ways to paint the ocean because that's all I paint. Along these lines, I am trying to design exercises to continue to foster the creativity that constriction and constraints provide.

Rockaway Beach in the winter is pretty stunning. I spent a mostly unplugged weekend away with a good friend. We talked, laughed, ate food, visited the local creameries, ate cheese and ice cream, and took several beach walks. The clouds were dramatic and doing things that only winter clouds do. Please enjoy the show!

Sometimes progress and the process go in different directions. Sometimes they are at the very opposite ends of the spectrum. Which is hard when one expects the process to yield progress.

My usual process is walking, exploring, taking photos, and finding an image I can’t wait to paint. I then race to my studio and get it down onto a surface before it can escape my brain.

This image was going to be a challenge, but I was ready to lean into these big puffy dramatic clouds.

I've had an idea that I've been mulling over: to share more of my painting process. I've tried various tripods, but they need to be more up to the task of filming a flat desk. So I did some digging, read many reviews, watched some YouTube, and came up with this delicious contraption!

I love art supplies.

I love the colors.

I love the textures.

I love the smells.

I love how they come in all different applications.

Tubes, sticks, pots, pans, pencil form, crayon form, thick, thin, chubby, chunky, mini there is no end to how the color is delivered.

But most of all, I love the potential.

Each tube of paint, each brush, and each canvas has the potential to be something beautiful, something that might move someone to laugh, cry, smile, or even cringe a little.

Last week I wrote to you about the lessons I had learned regarding professional framing. Let me tell you, the learning curve did not end there. On belay!

And to answer the immediate question that I assume any rational person would ask. “Jill, How have you been painting with watercolor for more than ten years and not know about framing?

Well, friend, the truth is pretty simple, I do this with my paintings…

Last week I spent the afternoon with a fellow gallery member. She was kind enough to welcome me into her home and then lend me some knowledge that she has spent years cultivating and curating. It was time well spent, and I am forever grateful that she agreed to share it with me. I am already a better artist for it.

I had no idea how much I didn’t know about matting, framing, and art preservation. My mind was quite blown. It’s an entire art form all by itself.

I’ve added a new introductory page to my website. Since I created the site, I’ve had an artist statement, but those tend to be a little stale and stuffy. They don’t say much about who the person is outside of their art. if you’d like to know more about what makes me tick and inspires me, please check it out - About JillThis page is a hello from me to you!

I understand that this is not the time of year to promote or tout rest because it’s the holidays and there is SO MUCH TO DO, but I’ve learned a critical lesson about rest recently, and I wanted to share it in the hope that someone can learn from my mistakes.

I’ve been a knitter for longer than I haven’t been a knitter if that makes sense. My mom taught me the basics when I was seven or eight. It was something I did now and then as a kid. In my final semester of college, I went back to it - I needed something different than studying. When I began working full time, and my paints sat in the depths of various storage units, I went back to knitting. Wool became my best friend. It is soft and comforting, it was and is creating while resting, and it has taught me so much about going back and getting things right. And when things go poorly, knitting taught me it’s okay to knit a simple striped scarf pattern as often as it takes for things to get better.

My current wax and watercolor paintings have been inspired by this one super rainy, cold, windy, beautiful morning on the beach with Roxy.