New Supplies

Well I finally saved up enough to stock up on some new supplies! It was a happy day yesterday! I've added 5 colors of suede and it is so soft and elegant. The blue is my favorite so far. I also got 3 little bundles of fabric for some cute new journals. Be sure to check back next week for some NEW finished products in my Etsy shop!

Just Pretty

Fresh blooms on my new Magnolia tree. Beautiful huh?!

In My Journal Today

My little ones about 6 years ago.

What It Means To Be A Mother. . .

It was the night of Mother's Day, all the kids had gone to bed and the house was quiet. I was reflecting on what a great day it had been. We had attended our lovely church service, had the most fantastic nap, a delicious dinner and talked to my wonderful Mom to wish her Happy Mother's Day. The kids were even well behaved and attentive. . . a banner day all around.

I began thinking about what it means to me to be a Mom, after all, I've had 13 years of experience now, I should have some wise thoughts! I suppose that Motherhood can be summed up by one word: Contradiction!

There is a joy that is really beyond words in having these children in my life. And I'm not just talking about the big moments either. So much happiness can be found in little snippets of time like when Abby(8) said something funny to Benjamin (dad) the other day and we all laughed hysterically, or when Eddie (13) comes home from school and can't get enough hugs, or that sweet way that Ricky (11) cricks his neck when he is sleeping. Contrast all these memorable things with the bickering, spending too much time on the computer, eating me out of house and home, ignoring my requests. . . well you know. . . . I've posted my all time favorite photo of the kids above. It was taken about 6 or 7 years ago while I was doing a photo shoot of Ricky for a portrait of him. They all look really happy here don't they? Well, right before the click of the shutter, they were all fussing at each other and generally unhappy. I said, "Boys, kiss your sister" and poof, I got one of the best photos of all time! Talk about contradiction.

Then there is that never ending battle between over-protecting and letting them grow in their independence. Wow! This is a tough one for me, but in my defense, I am getting a little better. When Eddie was a baby we had gates everywhere and constantly had our eyes on him. By the time Abby came along we just let her roam about the house freely. Now they're older and letting go is more important, more worrisome and all I can say is "I'M WORKING ON IT"!

There are many other contradictions to being a mom, way too many to mention in this post, but of course, we can't forget the happiness that comes with spending time with these kids doing all the fun things we do as a family, and the happiness that comes from spending time ALONE while they're at school!

Motherhood= Contradictory- you bet! But the Lord had blessed me so richly with the care of these beautiful children and I will always be so thankful for them!

I adore you Eddie, Ricky, and Abby! Love Mom

Happy Mother's Day

A very Happy Mother's Day wish for my wonderful Mom, Grandma, Sisters, Aunt, Cousin, and all the other fantastic Mom's out there! Enjoy your day! X O X O

Why I use Kraft paper

Hmmmm. . . why do I use Kraft paper in my journals? That's a pretty good question and bound to come up once in a while. When I started making journals earlier this year, one of the biggest decisions I had to make was what kind of paper to use. Well, I tested many kinds of paper. Some were too heavy, some not heavy enough. I tried several colors and sizes too. (I now have quite a bit of all these test papers!) My testing priorities were, "how does it feel to write on", how does it lay and fold", "is it environmentally friendly meaning recycled or partially recycled", and finally "is it cost effective?"

So I finally decided on a couple different types of paper. The first is a white 100 lb. text paper. This is a nice weight, wonderful to write on and is at least 30% recycled. I like using it for my round journals and for the odd shaped ones. The other paper I'm using more and more is plain old brown Kraft paper. It is heavyweight (75 lb.), and is really great to write on. I love the textured feel of it and all the tiny spots and splotches that make up the paper. It really has an old world feel to it. It is hands down the best paper to tear and produces a wonderful deckled edge and is very easy to cut. And also important is it's cost effectiveness. I was really searching for a great paper at a great price because it's important to me to be able to keep the prices of my journals at a reasonable price. This paper fits the bill on all counts and it is recycled! This is the paper I've chosen for my personal journal. I hope you'll give it a try. I think you'll really be amazed at how much you'll like it too!

A New Beginning

After all those long winter months of snow, wind and ice, it is the perfect time for a new beginning. I have re-vamped this blog and my website to a whole new look. And for the big news, I've opened a shop on etsy.com! You can find it here: www.julieboyles.etsy.com. My painting style has changed a bit over the last few months also. I haven't done away with my favorite still life style altogether, but am exploring color and all kinds of combinations. I am now making journals, hand painted and all kinds of other ones too. You can see them on my etsy shop and on my website very soon.

I will also have a new feature on this blog titled "In my journal today". I have a lot to say these days and this will be just the right place to say it!

Thanks for hanging in there with me as all these new changes unfold. See you tomorrow!
Julie

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you a very Happy Holiday and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

I haven't been very good at keeping up with my blog! Hopefully I'll do better in the New Year!

Standing Out From The Crowd

"Standing Out From The Crowd"
Oil on Linen
36" X 36"

I finished this painting yesterday and delivered to the Indiana State Fairgrounds and with any luck it will be on display for the Indiana State Fair Fine Art Show from August 8-19.

All my paintings have special meanings for me in some way or another, but this one is even more so. When setting up the composition for this, I really wanted the red, white and blue marble to be the focal point. You see, my wonderful husband retired from the Indiana National Guard earlier this year with 24 years of service to our country. Our family is very proud of him and this great accomplishment and of his selfless service. I painted this painting to honor him in my own small way. So congratulations to Sergeant First Class Benjamin Boyles!

I would also like to give a big thank you and Shout Out to Davis Marbles and their family. All these magnificent marbles came from them and are the start of my collection. The craftsmanship, beauty and attention to details really makes these marbles unique! The service and professionalism is fantastic too! Thank you Davis Family!

Another Preview

Here's a preview of my newest marble painting. The title will be "Standing Out In Front of the Crowd" and it is 36" X 36" on linen. There's a lot more to come on this one, but I just wanted to share what I've done so far, it will keep me motivated to finish it quickly. These marbles are so beautiful, I hope I can do them justice! Stay tuned for the finish!

I just had to add one more painting to the exhibit! I have several framed prints but wanted another original painting or two. I hung this one at the last minute. It has one of my unique frames that I will show a picture of once I get one. This is titled "Plop" for obvious reasons!
It measures approximately 13" X 17" and is oil on linen.

Thanks to everyone who showed up for my reception Friday night. It was a great turnout and wonderful to see all of you!

The Big Show is finally here

Well we finally got everything ready for the In The Round show (just in the nick of time) and everything is in place at the CCA Gallery.
The exhibit will take place the whole month of July with artist receptions on July 13 and 27.

Above you can see some pictures of the show as well as the finished painting of "Pool Refreshment". If you're around Indianapolis during the month of July, stop in and see the exhibit!

The Countdown is ON

Well, we hang my show on Sunday and this painting will play a major role in it. As you can see, it's only about half done so it's going to be a loooonnnggg night! This is just a little peek at this one. It's obviously pool balls but I'm not giving any more hints at the composition. It is
48" X 48" on a raw linen gallery wrap panel. I'll post it finished as soon as I can.
Wish me Luck!

Upcoming Show

I'm fast and furiously getting ready for my next solo show at the CCA Gallery in July. I will be featuring several new marble paintings as well as more fruit paintings and a few surprises! Above is all the pertinent information for the show and a sneak peak at one of the featured paintings. The title is "The Great Escape" and measures 29" X 56". I tried something new with this one, using sized raw linen for my surface. I love painting on this and the unique look of it. If you're in the Indianapolis area during the month of July, stop in at the CCA Gallery and see the show!

Whew! It's been awhile since I've posted anything here! I've been busy completing a very large painting that I will post soon and getting ready for the Orchard In Bloom show next weekend. See previous post. This is a new Dimensional Painting just completed this morning. It is called "Nest Eggs" and is oil on wood 5 1/2" Round and 51/2"Tall. You know I love painting marbles and the eggs were really cool to paint too. If you're interested in purchasing "Nest Eggs" please email me at julie@julieboyles.com

I will be exhibiting in the Orchard In Bloom Show next weekend. April 27-29. You will find more information about the show by clicking on the logo above. It's going to be a beautiful weekend and I'm going to have several new things to show. I hope you'll stop by my booth,
Tent 3 booth 41, and say hello!

New Painting, New Gallery

Silver Water Pitcher
Oil on Panel
6" X 6"

It's taken me a little while after the Indiana Art Fair to get back into my painting groove. This one was finished last week and I'm happy to announce that it is now at Franklin Barry Gallery, Indianapolis, IN. I'm delighted to have some of my artwork in this gallery and look forward to working with them! If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please email me at:
julie@julieboyles.com and I will direct you to Franklin Barry Gallery

Indiana Art Fair

The anticipation for the Indiana Art Fair is growing! It will take place this Friday 2-23 and Saturday 2-24. Only 80 Fine Artists were chosen to participate in this growing event and Julie Boyles Fine Art & Design is one of them. The weather is going to cooperate and it's going to be a fine weekend! Hope to see you there! Booth #2-45. Click on either of the cards images above to see a short video clip of last year's Indiana Art Fair.

New Small Painting

This painting is the first trompe l'oeil painting in a series. It is a small 4.5" circle and is an oil on panel. It has a really nice wood frame to go with it. As soon as this is dry I'll take a picture of this in the frame. If you're interested in purchasing this painting please email me at
julie@julieboyles.com

Companion Pieces

These are two more 6" X 6" paintings in acrylic. They are companion pieces to the other pitcher done earlier. They make a nice grouping! I've been painting fast and furious lately getting ready for the Indiana Art Fair on Feb. 23 & 24. More details on that to come!

If you're interested in purchasing any of these paintings, please email me at:
julie@julieboyles.com

"Raised In Captivity"

Introducing my newest little "painted jewel". The theme for this one is "Raised In Captivity" It is a take-off from my painting "The Lookout" that I completed a year ago. The hardness of the stone in contrast to the softness of the fruit is what drew me to paint this piece. The use of dramatic lighting also interests me. This cube measures approximately 6" X 6" on all sides and has small knob feet on the bottom surface. If you are interested in purchasing this piece, please email me at: julie@julieboyles.com.