Author Archives: Julie

Birthing your beloved and mysterious artwork

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In birthing my 3-day workshop, The Inspired Abstract, I wanted to bring together the best of all that I have to share. So I started in the way I always create magic: contemplating the spirit of the transformation that seems to be waiting to come forth. And then I embody it in an artwork.

Julie Bernstein Engelmann, “My Beloved Workshop,” 24″H x 30″W, acrylic on canvas

Over the past two years the workshop has become a living artwork for me. And when you’re involved in an artwork you see it everywhere.

Are you familiar with Marie Kondo? She wrote The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I recently saw her Netflix series and was struck by the similarities between her approach to decluttering rooms compared to my approach to bringing a painting to life. Kondo’s clients move into their desired future by learning to sort out which items spark joy.

Do you follow joy in your work? That is my ever-evolving process in art and in teaching art.

As she walked into a client’s chaotic cluttered room, Kondo said in her Japanese accent, “I love mess!” This statement startled me, because usually I think a messy room needs to be fixed. But I could see in her face the same joy I feel when I approach a student’s painting in its mid-process “beautiful mess.” I can’t wait to help the student see the spirit in their painting, which is just waiting to come out.

Try looking for the spirit of any project or painting you do. You’ll be amazed at how much help your project or the painting spirit can give you!

Another point I appreciate about Kondo is that when she enters a person’s house, her first act is to kneel, close her eyes, and introduce herself to the home. She asks it for permission and assistance to help the family move toward the future they want in that space.

What about you? If you are trying to make a change, consider asking for permission and assistance, whether from your body, your home, your future, or your creative life. In art, for me this moment of introduction and permission takes place when I contemplate on my painting inwardly before putting brush to canvas. Additionally, I’m aware I can only really help a student with their painting when I listen to their painting spirit. Now I will make a point to ask inwardly for permission as well.

Julie Bernstein Engelmann, “Dream of Learning to Paint,” 20″H x 24″W, acrylic and latex on canvas

A final interesting point is that in releasing the objects that do not spark joy, Kondo has her clients thank them first. What unpreferred parts of your life could be released more easily if you thanked them first? In art, a lot of frustration is saved by realizing that every awful choice turns to gold when it is layered over and peeking through. 

Come introduce yourself to the spirit of your mysterious and beloved artwork. Follow what sparks joy and embody your magic in paint. Please join me in The Inspired Abstract.

Three opportunities:

1. Coming right up this Sun-Tue, Feb 17-19 at the Sedona Arts Center. This one is for the late risers among us. It will go from noon to 6 or 7 pm each day.

2. March 29-31 at the Visual and Textile Arts of Tucson. They were kind enough to put out a beautiful promotional webpage. Although I have to say, my chest has never merited such a featured headline before 😉

3. May 3-5 at the Sedona Arts Center. This one takes place during normal hours!

 

My autumn 2018 through pictures

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Autumn is a time of fruition and transition.

I taught my final Luscious Abstractions 2-day crash course at the Sedona Arts Center in September 2018. I say final because I will be turning that class into an online course and transitioning my in-person teaching to a 3-day workshop, The Inspired Abstract.

Here is the wonderful group of painters and their luscious abstractions:

Carlos, Colby, Sylvia, Eliana, Rob

Sylvia was inspired to take the class because she owns two of my paintings and wanted to try my method and see what would come out. Find her fabulous musical painting in the photo above.

Eliana created delicate and lively pieces. She was concerned that she couldn’t keep imagery from appearing in her work. I told her, as I often tell students, “Imagery is fine! as long as it appears by itself and you aren’t forcing it.”

In October an art therapist, Diane, came out from California full of heart, and we had a wonderful time in a private workshop. Her apron is embroidered “Art Heals,” and that says it all.

In November a young adventurer, Fulya from Turkey, came to Sedona on a spiritual quest and wanted to capture it in a painting. When she contacted me out of the blue with this request I said, “Wow, have you ever come to the right place! That’s exactly what I teach!” Here she is with her fairy-dance piece created in our private workshop.

Meanwhile, Russ Lyon Sotheby’s in Sedona included my work in a several-month group show called “Signs of Life” and promoted it beautifully. (They even made a video of my work in the show!) Here are a couple of my pieces on their walls and in their ads.

As a highlight of the show, Sotheby’s hosted an elegant artist reception. It happened to be scheduled the evening I planned to drive to San Diego to attend a coaching conference, so I considered skipping the artist reception. But then Sotheby’s placed another ad, “Meet the Artist – Julie Bernstein Engelmann” and some of my friends saw it and told me they were coming! So I went to the artist reception after all and delivered my 3-minute speech to the lovely crowd and had a great time; then changed clothes in the car and embarked on a 7-hour drive, arriving in the wee hours.

At the conference I met my Artist Mastermind buddies in person for the first time. We had been meeting by Zoom for awhile, but hadn’t gotten the full flavor of one another. In person we all hit it off like old lifetime friends and had a magical time together. Here I am with my special and most wonderful support buddy Barbara Brown, artist of the forest (watch her incredibly beautiful video! scroll to bottom). We continue to meet by Zoom every other week, alternating with our Mastermind, to share, witness, and support each other in our respective art businesses. 

Finally, over the course of 5 weeks from November to December, I collaborated in a community mural called “Camp Verde Grows” in the nearby town of Camp Verde, AZ. The lead artist, Joan Bourque, held meetings with members of the community, including me, to determine which elements to include: scenes from its Sinagua, Hopi, and Yavapai roots; farming, vineyards and crops; birds that draw birding enthusiasts to the Verde Valley; area scenery, from faraway forested Flagstaff with its San Francisco peaks, to the red rocks of Sedona, to the white gypsum cliffs the town is nestled among; and the constellations, since Camp Verde is the world’s newest International Dark Sky Community.

I worked with Joan on the design and layout and painted the top third of the mural – all the non-green parts and sky that required climbing the scaffolding! From there, up high I could turn around and see the entire expansive landscape that I was painting. I used a star chart to paint the constellations! My favorite part was painting the petroglyphs by Montezuma Castle; check them out in the enlargeable photo below.

Here’s a nice blog post from a local journalist about the project, which quotes me quite a bit, including the story of how the mural’s title came to be.

Here is the core group of artists (the ones that got paid ;)) although a number of community members had their hand in the mural as well!  Joan Bourque, the lead artist, is second to right.

Camp Verde Grows mural – click to enlarge. I painted the upper third of the mural – all the non-green distant landscape and sky, as well as Montezuma Castle at right. Check out my favorite part: the petroglyphs!

The mural project was organized by the Town of Camp Verde Economic Development Department. They bought one of my paintings, which is on display in their office conference room, along with another of my abstracts.

I always appreciate the subsiding of activity between Christmas and New Year’s, and this year was no exception. After all the activity, I went into hibernation for a deeply enjoyable time of regroup and regeneration. Winter, even in sunny Arizona, brings its gift of fresh clean newness.

My Summer 2018 through pictures

My Spring 2018 through pictures

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Here I’d like to share my spring 2018 events through pictures:

Another event was more bittersweet. Gallery 527, after a successful run of 12 years in Jerome, Arizona, closed because the building was sold. My work had been featured there for three years and the artists and owners were like family.

Here are some shots from the final show and closing Artwalk:

Michele Cassou: Forget about the end product

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While we are on the subject of creative freedom (see my previous blog posts: Is it beauty or expression that you love? and My painting experience with The Painting Experience and Stewart Cubley), I wanted to present another magnificent voice in the field of intuitive painting.

If you recall, the foundational book Life, Paint and Passion, Reclaiming the Magic of Spontaneous Expression was co-written by Michele Cassou and Stewart Cubley. Each of them went in different directions from there, Michele with Point Zero Painting and Stewart with The Painting Experience.

Michele has gone on to write a number of juicy books and create the Cassou Institute for Creative Freedom.

Here’s an inspiring bit from one of her blog posts and book, Questions to Awaken Your Creative Power to the Fullest:

Forget About the End Product

“Pick up your brush and enjoy the call of the creative void.  Don’t choose your color.  Let the choice come to you.  Take the color that is alive for you at that moment, the one that calls to you.  You do not have to like it or even know what you are going to do with it.  No need to plan your painting or organize your space.

“Experience the live connection between you and Your painting.”

– Michele Cassou, Questions to Awaken Your Creative Power to the Fullest

I look forward to digging deeper into Michele’s work and the Cassou Institute! Check out a couple videos here.

My painting experience with The Painting Experience and Stewart Cubley

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I eagerly awaited the moment I’d find out what lay within my subconscious. What would come out of me onto the canvas if I felt truly free to express? I hoped The Painting Experience workshop would show me.

The big day arrived, and as part of my work-study scholarship I blissfully set about helping to fill, mix and stir the paint containers, set out the 23 colors onto several paint tables, and fill water buckets. Meanwhile, cardboard had been taped to the walls, tarps taped all across the floor, brushes distributed, and Stewart was on a ladder hanging lights above each painting station when I left for the airport to pick up my sister Beth. Later that evening the group gathered.

I wondered how the magic box would open: very simply, it turned out. Stewart’s co-facilitator, Aziza said, “Pick up a brush, whichever one calls you. Then walk over to the paint and pick a color, whichever one calls you.” And that was the basic instruction – clean and unburdened – that set me free to have one of the most joyful experiences of my life.

Photo by Stewart Cubley, The Painting Experience, Los Angeles, Oct 2017

My heart burst in ecstasy with all these colors and freedom. We painted on 20×26 sheets of paper that could be taped together to whatever size we wanted. I chose two sheets, and here’s what I painted that evening.

Julie Bernstein Engelmann, “SWIP!!”, tempera on paper, 40”H x 26”W

I think joy is embedded in that painting!

I was so excited that night I literally couldn’t sleep. At dawn I finally squeezed in an hour or two.

We started the next day with a forum where people shared about their experience and their questions (some participants were long-time followers), then went back into the studio to bring forth more of the unknown to be revealed.

It seemed that no sooner had I begun to paint than it was time for lunch. Where had two hours gone?

Before lunch was over everyone was drawn back into the studio, so by the time Stewart came back the entire room was already quiet and focused on their work.

The sustained level of quiet, intensely focused work in the room was profound and one of the most memorable qualities of the experience for me. Each person seemed to be immersed in their own individual process.

Photo by Stewart Cubley, The Painting Experience, Los Angeles, CA, Oct 2017

The raw expression of some of the pieces was awe-inspiring.

When Stewart came around, whatever was said was entirely private and one-to-one. Several individuals seemed to be releasing emotions through the process of painting. Stewart was a worthy steward of such vulnerable moments: sincere, present, sparing of words and actions.

Stewart signing my copy of his book, Life Paint and Passion. Photo by Julie Bernstein Engelmann

A ground rule had been laid at the beginning not to discuss anyone’s work. We could talk about our own experience, but no comments could be made to anyone else – a habit that for me as a teacher was disconcerting to break, especially when I wanted to gush over someone’s amazing painting. But soon I got on board and found it relieving and liberating not to have any business with anyone else.

In fact, once a painting was done (which was to be determined only after consulting with Stewart) it was parked facing the wall, never to be unearthed again until time to take it home. And that policy actually led to one of my most valuable breakthroughs.

Okay, this breakthrough is rather personal to me and might not be useful to anyone else. But here’s how it evolved. The idea of my painting going to face the wall helped divest me of the lurking feeling that I had to paint well to impress others. It wasn’t quite enough (because between now and then was plenty of time to worry about how my painting looked to others), but I knew somewhere in that direction was a nugget of gold. So I played with it in my imagination and soon came up with a scenario that magnified the effect.

What if I knew that, when I was done with my painting, it would be thrown away? A freeing thought, but perhaps too conducive to sloppy hopelessness. So I played some more in my imagination and ended up with the following scenario: I’m in jail and painting is the one thing I get to do, with the stipulation that when I’m done they will throw it away.

Somehow that was a sweet spot for me, calling forth patient focus and intense caring about the present experience of painting, yet with no concern for what someone else will think. It was an instant remedy to set my priorities straight. With that tool I was on my way and in the zone (and still use that tool today).

Photo by Stewart Cubley, The Painting Experience, Los Angeles, CA, Oct 2017

Stewart’s superpower seems to be helping people break through to a deeper level when they get stuck and frustrated. I didn’t experience that particular transformation firsthand, because my seasoned painting practice had so easily hooked into the spirit of what was happening that I never hit a stuck spot.

Nor did I get to really witness and benefit from the transformations happening around me because, for one thing as mentioned, the interactions between teacher and student are all really private and personal. For another, I was on my own roll and wanting to stay there. But I wished I could have benefited from hearing Stewart help others.

However, he did move me into a more liberated space by leveraging the imagery that came up in my painting to help me get more honest about what was trying to come out. In other words, he encouraged me to dive into the imagery rather than halfway entertain it. Here is the painting I spent most of days 2 and 3 making.

Julie Bernstein Engelmann, “Temple Hide and Seek,” tempera on paper, 26”H x 60”W

It was exciting to realize when I came in on day 3 that I wanted to add black. I really got way into black, a color I normally use sparingly. One of the delights of intuitive painting is to just go with it, like riding the river.

Here is what the painting looked like previously, at the end of day 2, before adding black and committing to imagery.

Photo by Beth Bernstein. Julie and unfinished painting at end of day 2

A big takeaway for me was how luxurious it was to have completely unstructured painting time with no prescribed group plan. I don’t know exactly how I’ll incorporate that quality into my future workshops, but I intend to find out.

The question of when someone was done with their painting was another mysterious discussion between Stewart and the individual. But in my case, he agreed with me that when I was at risk of moving from energy to futzing it was time to stop.

Did I unlock my creative expression? I’ve made progress! In a future blog post I plan to show you how the Painting Experience has influenced my artwork since then, and explore differences between this workshop and my way of teaching. (Subscribe to my blog to be the first to find out!)

If you are curious to jump into your own Painting Experience, here’s Stewart’s page of upcoming workshops.  The next one in Los Angeles is coming right up, on March 23-25, 2018.

Is it beauty or expression that you love?

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For me, it’s a joy to make beauty out of a “mess” on the canvas. I love nothing better than to make things beautiful, whether transforming a canvas, graphics, or a room.

I hadn’t thought that hard about whether other artists are this way.

Then one day my friend Greta remarked, “Well you artists, you love to express!”

I was taken aback. I realized for the first time as it came out of my mouth, “Some artists love to express. Others love to make things beautiful.”

Julie Bernstein Engelmann, “Like Rain in the Desert,” 28″H x 34″W, Acrylic and latex on unprimed canvas

Thus began a period of observation and introspection.

For one thing, the distinction between expression and making things beautiful led to an awareness of my superpower, helping other artists to see and bring out the beauty & spirit in their unfinished paintings.

For another though, I began to wonder whether my artistic expression was actually locked inside of me. I had gone through a long process to free my verbal expression after an unsafe childhood, but had thought my art haven was not subject to the same suppression.

Meanwhile, my longstanding fascination with intuitive painting came to the foreground. What would show up in my paintings if I were truly willing to express freely?

For many years I had enjoyed a book considered the mother lode of wisdom on intuitive painting: Life, Paint and Passion, Reclaiming the Magic of Spontaneous Expression, by Michele Cassou and Stewart Cubley. Then last October I had the opportunity to attend Stewart Cubley’s workshop, The Painting Experience.

Stay tuned to hear about my expressive Painting Experience in my next blog post.

And let me know which you love more – expressing or making things beautiful – if you had to choose. I’m curious!

Acrylic or oil – and the acrylic palette solution

A blog post on The Painter’s Keys caught my attention.

If you haven’t heard of it, The Painter’s Keys is a twice-weekly post for artists written by a father-daughter team, Robert and Sara Genn. The father passed away awhile back, so the daughter has been re-posting his fascinating art musings intermixed with her own.

The particular blog post of interest this day was called Acrylic Snobs. It should rightfully be called Oil Snobs, but hey. It talks about the bias of oil painters against acrylics as an inferior medium. The post praises the wonders of each medium, then goes on to specify further pluses of acrylics and minuses of oils.

I completely agree. I switched from oil to acrylic when I had kids. Oils are too unwieldy to use in 15-minute spurts while a baby is napping.

“What about acrylics drying so fast,” you might counter. “Don’t you waste a lot of paint because your palette dries each time?”

Ha, thanks to motherhood I developed my magic solution to the acrylic-drying problem. It is a legacy passed along to generations of my students!

Notice the plastic sandwich containers in the photo above. A quick spray misting before putting the lid on preserves acrylic paint in plastic food-type containers for weeks, even months for most colors!

Usually the container can be larger so mixing can occur right in it. In Pennsylvania I used a casserole-size container upside down with the flat lid as the palette and the rounded bottom as the palette lid.

Here in Arizona the air is so extremely dry that I have my students use these smaller containers for the paint blobs and mix on a separate surface like a pie tin. (In the studio I literally keep the lid resting on the container while painting and lift it up to grab dabs of paint!)

Back to the subject.

One day after my kids were school-age I was dropping paintings off at my gallery in Pittsburgh and heard myself make the kid-excuse for using acrylics. That got me thinking. I went home and pulled out my oils with the intention to transition back.

Several heavy, cakey paintings later I developed a new technique of starting with acrylics and ending with oils. That was nice…until the oils started darkening. Oy!

I know that with proper quality, use, and understanding of oil mediums darkening probably does not occur. But I was just not interested enough in chemically experimenting on my own artwork.

I decided that, as fabulous as oils are, to me they were not worth the unpredictability of their aging. I wanted my paintings to continue to look the way I painted them for years into the future!

I returned to acrylics and have never looked back.

P.S. Hopefully I’m not an Acrylic Snob. Like enjoying someone else’s kids-but you wouldn’t want to have them, I do greatly admire the artists who devote themselves to the beauty of oil paint. 

Meaningful Slinky Dress

I just had to laugh. I had carefully crafted an email promoting my Meaningful Abstracts workshop, written copy, and selected a painting. I always choose whatever painting feels fun to include.

Well, this time I chose “Slinky Dress.”

Much too late, it dawned on me that the title might not exactly seem to demonstrate a deeply meaningful abstract!

Slinky Dress, Julie Bernstein Engelmann, 18″H x 24″W, Acrylic on paper

But I love the painting. It started out with a different title, and I think one can feel the power behind the painting, even if the title doesn’t fully reveal, ha, what’s under the slinky dress.