Dear <<First Name>>,

Before an abstract painting can become a portal to a new state of consciousness, it is a bunch of colors on a canvas.

This phase—where the painting is beautiful but unsorted, incoherent in spatial depth and flow—is what I call the beautiful mess.

What is the difference between a bunch of colors on a canvas and a bunch of colors that serve as a portal? Artists (not to mention viewers) who don’t really know the answer to this question can get frustrated with abstract painting.

Moving from the beautiful mess to a beautifully fulfilled completion (or portal) is the inbreath phase of a painting. Here is where many abstract painters get stuck. Why? Because we’re busy being the only participant in the conversation. 

We're still talking when it's time to take the inbreath and listen. 

Once we realize that we aren't the only one in the dialog with our painting, it gets a whole lot easier.

Think about it. We surely perceive that the painting has a potential of its own that’s trying to come into being or we wouldn’t know that we’re stuck and not there yet. So, if we can become a little more conscious of listening to the painting that’s trying to come forth, we have the key to moving forward productively.
 
Now the trip can be amazingly short.

That’s what my one-day Beautiful Mess Painting Clinic is about: how to seamlessly move a painting from mess to fulfilled completion. This starts by looking for what we love about our painting-in-progress.
 
What we love is the whole basis from which we can bring our painting to life. It opens our receptivity to the other voice in the dialog that can tell us how to enhance the drama, spatial depth, and flow.

Through this dialog with our painting, we can gently create a coherent space that becomes a portal to a new state of consciousness. 

Yours in the joy of beauty and spirit,

Abstract and contemporary paintings can get stuck mid-process at a frustrating stage we call the “beautiful mess.” Don’t give up on them!

In this one-day online painting clinic, you’ll be amazed to discover that your unfinished piece is most likely only a few well-placed brushstrokes away from being fabulous. Starting with what you love in your piece, Julie will train your eye to see how to enhance the depth and flow, which is key. She will demonstrate relevant critique points to illuminate what is really happening in your painting so you can bring it home to fulfilled completion.

You'll focus on 1-2 pieces in any medium; acrylic is ideal. Attendance is limited to six for plenty of one-on-one attention.   Learn More... 

"Julie's workshop was PACKED FULL of value. She was professional, knowledgeable and personable. I got so much out of her workshop."
 

This workshop gives you a powerful foundation for abstract painting. You’ll be guided to enter the painting process naturally, use layers to develop a deep and luscious visual space, and weave into it brush-marks that grow from a personally meaningful inspiration. You’ll learn to see the spirit in your painting and help it shine powerfully.

A focus of the workshop is to find ease in bringing your mid-process “beautiful mess” to fulfilled completion. You’ll create two acrylic paintings that embody meaning, naturalness, and spatial depth and flow – qualities that lift an abstract painting from amateur to professional.    Learn More... 

"I love Julie: Her art, her teaching style, and as a human being. She always makes a workshop a delightful experience."

"Julie’s enthusiasm, well thought out lessons and materials were excellent."

"Julie is an excellent instructor.... Her passion for what she is doing is absolutely inspirational!"