Hello, and I'm glad you're here. My passion is art. I help people discover the joy of a rich creative life, starting now. Whether you're a fellow creator, a collector or new to the world of art, welcome to my wonderful world!
February Turns To March
Goodbye February, Hello MarchFebruary is coming to a close. I wish we could see tonight's 6-planet alignment from here in Oregon's Willamette Valley, but it looks like we're overcast. Ah well, March is happening and spring is on the way. It's time to switch from armchair gardening to hands in dirt. And I have painting ideas bursting at the seams, so I'm happily tucking into the studio to nurture them. Someone asked me not long ago if I ever run out of ideas for paintings? Not so far. It's more a matter of creating the routine time to paint. The business of art takes so much time, energy and focus. And I'm not great with transitions. So it's important for me to stay centered and keep a balanced schedule for both the studio and the business. I'd love to tell you I have this balance down, though the truth is I have to keep reinventing it. One reason they call it a practice, I guess. Without question, I'm happiest and most peaceful when I'm painting in the studio. Or painting outdoors. The Mayor's Art Show 2026 is now closed, but you can still see the artworks and artist biographies online. It was a wonderful experience this year. So many extraordinary, creative artists in our town! The opening gala was well-attended. It was a moment to poke my head outside the studio, and mingle with old and new friends and colleagues. New Class Coming SoonAnother Painting Workshop is coming, so stay tuned. It would have been coming sooner, but I was down for almost all February by whatever random and strange virus decided to visit me. All better now. The good thing about being sick is how good it is to feel better. Art Print Club Is GrowingThanks to all who've signed up for my Art Print Club! The February delivery is on its way to you.
Art Print Club is a little piece of beauty and a moment of reflection in your mailbox every month. It's tiny portable art crafted with care and meant to be shared, gifted, displayed, or simply enjoyed. You'll receive a beautiful signed art card featuring my select artwork, and a letter from me, even a fun art sticker. Delivered from my studio to your door each month for $7. Help me spread the word. Tell a friend! Last year my painter friend Peg Coe and I traveled the McKenzie River corridor, looking for painting or photo spots. We plan to get to some more of that this year. I sketched this patch of old growth miraculously left untouched by the rampaging Holiday Farm Fire in September, 2020. The light through the filter of fir branches and hanging moss was breathtaking. And a little heartbreaking. It was one of those sun-in-sun-out days in Oregon, and I was painting in between rain showers. I got rained out before I could paint the view, but at least I managed this sketch. --- "Art Backstage" is my tiny gift to you. Each month I include a page from my art journals as high-resolution, printable (300dpi) image files for you to download and collect. You can print them or color on them, give them out as gifts, or use them as notecards. Decorate your device or your screensaver. Or collect a handful of them over time. Download February's Art Backstage image here. If you know someone who would enjoy receiving these little gems in their Inbox every month, send them here to sign up for my newsletter. Warmly, Julia |
Julia O'Reilly Art
Hello, and I'm glad you're here. My passion is art. I help people discover the joy of a rich creative life, starting now. Whether you're a fellow creator, a collector or new to the world of art, welcome to my wonderful world!
Greetings from the last lingering days of summer, at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere. Working Steadily My time in the studio is more often about a steady rhythm of work than spectacular achievement. That's how my summer has gone, for sure. I have a dozen paintings in the works and more events on the horizon, though my focus has been on maintaining calm forward momentum. Works in progress I'm still excited to work with material I gathered from my painting adventure to the...
New Paintings In progress! Some days all you do is push paint around. There are days in the studio when it feels like nothing is happening. A brushstroke gets painted over. A color is adjusted by the smallest degree. Hours pass, and the painting doesn't seem much different than when I started. But I've learned that this is part of the work. Not every session brings a breakthrough. Making a painting rarely comes with a roadmap. Most days, I simply show up, pay attention, and trust that the...
Art is so much more than just a picture. With many disturbing challenges in our world right now, it's a relief to come back to art-making. I let it wrap around me. Foremost is the calm that comes from sinking into the act of painting. It empties my mind of everything else. A mental and emotional mini-vacation. Looking at someone else's art works too. I get to experience wonder and awe, maybe joy, maybe shock, maybe transformation. Not all art has to soothe and beautify. Sometimes art is...