Design

Painting of the Week | 01 The Takeoff

January 17, 2014

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jan17painting1

I have never been one to name my works of art, but it’s a new year and this is a new project–so here I am, naming paintings. This one I called, The Takeoff since it is the very first painting in my do-a-painting-a-week project this year. There are a few things I wanted to achieve with this project. First being to enjoy myself. Painting is my “me time.” I really tried to escape to a happier place while I painted this one in our dining area, since we haven’t set up a desk or make-shift studio anywhere yet, with Greta literally painting all over my palette the entire time. At one time, I started laughing because it wasn’t at all what I was envisioning. Maybe by the end of the year, I’ll have a place set up somewhere in the house where I can escape for a few minutes after putting the girls (there will be two by then!) to bed.

And that’s another thing this project is about–evolving. My paintings, my style–absolutely. But also our lives. To incorporate more of the things that calm and define us. We have, in a way, become slaves to our schedules and duties over the past couple years like any responsible adult, and this is an attempt to incorporate something that I love, and worked hard at for years in college, back into my life. And it is so like me to give myself a weekly deadline for even the fun things. Ha!

Like I mentioned last week, I will be producing one painting a week and presenting that painting here on Fridays. It will also be available for purchase in my Etsy shop. This is the first of many more to come. My mind can barely wrap itself around what painting 19 or 47 might look like. Can’t wait to share this evolving project with you.

For details or to purchase this painting, click here.

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What do you think?

  1. Hey I am so grateful I found your site, I really found you by mistake,
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  2. emily says:

    so gorgeous! since it sold so fast maybe you could make prints of the art for sale? it really was stunning, especially against that beautiful wall color.

  3. andrea says:

    Bummer- it got snagged so fast! Apparently you need to make a giclee!

  4. My heart! What a show stopper! I can’t wait to get a Julia Marcum original on our home someday!

  5. Veronica says:

    congratulations on setting a goal and accomplishing it. I love that it sold so fast! Looking forward to seeing more paintings and hopefully I can add one to my art collection.

  6. Jenna says:

    I’m bummed that sold so fast! It’s the perfect colors and look I’m going for in our bedroom makeover. I look forward to others! Congrats on getting back into painting, love your blog!

  7. It sold! Hooray for you! That must feel amazing for it to go SO quickly. Looking forward to the evolution the more you paint. Isn’t it crazy? I was looking back at my paintings from 3 years ago, and they are so incredibly different than the art I sell now.

    • Julia says:

      Definitely! While painting this, I was trying to force myself to progress. To paint something new right away. And it was showwinnnngggg. I finally stopped. Painted it out. And decided to let the evolution to just happen.

  8. Megan CC says:

    Bummer, missed it! FYI, your new blog posts aren’t showing up in Blogger since you made your change, at least for me. The last post that shows is the Nursery rug one.

  9. Jennifer says:

    It’s already sold! I seriously was clicking over to buy and it’s gone!!! Can I ask on here what the price was? I can’t see that on the listing now. I will be watching for these every Friday – love your stuff!

    • Julia says:

      This one was listed at $175. I listed it in the shop late last night. If you follow me on Etsy, you’ll likely get a first look on Thursday nights. ;)

    • Maria says:

      Right before I went to bed around midnight, I decided to look at Etsy. I saw the painting for $175 in my feed and was thrilled to see it was one of Julia’s. I thought it would go quickly, so I asked my almost asleep husband if we could buy it. He agreed, but I’m not sure if he’s going to remember that conversation when it arrives at our home. ;)
      Thanks so much for sharing your creative vision, Julia. Good luck with this project. I am looking forward to seeing what’s to come.

  10. Adrienne says:

    I’m also trying to get back into art, sell it (which would be a first for me!) on Etsy, and just really enjoy the process. There are a lot of weeks in the year but saying ‘a painting a week’ makes it sound a lot less overwhelming. I thank you for that!! I think I’ll be making that my goal too.

    Congrats on the sale already! :)

  11. lisa says:

    can you recommend some other etsy artists whose work you would like to incorporate into your home?

  12. Beautiful!

    FYI- yesterday as I was sawing even more trees around our greenhouse, I wondered about the weekly painting and how painting was going.

    Being writers, the hub and I thrive on beauty and time to create. We love sharing with others, too.

    So as I sawed, I wondered with hope and a prayer. Trusted and let go, for each life, artist, and journey is for the artist to know.

    The Takeoff is quite a statement of that journey!

    All the best.

    • Julia says:

      Wendy,

      Thank you, thank you! For thinking of me. I admit, this week didn’t go exactly as I had planned, but looking back, it was the perfect starting point. Only up from here!

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