Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Julie McLellan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Julie, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
I lack patience, I admit it. My younger self had even way less patience than I do now. I tried to start my art career many times and had a few successes, but did not really stick with it long enough to gain any momentum. I loved being in the classroom with 20 plus energetic children learning, discovering, creating and making a mess, and then doing it all over again 6-7 times a day for over 20 years. They fed my energy and I fed theirs. That was my focus and where I was called to be, and I look back on my years in the art room as my own personal education. When I find myself getting in my head, getting caught in that spiral of “am I good enough?” and “what will people think?”, I dig back in my memories of those students drawing, painting and experimenting with abandon. I remember the joy they would almost vibrate with when they mixed paint to create a new color, squeezed a lump of clay in their hands for the first time, or pulled their first print and exclaimed with joy “look what I made!”
So to answer the question if I wish I had started sooner or later, I think I started building my art career a long time ago, it has been building for years. I feel like I am turning a new page, and I am looking forward to 2023 and spreading my wings even more. I am still a teacher, it is in my blood. I am now working with students remotely, and I am not sure that I am ready to give that up anytime soon. Kids feed my soul. I feel like I am choosing to focus on painting now, at just the right time in my life. I am turning 50 next year (holy cow!), and I am finding myself starting to feel that same excitement about the future that I witnessed in my students in the art room. Everytime I buy more paint, purchase a new brush, read a new article about an artist or a technique and learn new ideas, I feel energized. The Amazon truck pulled up in front of my house the other day with a delivery of 3 foot by 4 foot canvases, and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. That large white surface used to scare me to death, now I see possibilities, and I am ready to say “look what I made!”
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I completed my undergraduate work in Education and Fine Arts at Indiana University, then earned a Masters Degree in Art Education from Western Michigan University, and studied one summer at SACI in Florence, Italy. I taught elementary and middle school Art for over 20 years, and I worked with Very Specials Arts in Indiana and Michigan. I also teach art classes and workshops that I call “Art” Uncorked!”, and I now teach high school virtually with My Virtual Academy.
I am definitely inspired by nature. My paintings are a response to what I see and feel, and I love to look closely at details, and conversely I love landscapes as a way to capture a moment. Lately I have been finding myself drawn to architecture and still life and discovering ways to incorporate the clean geometric lines into compositions filled with the organic lines and forms of nature. I find my style evolving and changing constantly, and I love to try new materials and experiment. I used to paint mostly with watercolors, and lately, I have been drawn to acrylics. I love the way I am able to work fast, layer and create various textures. My goal is to capture a moment, remember how it feels, and share it with others. My art is my way to express my feelings and to share my story. I want to connect with people through my art. People surround themselves with what makes them feel good, and I want to be part of that. I have some fun new ideas bumbling around in my brain for new works, stay tuned in 2023!
I recently partnered with Art Storefronts and created a website that features my original artwork, along with prints on various media. My paintings can be printed in custom sizes for individual spaces, and they can be printed on paper, canvas, metal, acrylic and wood. In addition, my art can be printed on other fun items like custom messaged greeting cards, coasters, tote bags, throw pillows, phone cases, mugs, ornaments, serving trays and even yoga mats! It is fantastic to be able to offer all of these options for buyers at price points that start as low as $12.00. My website also offers the ability for the buyer to view my artwork in various sizes on a wall of any color in an actual room using the “Wall Preview” tool, it is so fun!
Color is where I find my joy when creating. I love to spend time online looking at artwork or strolling through a gallery. I love to see the variety of styles and how each artist communicates in their own way. So many times I am drawn to a beautiful muted, monochrome painting, and I think, maybe I will try that. I have a few pieces inspired by these experiences, and I love them. But then I find myself at the easel, and all of those juicy colors available to me, and I can’t help myself. Currently, I am sitting in my home in Michigan on a dreary, gray winter day, and I seek color and life. I actually love this time of rest in nature, it’s slumber, and the promise of what is to come. Browse through my website, and you will see my passion for color.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My goal in my creative journey is twofold. The introverted side of me (yes, for those of you who know me personally, I do have an introverted side), creates art for me. I love the whole process. Starting with the idea or inspiration, the blank surface, the first lines and brushstrokes, blocking in the big shapes, the messy middle, then pulling out the details and highlights. I am a planner – I have lists, schedules and sticky notes everywhere. I make a plan when I create, but the process forces me to deviate from my plan, step outside of my comfort zone, and follow where the paint takes me, and I love that adventure.
I also create art as a way to connect with people. Art brings people together, it creates communication. Artists share their soul through their art, and the viewer is invited to step inside their world. It definitely creates a vulnerability, but that vulnerability allows people to see you for who you really are.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
This is a tough question. One reward is that I am never bored. I have a pretty short attention span, so at any one time I may have 2 to 3 paintings or sketches in process at one time. I love a good deadline, it is motivating for me. I am constantly seeking opportunities to show my work and thrive on completing artwork by a certain date to submit to a show or competition.
I would have to say that the biggest reward is that it gives me focus and purpose. I love to learn, and I want to continue to grow as an artist, and as a person in general. I pause to look at where I am now, where I was a few years ago and where I would like to be a few years in the future. I look back on successes I have had, and mistakes I have made, and what I have learned from them. I am constantly trying to improve my technique, learning more about quality materials, sketching, researching and trying to practice daily. The journey is the reward, and I am so happy to share it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yellowdogarts.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yellowdogarts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yellowdogarts
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-mclellan-64b74b56/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/yellowdogarts
- Other: https://wordpress.com/view/yellowdogarts.wordpress.com https://www.tiktok.com/@yellowdogarts
Image Credits
Julie McLellan