‘Among the Trees’ opens at Salute on May 15th
Julieanne Steedman is a colour-loving, coffee-drinking Northern Ontario visual artist. Her new collection of work ‘Among the Trees’ opens at Salute Coffee Company this coming Tuesday, May 15th from 5-6pm. Open to the public, the event is sure to inspire with colourful northern landscapes, snacks, swag bags for the first 40 attendees and a fun door prize.
Your art show at Salute is called Among the Trees – can you explain a bit about how did you come up with this title?
The winters here in Northern Ontario can be long, like really long (this year!). Sometimes I struggle waiting for spring to come and it can be easy to feel down. I made a big attempt this winter to get out more and spend time outside, hiking and being away from the house.
Research shows that spending time in forests and other natural environments supports healing and a sense of wellbeing. In Japan, it’s called “shinrin yoku,” which translates to “forest bathing.” This work is inspired by the need to spend time in nature and the change I feel in myself after being ‘among the trees’.
How did you get started with your painting? Can you remember the first piece you painted?
I’ve always been a creative kind of person, my mother taught my sisters and I to embroider and crochet at a young age. Initially I studied the arts in University (textiles) but then went on to pursue a career in teaching. I painted on and off since this time but really jumped in about four years ago. Teaching just wasn’t brining me the joy that it once had, and painting was really calling to me. My husband and friends really supported me in taking the leapt to pursue the arts full-time.
What is your painting process like?
That’s kind of a tricky question! I think it all starts with being inspired, and that can come from anything – spending time outdoors, seeing a great combination of colours (I took a photo of a display the grocery store the other day because I instantly was drawn to the colours) or chatting with other creative folks.
From there I normally sketch things out. Sometimes these sketches don’t look like much, but I really find it important to get it out of my head and put it on paper. Then I’ll take those sketches and start on the actual painting. I use a lot of colour and often add bit of turquoise or orange to pieces to really make things ‘pop’. I like to use A LOT of paint on my work and my husband often jokes that I could paint two or three paintings with the amount of paint I use on one piece, but I really like the texture it creates – it makes you want to run your fingers over the canvas (which you can, I put a varnish on all of my work so you can do just that).
Do you have a favourite genre of music or podcast you listen to while you’re painting?
I prefer to listen to music because I find it hard to concentrate on painting when I listen to a podcast. I am a bit all over the place because with music choices as it just depends on my mood. I like The Head and The Heart, Thievery Corporation, and anything classic that you know all the words too – like the soundtrack from Guardians of Galaxy.
Do you have a favourite colour palette that you work with? If yes – How did this colour palette come to be?
This collection really showcases sunsets, which are probably my favourite time of the day. As a child growing up at camp, I always loved taking that last swim before bed when the evening sky was like a rainbow – reflected in the water. You can get so many amazing colour combinations each and every night.
Will these pieces be for sale? Where can our readers purchase your art work?
The opening will be next Tuesday from 5-6pm at the Salute Coffee Company (73 Elm Street) and the first 40 guests will receive a little thank-you for attending, plus I’ll have snacks and a great door prize for everyone to enter. All of the work will be available for purchase through my website www.heirloomisland.com as of Tuesday afternoon (May 15th). I’ll also have a few pieces with me at the Makers North Spring Handmade Market at the Architecture School on June 2nd.
You can find out more about Julieanne on Facebook as well as on Instagram.
Emily Franceschini
Emily Franceschini is former full-timer and lover of all things purple. In a past life, Emily worked as a marketing manager and spent her free time searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Now all of her time is free time and she's spending it exploring the world.
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