Be The Change by Julie Leidel, 2020. Gouache on Illustration board, 20 x 24. New Year Greeting Card, artwork by Britsh illustrator Ethel Larcombe, early 1900-10s. Ethel Larcombe's, 1899 submission to The Studio Magazine entitled "Summer" 1900 children's book illustration by Ethel Larcombe. The Letter O from Larcombe's 1902 original alphabet design. One of Lacrombe's many book cover designs. 1917 design work for Sears, Roebuck, & C0. Designer unknown, but fits Larcombe's book design aesthetic. | As the idea for my next painting rolled around in my heart for a few weeks, I knew I wanted to have a strong visual to bring it alive with connection. I wanted this artwork to resonate with the historical time between 1890-1910 when the Art Nouveau Movement flourished and the time in which Mahatma Gandhi lived. The monarch butterfly has represented change across many cultures for centuries. This female figure in my artwork is not meant to be a fairy however, but it is more of a representation of the "hats" we wear in our lifetime. Similar to putting on a uniform, this is a way we become the job. It's more of a nostalgic take on why a super hero would wear a costume. I've heard many interviews with ordinary citizens put in extraordinary circumstances where the news heralds them "A Hero." Almost always, this hero never feels deserving of the title, they were just doing their part. That's exactly the point behind putting on your wings. We all can be that hero to someone by being the change we want to see in this world. "Be the change you wish to see in the world" is a beautiful quote, but it's not word for word from Gandhi in printed format. After some research, it is based on his printed teachings from 1913: "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him." In 1989, the L.A. Times asked Gandhi's family about the quote and this was their response. "The Gandhi family states that M. K. Gandhi was known to say this verse many times in his lifetime and believes it to be original with him." So to be as accurate as possible, this is why I wrote "Inspired by Gandhi" on the artwork. Notably in 1976, Arleen Lorrance wrote with the same idea "Receive all people as beautiful exactly where they are. Perceive problems as opportunities. Be the change you want to see happen instead of trying to change everyone else..." Many times the idea for my art's verse, and the idea for my art's composition & visual layout don't happen at the same time. I knew I wanted to base a painting off of Gandhi's teachings in Sept. of 2019 and include monarch butterflies. For my creative process, I muse over different ideas (usually just in my head) as the artwork starts to take shape in a very natural way. I keep my mind open and on the look out for inspiration. New Year 2020 comes around, and I can always count on my dear friend Robert Rust, co-author of The Arts & Crafts Home, and Arts & Crafts Architecture & Design Library to post the most wonderful, antique illustrations & cards on social media. I saw this amazing greeting card drawing, and I was in love. I stayed up all night on Dec. 29, 2019 creating my conceptual layout for the art. At the time, I didn't know who "LE" was, and neither did Robert. Weeks later, Laura Euler, author of The Glasgow Style, and Arts & Crafts Embroidery, gave us the missing link. LE is British illustrator Ethel Larcombe (1876-1940.) Anytime I can stumble across a new (to me) female A&C illustrator, I'm all in. I want to share my research of this amazing artist that was also thriving in the time of Gandhi (1869-1948), albeit in a much lesser known capacity. Ethel Larcombe was born in 1876 in Exeter, England where she lived all her life. Not to be confused with Ethel Thomson Larcombe (British tennis player, 1876-1965.) Her early influences included the book illustrations of Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway, whose work she studies and copied. William Morris’s Kelmscott Chaucer in 1896 inspired her to explore the Arts & Crafts style, and her artistic influences shifted to painters like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. In the following years she decreased her use of medieval elements and concentrated on more modern Art Nouveau designs and winning many competitions. Her work was featured in The Studio Magazine. Other publications that featured her work were Stone, Von Larisch, and Salwey. Her typographic lettering was shown in 1902 in Italy, and a German publication alongside an original alphabet by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. This style soon caught the eye of prolific book designer Talwin Morris, the Art Director of Blackie & Son in Glasgow. He commissioned her to design several book bindings for the firm and its London subsidiary, Gresham, between 1904 and 1912. Today, many of Larcombe's bindings are misattributed to Talwin Morris. Larcombe’s work was usually more compact compared to Morris’s. She also provided the title pages and initials to Walter Shaw Sparrow's Women Painters of the World, published in 1905, seen below. In the Spring of 1917, American retailer Sears, Roebuck, & Co. hired her to design green-bordered cotton textile "coverettes" and catalogues to appeal to the female buyers looking to decorate children's rooms. Ethel is also well known for her illustrated "rag books" for Dean & Son. Her designs were also used in postcards printed by E. W. Savory Co. and she provided graphical design work for Arts & Crafts furniture designers Neatby & Evans. Not much is known about her personal life, sadly. Ethel Larcombe died in Exeter in 1940. This is one of my favorite things about being a Revival artist; I love to bring back not only the style of the Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau movements, but also I love to raise awareness to some of my personal unsung heroes, the lesser known artists from this era. As I was writing, I discovered a lead on the 1917 Sears pamphlets. The last two images posted below have decorative designs that stand starkly against much of the other design work produced by Sears at that time, so I did a little more digging. I have a hunch both of these are Ethel's designs. The Glasgow School of Art put together a wonderful "Treasures of the GSA Library" online after GSA lost their centuries-old library collections in two separate and devastating fires in May 2014 and again in June 2018 before all renovations were complete. I don't believe this digital collection was available before the fires. This image below shows Ethel's 1905 cover (left) next to a 1917 Sears ad (right). Ethel Larcombe's unique typography is unmistakable in both. Lastly, I want the reader to understand that artists are inspired by other artists and have been since the beginning of time. Art history shows us time and time again how peers (and rivals) have influenced, innovated, and copied each others work whether they are living at the same time, or are divided by a century or more. When I saw this 1905 title page of Women Painters of the World illustrated by Ethel Larcombe, the first artist that popped into my 21st century mind was none other that of Mary Engelbreit. I'd be willing to bet she's been influenced by this book illustrator too. It's a small world, after all. |
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![]() I want to help bring balance to people’s lives through art. Simply put, I want my artistic expression to be a reminder to seek out genuine human connection and true closeness to nature (and the divine) while focusing on the present moment. As I write, I realize I want to explain more about why I have this goal, not only for my art but for my life. I want to be part of a movement to wake people up from the zombie-like state that technology can trap us in. We are near people every day without connecting to them. We reach more people than ever before in history through technology, sometimes without a single thought of making a positive interaction. We tend to over-correct in response to this over-stimulated, over-busy, over-stressed society we live in by shutting out true connections and replacing them with artificial ones. We walk into people on the street absentmindedly, or crash our cars into other cars because we are too busy “connecting” to people through our smart phones. Technological development has paved the way for invention, innovation and improvement in almost every aspect of our modern lives, yet this constant hum of synthetic reality has become a replacement for genuine human connection. We are in close proximity 24/7 to other humans around the globe, mostly through artificial devices: smart phones, computers, automobiles, head phones, televisions, Apple Watches, iPads, gaming consoles, video surveillance, virtual reality, and many more. Technology is swirling around us all the time through apps, social media, websites, email, radio, texts, pod casts, news casts, movies, gaming, programming, and the list goes on and on. We can stand feet or even inches away from people without acknowledging them. We can sit with loved ones to share a meal without even talking to them, looking down at the technology in front of us instead. I see each of these advancements as a possible brick in a larger wall of isolation around our souls if we aren't careful to find balance. The way technology fosters multi-tasking and hyper productivity in our daily life is also a major cause of stress, overwhelming us with a sense of being too busy for honest, heart-felt connection to one another. We, as the human race, have morphed into human doings, not human beings. I find it interesting that the Oxford dictionary definition of human being is this: “a man, woman, or child of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished from other animals by superior mental development, power of articulate speech, and upright stance.” Think about this for a moment. Has our superior mental development (as it relates to our constant use of technology) hindered our power to articulate speech with our actual vocal cords? Has it even cut into our ability and opportunity for upright stance on a regular basis? Has our artificial, constant closeness to people mindlessly changed our ability to really “plug in” to a human connection on a soulful and healthy level? Has technology changed how we human? (Yes, I’m changing “human” to a verb for a second.) Human connection isn’t just about those closest to us. It doesn’t stop at our family and friends or our co-workers and classmates – those souls that we have put more effort into, or those people that we have just spent more time around. Human connection to me also happens as we walk on the sidewalk, as we drive down the road, as we take up space in a room of a building, as we stand on our earth, under the sun or moon, and of course as we use our various technological devices. But, we have literally thousands of opportunities for human connection every single day to the people that are right next to us, physically not just virtually. I’ve been selling my artwork at art shows and festivals for nine years, and I’ve had conversations with literally tens of thousands of people. For the last two years of my journey, I changed my focus when I’m at a show meeting new people. I very purposely set a new intention for that part of my life, which ends up being over 50 full days a year. I actively talk to strangers that end up walking out as friends. I didn’t want my focus to be solely on selling my art (to make a living) but my purpose shifted to really, genuinely connect with people in the here and now. I want to hear their stories of connection to the land and nature, and also to each other. I want to listen to their memories that my paintings may bring to the surface. Over the last two years especially, I’ve paid attention. I see the human spirit in beautiful new and surprising ways. I see people struggle with the same things I struggle with, while at the same time seeing how unique and special and different they all are. My empathy and compassion has increased, and my judgement has slowed. I want to learn from others, even if we only cross paths for a few moments in this lifetime. I can’t tell you how much this has changed by artwork, and my perspective on life. I was scared to be that present, to make it my goal to really connect because I really thought it would be draining at first. I’ve been blown away by how much this focus has filled me up, in direct contrast to my fears. I literally find myself some days trying to figure out why other artists are starting tear down so early, only to discover that the day has flown by because it was filled with so many great conversations. That said, I screw up this goal all. the. time. I forget to focus on my intention to connect. I get tired and hot, or worried about that big dark cloud, or the fact that I have to use the restroom and I don’t know how to sneak away for a second to take care of me. I get annoyed at thoughtless comments by others. I forget to turn off my inner monologue to focus on listening to the person in front of me. I can give so much to new people during the day, that I may forget to give that same attention and 10 times more to my own family and friends. But, I know I’m making progress. I know I can turn that mindful, present-moment focus on quicker and more often when I practice it regularly. I know there’s always room for improvement. I know that my life is richer and more colorful and inspired and full, not because of the technology that makes my life easier, but by the human beings that cross my path each day and their openness to connect to me, especially if they see the door is open. This is what I want people to take home with them in my artwork too: Genuine human connection and true closeness to nature (and the divine) while focusing on the present moment. I share this long manifesto with you today because I’ve also made it a goal of mine to define my mission as an artist (as it turns out) on virtual paper, not just in my head alone. I hope this is the beginning of many new experiences I can open myself up to as a business owner, dreamer, artist, and of course, human being.
Looking for Help: I've recently found out that someone is actively selling paper prints and reproductions of my EXACT artwork without permission, or compensation to me as the artist. They have been selling in the Colorado Springs area in April, and may be in more retail locations and shows. I'm asking for help my friends. If you see a store or booth location with my artwork out there (and I'm not there, or they aren't on my current list of locations: https://www.thebungalowcraft.com/shows--locations.html) will you please grab the sellers information and post a picture of them and my art for me here? It would mean the world to me. Thank you deeply for your help in catching an active thief. Just post a pic and tell me when and where you saw my work and I'd be happy to verify that it's legit. Much love and gratitude...
My daughter Abby in Grindelwald, Switzerland Leidel's in Laterbrunnen, Switzerland Hallstatt, Austria. So breathtakingly beautiful that the Chinese built an exact replica of this town! My daughter swooped up into a Mozart Opera in Salzburg, Austria
I've recently been commissioned by the Civic Center Conservancy to create a painting to commemorate the 100th anniversary of The Greek Theater and Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver. On this journey, I've found and fallen in love with the artwork of Allen Tupper True (1881-1955.) and I wanted to share some of his amazing story here. He was born in Colorado Springs, and spent a great deal of his life here in Colorado. He grew up living at a time where the west was still a beautiful combination of early settlers, Native Americans, frontiersman, trappers, and prospectors. His goal was to always tell the true story of his American West: the hardships, virtues, spirituality, work ethic, and daily life of all the people living here at the turn of the century. ![]() Photo Credit: Victoria Tupper Kirby in her book Allen Tupper True: An American Artist
Here's my trick to take a gallery-wrapped art canvas down to a thickness you can easily frame on your own. The reason I do this is simple. My printer does a STELLAR job in professionally adhering the art canvas to the inside backer board. No mat or glass is needed to bring this art canvas to life in a standard frame. I tried ordering rolled canvas prints, and I couldn't get them to lay flat to save my life it seemed. Then, I realized that this part is already done for me, I just need to make it flat for most frames.
I open up the back, pull off the black backer board (usually in many chunks) and then take out the foam core center. I then gently open up the artwork like a present to lay all the edges flat. If you have box cutters and a cutting mat, then you have everything you need to make that art canvas lie flat for framing without a mat. As you open up the back, you’ll see the beveled edge on the inside that makes the corners so nice and flat when it's folded up. No ruler needed, you just run your knife along that inside beveled edge and it cuts perfectly to size. Make my art, YOUR art by customizing it to get the designer look you want! ![]() I've had some questions about my raven and the meaning. There's a lot tucked into this one. The messy tail feathers are very much on purpose. In my raven, there's an Art Nouveau feel of course, so there are some curves thrown in, but most importantly, this raven is a truth seeker. Especially when it's hard and can be unbelievably brave to tell the truth. This raven and the motto were inspired initially by the "silence breakers" of 2017 and beyond. It's quite literally meant to ruffle tail feathers. The truth isn't always easy, and it's not always attainable for many. Odin (from Norse Mythology) had two truth-seeking ravens fly the world and report back to him. They were named Thought (Huginn) and Memory (Muninn.) In each voyage for every individual, I believe that if we strive to speak truth, happiness is close at hand. Speak truth not only in the present to those around us but, even more importantly, to ourselves. The narrative we end up believing about our inner self through our thoughts and our memories needs to be checked or even reevaluated from time to time. Are we holding up truth even then? Are we honoring our truth by not tearing ourselves down with our inner monologue? Are we glossing over something we really should feel remorse for and make it right? Are we being fair, loving, and truthful to the one inside? Be honest... The voyage of self discovery is the longest journey we'll encounter in our lifetime. Please join The Colorado Arts and Crafts Society on Saturday, January 20, 2018 for our annual Winter Symposium at the Boettcher Mansion. We are delighted to bring CJ Hurley Century Arts to Colorado as our featured speakers this year. Roycroft Master Artisan CJ Hurley and Barbara Pierce are a dynamic design team from Oil City, PA (formerly from Portland, OR) specializing in historic homes. This is a special year where, in addition to our CACS Symposium, we also have CJ & Barbara for an extended stay (with more activities happening on Sunday, Jan. 21st at Modern Bungalow in Denver, and Monday, Jan. 22nd potentially happening in your very own home). Keep reading this issue of The Arts & Crafts Messenger to see the full line-up of events. (See attached 2017_Dec.pdf file below.) We’ll begin the Symposium from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. with a professional color workshop by Barbara Pierce. The evening program will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour where beer, wine and light appetizers will be served. Our annual business meeting, catered buffet, and presentation will be underway shortly thereafter. CJ Hurley will be our keynote speaker and his presentation entitled Artistic Couples of the Arts & Crafts Movement: Frances MacDonald & Herbert McNair and Carl & Karin Larsson will begin around 6:30 p.m. in the Mansion’s Fireside Room. Admission is $40 for members ($50 for guests) and will include a catered dinner brought to us by The Pines at Genesee. RSVP to Cynthia Shaw at 720-497-7632 by January 16th. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring friends or family to learn more about the Arts & Crafts Movement, and sign up for a color consultation for their bungalow or historic home. ![]()
What's better than deep discounts and overstock sales on artwork this holiday season? How about deep discounts ON overstock sales! That's right, I'm running two sales at once, and you can pile on the savings now through Dec. 31st.
There's a lone tree atop a hill filling tens of thousands of people with inspiration, a sense of stability, connection to nature, and peace. This tree isn't deep in the Rocky Mountains, or on a hilltop somewhere in a remote part of Tibet. Nope, it's in an environment that you may least suspect from the description you just read. It's in the heart of Los Angeles, California.
This aging gnarled pine is a respite from the hustle and bustle below. People from all over the world hike to this singular tree in hopes of changing their perspective. Not just by the view, but by the words, images, song lyrics, and letters of inspiration that people leave in a box beneath the tree for all to read. It's a place to reconnect with Mother Earth, amid a sea of busy. It's a place to rest and breathe, and stretch, and write. Wisdom Tree represents a vein of hope for the natural world and a reminder to lift your head up and seek stillness if even for a short moment each day. Original gouache painting 16" x 20" Framed in quartersawn oak - $2600.00. Prints available. Photo Credit: Christina Pfitzinger Modern Bungalow has chosen me to be their featured artist for October and November. Thank you Modern Bungalow!
If you live in the Denver area and like my artwork, chances are really good you'll LOVE this amazing Arts & Crafts home furnishing store. Ed and Kate Sultan have recently sold their business to two dear friends of mine, Matt Hubbard & Danielle Sandusky. It's been an amazing journey to see these four lovely people share in a love for the Arts & Crafts Movement and it's revival. Through this process, they've also grown to be life-long friends. Stop in Modern Bungalow this month to say farewell and hello to these amazing individuals, and to see 7 of my original paintings and art prints for sale. https://modernbungalow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ModernBungalow/ I'm so honored to be one of the ten chosen artists for the Painted Violin Project for Denver Young Artists Orchestra (DYAO.) The event is November 12th, and you can learn more about my violin at http://www.paintedviolin.com/meet-the-artists/julie-leidel/
To purchase YAO concert tickets and come to the Painted Violin Opening Reception, please visithttps://lakewood.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=251 You and your friends are invited to tour Julie Leidel's Evergreen art studio Sept. 16-17, 10:00 - 5:00pm
The Bungalow Craft will open it's doors to the public! Come visit Julie Leidel and see her home and art studio, current artwork in progress, and experience her inspiration in the Arts & Crafts Movement (1880-1920) and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Walk our mountain foot trail, and enjoy the neighboring elk and deer. Julie will also have LOADS of artwork for sale: Original paintings, art canvas prints, matted prints, magents, and notecards. There will even be an overstock and bargan bin with some great end-of-season deals. Commission work is also available. Wine and appitizers will be served while you experience what The Bungalow Craft is all about this Fall. www.thebungalowcraft.com | www.EvergreenOpenDoorStudios.com I've been chosen as the featured artist for this year's 5th annual Cheesman Park Arts Festival - July 29 & 30th. There are 18 billboards up around Denver that have my artwork featured on them for the show.
To celebrate, I’m holding a PHOTO CONTEST! Post a picture of one of my billboards on your Instagram or Facebook timeline by Friday, July 28th, mention Julie Leidel and add a link to my website www.thebungalowcraft.com. Stop by my booth (E6 & E7) July 29 or 30th at the Cheesman Park art show and show me your post, and I'll give you one 8x10 print for $55 (Retails for $75.) THERE WILL BE ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER FOR BEST PHOTO! By the end of the show, I'll have picked a winner from the photos that are brought to me in person. The most creative photographer will win a FREE 20x24 Art Canvas Print of my artwork - you pick your favorite painting! (Retails for $350) BILLBOARD LOCATIONS AROUND DENVER: E. Colfax & Park Ave West, 4221 Steele, 5225 Leetsdale, 2063 Larimer, 3550 Brighton, 4635 E. Colfax, 2223 E. Colfax, 2401 W. Evans, 3800 Kalamath, 3636 Brighton, 3620 Downing, 3659 Marion, 2261 California, 50 W. 12th, 2050 W. 2nd, 3654 E. 50th 1180 W. Custer, and 290 Federal. I just walked down to the mailbox to find my favorite letter of the year waiting for me. I've been accepted as a Roycroft Renaissance Artisan for a second year! This warms my heart, and gives me a real sense of belonging within the Roycrofters-At-Large Association. I'll be heading out to New York this June for Summerfest, and I'm over-the-moon excited to spend some quality time on campus in the days before the show.
Inspiration comes both from the past and present for me. The beautiful dance through time that Edward Curtis and Paul Unks have is an amazing thing to behold. I'm so honored to have Edward Curtis's Incense over a Medicine Bundle in my art studio. This artisan giclee print brings mindfulness everyday through the grounded spirit of the Hidatsa People (plains tribe from modern-day North Dakota.) The pipe you see from this photo taken in 1908 is actually over 2,000 year old and still used in ceremony today. I can almost smell the single smoke line of sage burning as I gaze into this quite moment in time. Paul Unks of Mountain Hawk Fine Art http://www.curtisprints.net is unmatched is his authentic and painstaking detail to recreate Curtis's work as he would have done over 100 years ago. I'm grateful for your friendship Paul, and if only we had a time machine to go back and meet Curtis and the Native American friends he made, I think we'd do just that. To learn more, please read my article (written for the Colorado Arts & Crafts Society, see the file below these two images) on how much love goes into Paul's photogravures, & goldtones. Everyone should know the name Edward Curtis. The historical work he did in preserving the heritage and history of over 80 Native American tribes through story and photography still lives on today. My admiration for both the Shadow Catcher, and The Brother of the Shadows runs deep. ![]()
I've been creating some Arts & Crafts pattern designs and having a ball doing it. These are so much fun to make, I had to tell myself to get back to other paintings. Hopefully in a few months, you'll see one or two of these poppy or pine designs in textile. Fingers crossed...more to come...
I was very honored to be interviewed for the Roycrofters-At-Large Association Chronicle in Feburary of 2017. Becoming a Roycroft Renaissance Artisan in 2016 has meant the world to me. I'm humbled to be counted among so many talented artists from around the country. To learn more about RALA, and the Roycroft Master and Renaissance Artisans, please visit http://www.ralaweb.com/ ![]()
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