No Worries, watercolor Bloom Where you Are Planted, a poured Watercolor

Dancing, flitting butterflies. I think of them at this time of year, just before Easter, as a promise of hope, new life, and resurrection. 

I have painted them, made them out of handmade paper and just enjoyed them. The painting, Resurrection 3, has butterflies from all parts of the world bursting forth from the tomb. A symbol of resurrection and new life. (Image above)

ink on handmade paper Flamingo with butterflies  turtles on a log

Last week I was in the Butterfly Gardens in Victoria, BC. There were so many butterflies a couple of times one landed on me. As my granddaughter, Emery, is 2 and a half this year, she engaged with all the animals and butterflies. It was fun to see her delight. Emery’s new little sister, slept through it all.

I spent time tring to capture this fast blue butterfly that looks brown when it's wings are folded.

Have a Happy Easter Weekend. May you find hope and new life stirring around you!

Art has helped me process my feelings over the years and I need to let it help me again this month.

The art has come through as "Trust the process" paintings, poetry, songs or paintings and sometimes the ones I already did speak back into me life.

As I think about processing my feelings, this image came to mind. It is a contemplative/ process painting I did a few years ago during an  Art Vocabulary for the Soul Retreat and sits on my studio wall as a reminder of learning to be present through life's twists and turns and walk through whatever is going on today or this month. 

As I flipped through the Bible one morning for my quiet time, text I had previously underlined caught my eye - Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. 

It goes on to describe a tumultuous scene of nature with turbulent waters and quaking mountains.

This led me back to a couple paintings I did for the God is my refuge series.

When looking at mountains in the fog and clouds like this one of the Three Sisters, Canmore, AB (Steadfast III, watercolor, 11 in x 15 in), the mountains are still there, steadfast. This is how God is: steadfast. This Steadfast Presence is what I can hold on to when facing uncertainty, things out of my control, or just walking into the unknown.

When I sat at the seashore one summer, I reflected on the ceaseless motion of the waves, like God's love. (Never Ceasing Love, watercolor, 15 in x 22 in, $895) 

I am holding on to these images of God’s steadfast presence and his never ceasing love. 

There are two items with our family. The first is a joyful anticipation: we are expecting another grandchild any time now. And our prayers are with Nathaniel and Taylor as they wait and for a safe delivery and healthy baby. 

For the second one, our daughter, Natalia, will have a dangerous brain surgery this month on the 13th to remove a tumor.  (Note: as of yesterday, Natalia's surgery is postponed due to  emergency surgeries, no new date for the surgery yet.)

I can already see God’s hand in my schedule. I had two classes on Fridays that were canceled due to low enrollment. The surgery is on a Friday and the appointment for prep consultation was also on a Friday. And as the surgery is on the Friday before a long weekend, I am not teaching then either. I will be able to spend the time needed to be with her.

I trust that God will be with the doctors, with Natalia and with us as we wait and walk with her through this. 

This morning, I did two process paintings, as we do on the Friday night of the Art Vocabulary for the Soul Retreat. (tempera paints, sponge, plastic card, and gloves for fingerpainting)

This is  a picture of my anxiety this morning:

May you find joy in the everyday, 

peace in an uncertain world,

and love of family, and friends

in this season, this month, this Christmas!

About the painting:

Pink and White Poinsettia inspired by a combination of the poinsettias I saw as I taught two drop in painting sessions this month at the Muttart Conservatory. 

Pink and White Poinsettia, watercolor, 6 in x 8 in, unframed, $145. Send an email if you are interested in this painting.  I will have it at the NOA Christmas Market on Dec 13.

The next Drop in painting session at the Muttart will be January 11. Pre registration for it will open up on Dec 28.

What an amazing week at Hotel Leone in Montelparo, Le Marche, Italy!

Where is Hotel Leone and Le Marche? See the red Montelparo on the map. The photo boxes on the map indicate where I traveled and took a number of pictures.

We painted the sunrise overlooking the view toward the Adriatic sea, which you can see in the distance. In the afternoon, we took advantage of a large awning to paint the clouds and storm clouds as they came up.

We went on three excursions to paint:

Pedaso on the Adriatic Sea.

Smerillo with a Roman ruin and medieval village.

Due to rain, we went to Servigliano as it had places to still paint outdoors under shelter. It was cold and rainy, though and a number of us went inside the church to paint and draw.

Not only was it an art retreat, but we dipped into the culture there. We learned some of the history of the area as we traveled to our painting locations. 

The long mealtimes were a great time to sample Italian cuisine and get to know one another. We were well taken care of.

Our day off, we spent touring 3 Le Marche family run farms - produce (we saw the tomato sauce preparation), dairy (cheese production) and wine. And we tried the different produce, cheese and wine the farms produced. A real "taste of Le Marche" experience.

As It was rainy on our second day spent in Montelparo, we stayed in the studio to work on the paintings we had already started. 

Our last night was a celebration with a showing of our beautiful artwork from the week. It is always so nice to see all the artwork together up on display. My group painted lovely paintings that Captured Italy as they saw it that week. I have included samples of their art here.

I am making plans to return to Hotel Leone, October 8-15, 2027. (two years from now) Will you join me on the next retreat?

I finished a few paintings during the Art retreat in Italy. The dispaly above is from our final night in Montelparo when the Governor came to our little exhibition from the week!

This painting will be gracing the wall at Hotel Leone.

I let the Italian landsape inspire the start of a few new paintings as I traveled around Italy. Stay tuned for more to come.

I will be changing my paintings at the NOA Gallery later in February, 2026

Gallery Hours
Monday - Wednesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Thursday-Friday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday Noon - 5 p.m.
(780)718-7635

A couple weeks ago, I was in Kingston, Ontario for my youngest daughter’s graduation from Queen’s University.

I always like seeing new places and scoping out potential paintings. At some point, I will paint the Kingston harbour so I can capture all the details that made it captivating. From the reflections created by the light hitting the water, to a tour boat that gave me nostalgia for my time in St Louis as a girl, to Fort Henry and the watch towers in the background, each feature worked in tandem to create a picturesque scene. I even liked the Canadian Geese in the foreground. I took several reference photos to get angles and possible perspectives, so I will be able to fully capture the scene in a future painting.

While resting by the pool one afternoon at our hotel, I painted (plein air- painting in the open air) the gazebo in front of me and added a plant I had seen and painted in Edmonton. Quiet beauty, 6 x 5.5in, watercolor. ©Julie Drew

On our way back to the airport, we made a brief detour to the Prince Edward County Lavender farm where my daughter filmed me painting the lavender field. We will get it posted on Youtube later this month. Fragrant Waves, 5 x 7 in, watercolor. ©Julie Drew I had never seen white lavendar. Have you?

Join me for some plein air sessions this summer- two Thursdays in July and two in August (2025). $20 a session. Send me an email if you are interested. More information on the plein air sessions.

Alternative Process Week – 5 Day Art Retreat w/ 4 Different Instructors         

Monday, August 18th – Friday, August 22th

10:30 AM – 4:00 PM

$495 ($395 + $100 Supply Fee) for Full Week

$105 ($80 + $25 Supply Fee) per Workshop

Class Limit: 15 Students

Summer Week-long Retreat at Artelier!

Looking for a creative getaway not far from home? Why not spend a week at Artelier exploring and experimenting with a diverse range of materials?

This week we’ll be exploring alternative processes such as papermaking, working with fabric dye and UV reactive processes such as Solar Fast. Experiment with indigo and even use some of your paper and materials to make your own book at the end of the week!

Each instructor will cover a different medium and project, however many of these processes are transferable and harness the potential for combining and mixing. Whether you’re looking to expand on your skill set and gain a more comprehensive understanding any of these processes, or try something completely new, Alternative Process Week is the retreat for you!
Discover your new favourite medium!

5 days of artmaking with 4 different instructors! 
Take one class, or sign up for the whole week!

Monday: Join us for a full morning and afternoon of Paper Making with Julie Drew. Make a variety of beautiful and unique papers from natural and recycled fibres.
Tuesday: Next Arlene Westin will walk you through the steps of creating your own Itajime Shibori patterns on paper.
Wednesday: Explore colour and the vibrant world of fabric paints and dyes with Arlene Westen with Alrene Westen. Create images on fabric and paper with Dye-na-flow and Solar Fast!
Thursday: After exploring Dye-na-flow and other synthetic paints and dyes, on Thursday Anna Wildish will guide you through the process of preparing and using some natural dyes on fabric and paper.
Friday: At the end of the week, Callum McKenzie will help you make your own stitch bound book, with materials of your choice. Try using papers that you’ve been working on throughout the week!

About the Instructors: 

Julie Drew waits and listens, letting the details of the world around her speak beauty and wonder. Adding her own distinct expression using watercolor and mixed media to capture the depths and nuances of color, light, and shadow, she creates paintings that proclaim peace, mystery, and wonder.

Her passion for art led to a BFA in Painting and Drawing from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, USA in 1987. Julie has been painting for over 35 years. In 1997, Julie moved with her family to Edmonton, Alberta. Although Julie works predominantly in watercolor, she also uses mixed media with her own handmade paper. Julie teaches watercolor, mixed media, acrylic, oil and papermaking. Her art work has been exhibited around Alberta.

To see more of Julie’s work, check out her website and Instagram:

Website: www.JulieDrew-ArtandFaith.com

Instagram: @shedrewit_artandfaith

Check out more classes with Julie!

Multi-disciplinary artist, Arlene Westen, brings over 30 years of teaching experience to her students. Her proficiencies include mixed-media, collage, surface design, book arts, and printmaking.After graduating from Grant MacEwan University with a Visual Arts Diploma, she earned two further baccalaureate degrees: Fibre Art (Honors) from the Alberta University of the Arts, and a Studio Arts Degree (Honors with Great Distinction) from University of Lethbridge.

To see more of Arlene’s work, check out her Website and Instagram:

Instagram: @arlenewesten

Check out more classes with Arlene!

Anna Wildish is an interdisciplinary artist who works primarily with textiles, and sound.  Since moving to Edmonton from Halifax in 2021, she has been performing at noise and sound events with collaborator Andrew Thorne. Wildish is a sentimentalist and relies on weaving, natural dye, writing and sound to explore her fascination with memory, sense-making, connection, and luck.

Callum McKenzie (he/they) is an Edmonton-based emerging artist and printmaker. They earned their Bachelor of Design in Printmaking from the University of Alberta in 2022 and completed an Emerging Artist in Residence program at SNAP Gallery in 2023. Callum has a penchant for impulsively purchasing paper and figuring out what to do with it later. Their work draws on their experiences as a queer ADHDer and they explore themes of masking, grief and dysphoria through repetitive print and paper-based practices. Callum has shown their work in a number of curated shows and exhibitions including Inner Space in FAB Gallery and How Could I Know If No One Ever Told Me in SNAP Gallery.

To see more of Callum’s work, check out their Instagram:

Instagram: @humdrum_and_callum

Student Supplies:

1. Any extra materials, such as paper or fabric you would like to use during the week
2. Suitable art clothes, hand towel, notebook, snack, drink

You will receive a 20% discount on all art supplies, from your registration until the end of the series!

Artelier is located at 10045 81 Avenue NW, Edmonton (back alley entrance). The workshop space is one block south of The Paint Spot.

Alternative Process Week: 5 Day Art Retreat, Edmonton, Alberta

We had a lovely trip to Victoria to see our three grandchildren with our four children and two daughters in law. I forgot to get a family photo done so I don’t have that to show this time. It was so good to spend time outdoors – biking, walking the coast, Butchart Gardens and the Butterfly Gardens.

I even had a few moments to capture some scenes in my watercolor sketchbook and take photos for future paintings.

Three sketches from the deck of the ferry to Victoria:

I took a few more minutes to sketch at the end of our time at the Butchart Gardens. So many beautifull flowers to choose from. I liked this color combination for a quick sketch.

The Butterfly Gardens had some beautiful birds I don’t normally see – a flamingo and parrots. Here are some that I will demo during the Animals and Birds in Watercolor: drawing and painting class that starts on May 15. This class is in the beautiful ArtsHub Ortona space (9722 102 St). There is plenty of parking. There is still some room in the class if you would like to join it.  As always in my classes, I demonstrate an idea, or a technique and my students can follow along or work on their own ideas. I feel my students learn better when working on subjects and ideas they are interested in.

The Promise of Spring

-Abundant Flowers-

April 1- May 3

Watercolor, Acrylic, Oil and Color Pencil Paintings

Artist: Julie Drew

Opening Reception: April 3, 7-8 pm

 Location: The Carrot Community Coffeehouse
9351 118 Ave NW, Edmonton

At this time of year, I look at the buds swelling, indicating the promise of Spring on its way. Winter releases its hold, and new life springs forth. I watch for the pussy willows, and for new shoots pushing up through the earth. I measure the tulip and hyacinth leaves and wait for the buds to emerge and start their dance. Walking through the woods, I am always on the lookout for the hidden gem, like the “Wild Lady” which was tucked away amidst the leaves, nearly invisible.

Painting the myriads of blooms in their dance is a way for me to engage in the dance of new life. Each flower has its own special feature or essence that speaks to me. I captured the essence of the translucent, delicate blooms in watercolor, color pencil, acrylic and oil, selecting a medium that best encapsulates the moment.

As you may or may not know, I am drawn to waterfalls. When we travel, I like to include a waterfall somewhere on the trip, if possible. The closest waterfall to Edmonton, is Crescent Falls, which is west of Rocky Mountain House.

Last month, I was finally able to see Crescent Falls in all its frozen glory.

My husband, Sam, and I took the warm Sunday in January to celebrate our 37th Anniversary by driving 3 hours to see Crescent Falls and the frozen bubbles in Abraham Lake, which is only 30 minutes from Crescent Falls.

Sam and I like road trips, getting out of the city, breathing fresh air, and seeing new things. We read and discuss things together that make the journey shorter. This time we started talking about Steve Bell’s Album and book, The Glad Surprise, which will probably find its way into this year's Art Vocabulary for the Soul Retreat in July.

We arrived at Crescent Falls Park and stopped at the first parking lot to see the view and the map of the park. The canyon walls were unexpectedly deep and tall. The snow on them made the layers stand out.

We drove on to the trail head and found a picnic table in the sun that we could wipe off most of the melting snow/ice. Picnics in January on a warmer +5C day are a treat. The sun was warm on our faces as we ate our picnic.

After lunch, we took the woods trail that meandered down the picturesque hillside crossing frozen streams. This is the time of year where the shadows are deeper blue and the sun doesn’t get overhead. The sunlight coming through the trees dances on the snow between the blue shadows. I took photos for reference for future paintings.

This one I particularly like. The diagonal shadows on the slope are emphasized by the strong sunlight through the trees illuminating the pine and the snow.

And this one with the pale Bluegreen ice.

We reached the wide frozen river above the falls. I could imagine how loud and powerful it must be in the spring when the waters are full and flowing.

We hiked around to the next platform and the stirs down. Now we could really see the crescent shape of the cliff the falls tumbles over. Crescent Falls is in two tiers with a deep expanse in between. The lower platform sits just above and back a little so you can kind of see the second falls at an angle.

You can get a photo of it if you hang your camera over the edge. I took some time to do an ink sketch of the way the ice formed on the upper falls. (My pen was running low on ink – I need to remember to get a new pen for my kit.) I worked quickly to capture the essence of it as my fingers were getting cold.

In the center of the upper falls, you could see a thin layer of ice was covering moving water. There was a deep crack in the ice showing the evidence of the power of the river as it continues to flow under the ice.

One edge of the canyon was in the sun, but not the falls. When in person there is a subtle color shift in the ice of the falls. The camera picked up all the blue hues in the ice. And look at all the colors in the canyon wall!

It was a long hike back up the stairs and the hill to get back to the car. I could tell I have not been getting out to walk lately.
I would like to come back in the spring or summer and camp there. I would enjoy painting it.

Back on the road, we drove on to Abrham Lake. This is a manmade lake to control the flow of the North Saskatchewan River. The bubbles are methane gas released from the decaying plants and tree limbs on the bottom of the lake. I had seen photos online and wanted to see it in person.

As we drove along the lake you could see the ice had formed up the banks of the lake. There was a strong wind buffeting the car. We found a parking place in the nearly full lot. I was surprised at the number of people there (and back at Crescent Falls). We slid down the ice-covered bank, like a slide, until we were at the flat surface. Some people brought their skates. We just walked the surface. It was amazing to see the layers of flattened bubbles like something from a Star Trek landscape.

Some bubbles where huge others small. If I had used my polarized lens on my camera, some of the sun glinting on the ice and cracks in the ice would not be so strong. (a tip from my sister after showing her the pictures.) I usually forget to take the lens with me.

You could see the ice was at least a foot thick.

There were these cracks that separated planes of ice.

Another part had what looked like pieces of ice in the ice.

There were gusts of wind that would try to throw us off balance. I wondered if the strong wind had been a part of the way the ice formed on the banks. It looked like the ice had rippled and heaved along the edge.

We walked around for awhile and then I went to sit where I could paint for a bit and capture the beauty of the day for me. Two sketches in one day. Yeah! Sam wrote in his journal while I sketched.

We had dinner in Rocky Mountain House on the way home.

A beautiful day and I even had the chance to paint/sketch ‘en plein air.’ As you can see en plein air or sketching and painting on location is as much about the adventure, the moment, and creating memories as it is in getting a painting or sketch done. I can't wait to do this next fall in Italy at the art retreat there!

In the studio, I will work on new paintings inspired by the day and the wonders I saw and experienced. For example, I started this one yesterday during a class to use as a demonstration of watercolor techniques.

May you find joy in the everyday, 

peace in an uncertain world,

and love of family, and friends

in this season, this month, this Christmas!

Fall is such a rich time of year. For nature it is a time of change, of letting go, loss, and even death as we move toward winter. Yet the changing colors of the leaves shows us each year that there is beauty and wonder even in these parts of life.

Did you take some time to enjoy the fall colors and the dancing leaves? In September and October, I enjoyed getting out to catch the marvelous colors in the river valley with my students. 

;

And, I kept thinking that this time next year I will be experiencing another flavor of fall. I will be in Italy teaching sketching and painting of the Italian countryside around Montelparo, Le Marche.

This is Montelparo, Le Marche, Italy: 

More images of Hotel Leone and Montelparo can be seen here. 

Some artist friends of mine from Edmonton have taught at Hotel Leone during their own retreats, and their pictures are amazing! (karenbartist, zheliskoart, daveshko)  I can’t wait to experience it with my own students!

Join me  Sept 26- Oct 3, 2025 (click for more information on the art retreat  in 2025). 

...

My family experienced an additional season this fall, renovations. We just finished six weeks of chaos in our home, while the contractors tore apart rooms and put them back together. It all started with a leaking pipe and water damage in our basement bathroom. Then, since we were doing one room, we decided to include a few more that were long overdue. We added our kitchen and upstairs floor. And, for once, we didn’t do the work ourselves, for which I am thankful. 

The noise, the dust, the displacement of moving out our things, plus creating a temporary kitchen in the living room, and the never ending decisions we had to make all contributed to weeks of extra stress and chaos. I really appreciated the comment I received when I shared this on Facebook, "It is worth it."

 Now we have a beautiful new kitchen, floor and basement bathroom. Standing in my new kitchen I can attest that it was indeed worth it. I love the colors, the smooth, granite counter, and the additional counter we put in to replace a cabinet. We even have four working burners on our new stove. And I can get back in my studio to work now. It was one of the many places that we temporarily stored things. The next stage is to sort through things as we put them back where they belong.

Painting can be like the renovation process. The stages of painting are sometimes messy and feel like chaos and uncertainty. I like to call it experimentation and play, and I try to give myself grace when learning something new and to take it one step at a time. (Notice the acrylic pouring painting at the top of the page, which I call an experiment.)

It takes patience to practice the techniques, to learn to mix colors and to learn to see. It takes time to build the layers of a painting. The painting doesn’t go as you hoped, so you rework a part, then you step back and look at what needs to be done next. And then when the final details get into place -- the last shadow, edging or contrast-- you step back and see it has all come together. You persevered through the chaos and the result is beautiful!

I love helping my students work through this process and create wonderful paintings. Celebrate their beautiful work with me! 

I find it restful to spend time in nature, sitting and just being or with a sketchbook in hand to capture the essence of a place, a feeling of the space and the memory that goes with it. I sometimes remember to take a photo too. Then in the studio, I can work on a larger painting from the sketch, my memory and the photo. I no longer feel the need to "have to get something accomplished." And when I do sketch, it can be quick.

You can read some of the posts of what I have written about being/finding presence, and resting. I feel I have come a long way in understanding what Madeline L'Engle talked about to sit and just be.

In Jasper: I spent time at Tangle Falls sketching the four levels of falls in preparation to the Water in the Landscape workshop. I was also just wanting to see the falls again to put it more fully in my memory so that I can complete a painting I have been working on (as a demo for textures in acrylic classes) for a couple of years now. 

In Spokane: We went hiking at Fishtrap Recreation Area and the old Folsom Farm. I had hoped to see the falls, but it was a dry falls instead. It must be beautiful in the spring. These two sketches are from the old farm:

We also went kayaking on the Spokane river three times. The last time I took my sketchbook to capture the Osprey- but they were away from their nest. I sketched the seagulls instead. :)

The following sketches were from the recent trip to move our son daughter-in-law and granddaughter to Voctoria. When I wasn't needed, I relaxed by sketching a bit. When moving in a vehicle it is almost as much about memory of what you saw, because it is not in front of your vision for very long.

Planes move fast! I captured bits and pieces of the various islands as we passed overhead.

Water in the Landscape

Painting the Nature of Water: waterfalls, tumbling water, waves crashing into rocks.

July 20-23, 10:30 am to 4:30 pm

Location: Paint spot: Artelier is located at 10045 81 Avenue NW, Edmonton (back alley entrance). The workshop space is one block south of The Paint Spot.

$395 ($315 + $80 Supply fee)

Registration through the Paint Spot

Water is amazing as it moves, flows, reflects and tumbles down a mountain or hill. It is translucent and picks up color around it. It changes as it moves. I never get tired of painting water.

Learn how to paint the nature of water as it falls and tumbles and crashes over or into rocks. We will look at how it reflects or picks up colors around it. We will look at the flow and how it changes the way we paint it. Included will be filling in the landscape around the water.

In this Four-day workshop, each morning, we will work on studies with an aspect of painting the movement of water. In the afternoon, we will apply what we learned to a full landscape working on your own projects.

We will cover: 

• The use of masking in the waterfall, and water movement
•  Painting the rocks under the surface of the water
•  Capture the luminescence of a wave that is crashing
•  Painting the reflected lights and color on the water surface

I will be teaching with demos in the morning and coaching you on your projects in the afternoon. You are welcome to follow along with the demos or work from your own reference photos.

Techniques in watercolor we will touch on:              

• Planning a painting
• masking
• layering
• color mixing the shades in water
• sponging
• spritzing water
• scraping
• cling wrap
• wet into wet
• wet on dry
• pushing and pulling