The Journal

Origins of a Log-Lifter - Julie Jeanne Art
Origins of a Log-Lifter
I wanted to work at a gas station. I also wanted to be an architect. I ended up an artist. Honestly? The kid who sketched life-sized Michael Jacksons probably should... Read more...
Rushing the waiting
I was thinking recently about all the time we spend waiting — waiting in traffic, waiting to check out our groceries, waiting at the airport, the doctor's office, the license bureau. Compounded, it is said we spend the equivalent of years of our lives waiting. This begs the question: why, then, do we rush everything else? Looking at my ever-growing to-do list, I anticipate the day I will have my new studio — a space with ample lighting, wall space, and room to create. For now, I work in a... Read more...
Progress Over Perfection: What a Stubborn Upload Taught Me About Showing Up - Julie Jeanne Art
Progress Over Perfection: What a Stubborn Upload Taught Me About Showing Up
Everything goes right until it doesn't. The other day I filmed a few slightly-better-than-mediocre videos to be posted on my new YouTube channel (Julie Jeanne Art). I came up with... Read more...
Dreaming in Techinicolour
I am one of those rare people who dream vividly and often remember the details. Some say it's a blessing — occasionally, it feels like a curse. I've often written down the specifics of my dreams immediately upon waking. Most of the time they are random. Sometimes there is a recurring thread. When I was younger, I remember an episode of Oprah where she featured a dream "expert" as a guest. I kid you not, this is exactly what the "expert" said: "Sometimes dreams mean something. Sometimes they mean nothing... Read more...
The Simple Act of Creation - Julie Jeanne Art
The Simple Act of Creation
For years, I wrote, painted and created simply because I loved doing it — never expecting anyone to see, let alone connect with, what I made. Now, after sharing my... Read more...
Breaking Free from the Invisible Tether
I thought taking a week off social media would be difficult. Instead, after just one day, I discovered something I hadn't realized I'd been missing. This isn't an article about quitting technology—it's about reclaiming attention, rediscovering simplicity, and remembering what life felt like before every spare moment belonged to a screen. Whether you join the experiment or not, you may start looking at your phone a little differently. Read more...
The (unexpected) Gift of a Wasted Day
Imagine waking up early to drive to a place over an hour away. Once there, you're greeted with stark walls, grey furniture, and the smell of exhaust. You're told it will be at least four more hours before you can leave. You grab a seat on a hard plastic stool—the only one near an outlet. You'll need it to charge your phone and plug in your computer. It's the perfect opportunity to binge-watch that series of videos you've been meaning to catch up on. The problem is the Wi-Fi cuts... Read more...
Permission to Play - Julie Jeanne Art
Permission to Play
Some of my earliest memories were dancing in the driveway with my neighbour-bestie. We would play Michael Jackson's Thriller album over and over while carefully choreographing dance moves for a... Read more...
Table for one - Julie Jeanne Art
Table for one
In Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way, she discusses the importance of going on an Artist's Date once a week. It could be a country drive, a visit to a park,... Read more...
Reality vs Expectations - Julie Jeanne Art
Reality vs Expectations
We've all heard the story about the man, or woman, who goes out on a first date with someone they met online. The person doesn't look anything like their photos.... Read more...
Reflecting - What does "wealthy" mean to you?
It fascinates me how people automatically measure the word "wealth" in monetary terms. Having had careers that paid a respectable income many could say that I was "wealthy." But was I? My sleep and eating schedules were all over the place. Time spent with my son and friends was sporatic at best. I worked more holidays than I care to count. Sure, I had regular income and a relatively stable job but was I wealthy? I would argue that I wasn't - not at all. Wealth to me is about... Read more...
Yay for today!
Like with everything in life we have good and bad. Like you, there have been days where I feel less than motivated for whatever reason. It's the spring and I asked myself "self, why do we only spring clean our homes, why not our minds and our bodies." So I sought out to eat healthier, meditate and move more. A week ago, I made the decision that I was going to challenge myself; no processed or fried foods, no refined carbs, very little dairy (if any), no refined/processed sugars, no... Read more...