JOURNAL

Art Journal of Julie Breton abstract painter, view new artwork, studio update & inspiration. | Journal de Julie Breton artiste peintre. Voyez les oeuvres, l'atelier & ce qui m'inspire.

LIVING WITH ART

CURATE & DISPLAY | KITCHEN RENO - ART BY BERIT MOGENSEN LOPEZ

TIFFANY GRANT RILEY | KITCHEN RENO - ART BY BERIT MOGENSEN LOPEZ

How often do you see a piece of art you love and think, “maybe someday”? There are many ways to incorporate art into your everyday life without completely rethinking a room.

UK interior photographer Tiffany Grant Riley has a wonderful approach to interiors—minimal, considered and full of personality. Her latest kitchen renovation, featured on her blog Curate & Display, is a beautiful example. Set within her Victorian Era Chatham home, the space combines deep blue cabinetry, warm wood and carefully chosen objects, including artwork by Berit Mogensen Lopez and one of my own pieces.

CURATE & DISPLAY | KITCHEN RENO - ART BY JULIE BRETON

TIFFANY GRANT RILEY | KITCHEN RENO - ART BY JULIE BRETON

When it comes to artwork, less can often be more. A small, thoughtfully placed piece can bring colour and character to a room without overwhelming it. I especially love how my work sits against the Nordic Blue cabinetry here—the restrained palette of the room gives the artwork its own quiet presence.

SHOP ARTWORK

SKETCHBOOK

JULIE BRETON | SKETCH inspired by Ellsworth Kelly

This year, I’ve decided to find a way of sketching that works for me. I usually work on large canvases, where I have plenty of room to move, experiment and make a bit of a mess. Sketchbooks, by comparison, have always felt a little too precious and confining. So instead, I’ve started working on loose 3 × 4-inch pieces of paper.

I naturally reach for the same materials I use in my paintings—charcoal, graphite, pastel, acrylic and watercolour—but they aren’t always very practical on a sketchbook page. This year I want to experiment more with pen, markers, Conté and oil pastels, and see where they take me.

JULIE BRETON | PASTELS

I also want these drawings to be something quite separate from my work on canvas. Sketching gives me a chance to study the work of artists I admire and learn from the way they observe and reduce a subject to its essential lines. This drawing was inspired by Ellsworth Kelly.

GREEN OBSESSION

JULIE BRETON | WORK IN PROGRES

JULIE BRETON | COLOUR SWATCH

Lately I’ve been obsessed with mixing greens—olive, moss, teal and everything in between—searching for the perfect shades to bring into my Émotions series. I’m especially inspired by the colours found in moss, lichen and decay, where greens become muted, layered and unexpectedly beautiful.

Here is a glimpse of the work in progress, along with some of the colour studies scattered around my studio.

See artwork
 
INSTAGRAM
Sunday inspiration from @haarkon_ This talented duo’s account is filled with the most glorious travel and nature shot. I use a lot of photographic reference for my work. This one will surely be part of the collection. #haarkongreenhousetour
Collection of collage materials found in the studio. I like how sometimes if you pay attention enough the tiniest things become most important.
‘’My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.’’ -Agnes Martin I see this unfinished painting everyday upon entering the studio. I find it uplifting, calm, perfect in it’s i
Collection of Conté à Paris squares. Nicolas Jacques Conté, a painter, chemist, physicist, hot air baloonist and inventor started a pencil factory in 1795. It’s still going strong today. I just love using materials that have a connection
I framed this artwork for myself. I am glad I did. Everytime I see it I am reminded how I love working with colour, transparency and texture. It inspires me to get into the studio and create some more.