JakeJoy Artist Studio
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My life in Art

Making art to inspire, to connect and to feel fully alive. 
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My Work Purchased for a Netflix Film

8/11/2021

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My work was purchased for a series called Joe Pickett.  I hope to see them up on the wall on my TV one day :-).

I will be making limited edition shirts with one or a couple of these images. Let me know if you are interested!
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KING MOJITO
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MOJITO OBSERVER
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MOJITO DREAMER
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People Are Often More Creative in a Crisis

1/7/2021

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Bake Sourdough bread for the first time? Had a more elaborate garden this year? Got some landscaping and home improvements done that you have been putting off for years? Learn the guitar, write poetry, learn to dance... In Psychology Today, an article that was trying to answer the question why people are more creative in a crisis, they said that people want to apply their skills and resources to a problem. They also mention that fear is focusing and energizing, while creativity is a cure for feeling helpless. So it makes sense that you probably got more creative this past year - even if that meant learning how to become a teacher and to balance that with a job, family time, etc. 
It worked for me! I didn't want to fall down a rabbit 'hole of dispair' - although admittedly, I had my moments! I went back to my brushes, my canvas, my ART with little expectation, some trepidation and a lot of curiosity. This turned out to be a pretty good mix. 
I hope you got to try some new things out this year, and that perhaps you were able to ward off a sense of helplessness with a good dose of creativity. Please send me a story or a picture of YOUR amazing creative endeavors that happened or are happening for you during this pandemic! I will happily share your stories in my next newsletter (unless you don't want that, of course).  Here I have included only paintings created during the pandemic. There were also a few workshops, classes and new pieces that I haven't included here. So you can say, I haven't sat around very much. It is good to look back and take stock of what you accomplished and not just what you were afraid of. 

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Centre Street Bridge - SOLD
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C-Train Runs Through Downtown - SOLD
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Two Bridges Over the Bow - SOLD
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Chinatown Festival - Available
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Frieda's Heart - still in progress
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Canola Fields Round II- 42" diameter. Gallery in Okotoks
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Stampede of Memories - SOLD
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Analogue Cafe - SOLD
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Canola Fields Round - 30" diameter. Gallery in Okotoks
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Canola Field in Cochrane - 48"x48" - available
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Meeting at TZIN - SOLD
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Feel Better After Making Art

7/13/2020

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Can a person feel better from the act of making art?

Studies have show that yes, this is possible.  A study on the the evaluation of art therapy on adults with mild to moderate depression showed that there was significant improvement. (Zubala, A. 2017). These adults reported:
acceptance of depression, readiness to express emotions, sense of self and awareness of others, readiness for meaningful relationships, sense of achievement, sense of balance and new insights, growth and meaning.

I don't need a study to tell me that art helps a person feel better and one doesn't need to have depression to feel better from art! The fact is, doing anything that helps you get out of your head and into your hands - just feels good! Your ART could be carpentry, gardening, sewing or cooking for example. 

When you are making art you are more mindful. In my studio I recommend putting away your phones, clearing your mind and making space for the present. While we are here together in the studio, I encourage you to work mindfully. To access your inner voice and give it some respect. It will guide your every move. 


So far, every student has left my class with a sense of peace and accomplishment. This is really important to me. 

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Why I think making ART is so effective is because it doesn't matter what previous experience you have, there is always a depth where you can explore and get lost in the activity of making.

​You can experiment no matter your skill level and you can get absorbed in the act of creating because the tools are so accessible. 
Enjoyable. Releasing.

Engaging. Encouraging. Rejuvenating.

Relaxing. Healing. 
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Mixed Media Gives the Artist so much Freedom

6/22/2020

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What is mixed media art?
Media means one 'tool' for creating the art. For example: acrylic paint, oil paint, pastel, watercolour, charcoal, pencil crayon, collage and any other 2-D ways of creating that you can think of. It doesn't have to include only traditional art supplies. It could include found objects from around the house, or tin foil, or fabric etc.

Mixed media requires at least 2 different mediums to come together to create one unified piece of art. The more you mix the more complex the work becomes. You can play with layers to see what works. It can be a lot of trial and error. 

We examine ways to mix the media. You will learn methods for layering, but more importantly, how to use this medium to express yourself clearly. Check it out in our Mixed Media Classes.
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New Encaustic Work

1/20/2019

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I have been working with beeswax and resin, photo transfer, ink & calligraphy pen, oil paints and oil pastels. Lots of layers, drawing and colours. Here is a little breakdown of my process.
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Commission Art Painting of Edmonton

10/21/2018

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Creating a commission painting is a long process and a road which many artists refuse to embark on. Why? Well there are a few reasons why artists often don't like doing commissions:
  1.  it is difficult to really pin down exactly what the client is looking for.
  2. Clients often start to express changes once they see the painting in progress.
  3. Clients sometimes change their mind about wanting to spend their money once it comes time to paying for the final product.
  4. You have to be able to communicate well and often with the client. 
  5. It can be difficult to get negative or critical feedback

Most of the time, I really enjoy the challenge of a commission. I try to mitigate some of those above issues by:
  1. Making sure that the client is looking at your current work and is saying things like, 'can you make me something very similar to this?'
  2. I ask a lot of general questions in the beginning: Why do you want this? Who is it for? What motivated you to contact me? How much time do you have? How much do you want to spend? 
  3. After those are answered, we start to talk about the details of the painting. What are you looking for exactly?
  4. After those questions and answers, we both know weather I am the right artist for their vision or if they should keep looking.
  5. Then I explain my terms. 40% down and this is non-refundable. I will do my best to honour or agreed upon date, but the more changes you ask for the longer the painting will take to complete. 
  6. I will send photos of the painting. 'Are we good with this?' If they want to make a small change at this point, then I can usually accommodate them without too much trouble. 
  7. By the completion of the painting the client has seen and approved of the progress along the way and they are not faced with too many surprises. OF course, there are always last minute decisions that an artist has too be able to make in order to keep the integrity of the painting - but it isn't crazy different. 
  8. The final step is the delivery of a professionally finished painting in exchange for a well-earned payment. 
Yes, it is a lot of work to do a commission. More bother than most artists want to attempt, but there is something really satisfying about working on a painting that is already sold!
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NEW WORK AVAILABLE @BLACKBOARD GALLERY IN Cspace

12/11/2017

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big city living show in the heart of yyc - inglewood @ arton9th GALLERY. NEW WORK WITH ENCAUSTICS TO VIEW AND PURCHASE ORIGINALS AND PRINTS AVAILABLE.  JOIN US!

8/23/2017

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a peak at new paintings

7/4/2017

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I'm working on a new body of work. Cityscapes for a show at Arton9th scheduled for Mid September. This work is a combination of phototransfer, acrylic paint, oil paint and encaustic. New directions in my work has me very excited!  Here is a little peak.
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CUSTOM PHOTO ART FOR KANDICE. Old photos mixed with new photo, paint and ink. Small Town Living.

9/25/2016

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"Oh my goodness, they are gorgeous!" - Kandace Wylie-toews
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    great connector of people, places and dreams. It speaks the language of the heart when it is authentic and created from an open and non-judgemental space. It is passionate pursuit of creation with a playful mind.

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