Saturday Studio Tour #12 - Visiting artist Julie Brown

Care to join me?

Illusions by Julie Brown

Today I'm off to Ontario to visit with Julie Brown of Wabi Brook Studio. Julie creates in a wide range of mediums and styles. She has kindly offered to show us around her creative space, so come come out & play! By the way, clicking on the pics of Julies art will take you to more info about the item. Now I'm going to get out of the way & let Julie show us around.

Golden Retriever ACEO by Julie Brown

JB: Welcome to my gloriously messy, work-in-progress studio! My studio is in an out-building on our farm. It was formerly a tack shop,but for years was just a place to store stuff. So, a year and a half ago when I was desperate to move my studio out of my tiny attic room, I re-claimed some space in the old tack shop. The building is 24 x 24 feet, and at the moment I use about 15 x 24 feet. My husband and daughter share the rest- for now! (I have a secret plan to take over the whole building.)

JB: Here is my space looking into it from my daughter's corner. I chose to have my space at the back of the building, even though there are no windows, so that it would be more private. I have a lot of shelves for storage (left over from the tack shop) and a wonderful 4 x 8' work table made from part of another tack shop shelving unit. There is a lot of storage space underneath. I mostly keep my art/craft show display stuff here. I love my hammock chair. It's the perfect place for meditating, musing, and a tea and chocolate break!

JB: Even though my work table is 4 x 8' it is always crammed full of various projects. I work in many different media, and always have several things on the go at any given time. I also have an out of sight, out of mind sort of brain, so I need to have everything I might need for a project in sight. Beyond my work table is one of my jewelery stations.

Horse Head Copper Wire Earrings by Julie Brown

JB: It's not working well for me, so I'm in the process of changing it around a bit, but for now it has my wire and sheet metal stash, my vintage anvil (which I kind of ruined trying to re-finish it, but that's a story for another day), and some of my tools. I just noticed that in this photo there is a nearly finished chocolate bar sitting on top of a sketchbook! I must confess it is everywhere in the studio.

JB: This is another tack shop counter unit that I use to keep my space separate from my daughter's horse stuff and my husband's tool and stuff. This is where I have my soldering station set up, and also where I have to put my laptop. It's the only place from where I can sometimes get a signal. Even though my part of the building has no windows, the windows you see here at the front allow a lot of light in. There was a blizzard going on while I was taking these photos, and it is still quite bright.

JB: In the back corner there is a little space that used to be a change room when we had the tack shop. I have plans to convert it into washroom facilities. It is a bit of a hike to the house, which is not fun in winter when the snow can be almost up to my waist! Because there is no running water, and also to keep true to my studio's environmentally friendly philosophy, I am building a composting toilet. For now I carry water from the house or well-house for painting, cleaning and drinking, but that is a problem in winter, so I am looking into other alternatives. I also hope in the future to use solar power as a heat source.

Water Lily by Julie Brown

JB: Also on the far wall is my antique desk that belonged to my grandfather. You can just see it under another mountain of stuff that is waiting for me to find another place in which to put it. I always seem to get to the "really messy" stage of my studio clean-ups, and not progress beyond!

Bramble - Oxidized Fused Silver Ring by Julie Brown

JB: This is my new jewelery station, still being developed (that's why it's so tidy!). I'd really like to get a proper jeweler's bench, but for now I'm making do with what I can find around the farm.


JB: The bulletin board has art work that other artists have given me, and other things that also inspire me. One of these days I'll get around to actually hanging it up!

JB: While I spend a lot of time in my studio, I gain most of my inspiration from the out-of-doors, so I often paint, draw and create jewelery in my "outdoor" studio, my garden, during the warmer months of the year. This view from my garden is one that I will never tire of. I often paint it, and it recently inspired a new series of bracelets called "Flow".

Rustic Copper & Sterling Cuff Bracelet - Flow 2 by Julie Brown

JB: My Studio, like my creative soul, is a work-in-progress, constantly evolving, often untidy, but always interesting!

My Journey Out Of Darkness by Julie Brown

Thank you, Julie, for showing us around your space!

I love seeing where other artist make their magic. Don't you? If so, pop back next Saturday for a new tour . We'll be visiting a talented Steampunk artist, but I'm not saying who..... You'll have to check back on 11/14 to find out.

Want to find out more about Julie Brown & her vibrant art? CLICK HERE for last Thursday's interview. Julie also generously donated the current Thursday Giveaway prize, the floral print Yellow Coneflowers:

Yellow Coneflowers by Julie Brown

Next Thursday (11/12) one lucky winner will be randomly picked. If you enter, it could be you! It's easy; just leave a comment before 1 a.m. next Thursday. Later that morning I'll announce the winner. However, this week's contest is open to USA/Canada addresses only. Prize ships free.

Julie Brown's art can be found several places online:
Website: http://www.wabibrookstudio.com
ICraft Shop: http://www.Icraft.ca/wabibrookstudio
Etsy Shop: http://www.WabiBrookStudio.etsy.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wabibrookstudio
Facebook: http://artist.to/wabibrookstudio
Blog: http://www.wabibrookstudio.com/wordpress

You can also find her art at Soul Sister Creations in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. Plus on Nov. 27 & 28 Julie will be selling her art & jewelry at the Temiskaming Farmer's Market Christmas Craft Show at Riverside Place in New Liskeard, Ontario.

Thanks for coming along on this week's tour. Please stop by next Saturday if you're wandering the web.