Showing up. Being seen.

The closer I get to the opening of my upcoming gallery show on June 1st, the more vulnerable I feel. I'm learning a lot as I move through this process, and soon, I'll be putting the whole thing out there for all to see. That’s what’s got me feeling vulnerable.

The process of creating a body of work for a show goes passes through several phases - and the first few happen within the quiet cocoon of my studio.

First is the early phase of exploration, which is like wandering along the edges of a familiar path and find that a whole new path lies ahead, inviting me to see where it leads. In this phase, I'm in my studio trying out new colors and playing with arrangements of shapes to see what engages my curiosity. Little by little, through experimenting and following my intuition, I find certain colors and certain interactions of forms that interest me - this usually leads to the first 3-4 paintings I'll make for a collection.

The next phase begins as those first few paintings provide me with ideas to expand on. I'll build on those ideas by starting new paintings that repeat or respond to a detail from one of the starter pieces. It might be a certain shape made bigger or smaller, or made in a different color; or it might be a fresh design using color combinations discovered in those starter pieces. At this stage I'm definitely working from a more defined set of parameters - keeping to the same palette and repeating interesting motifs - but I’m still open to exploration. It’s as if I've found the trail I want to follow, and now I'm getting familiar with the terrain. This stage might account for 4 or 5 more paintings in varying dimensions.

The next phase is akin to mapping the trail so someone else can follow - it’s the stage where I refine the existing pieces to unify the ideas that have come forward as I experimented. I’m making sure the motifs are evident, and the palette is cohesive. I try to notice if there are any “gaps” in the narrative, where I need to make any additional paintings to connect some with others. I’m making sure that a viewer of these paintings can find the trail and follow me through the collection of work, and see the same connections and interactions that I do. There might be one or two new paintings at this stage.

Once these steps are done, it’s time to start sharing the work with others, and preparing myself to talk about it, to become a guide through the landscape I’ve created. Time to hang the work on the walls, write the artist talk, and commit the whole thing to public view. This is where I start to feel vulnerable: is it good? Is it interesting? Does it resonate with others and ignite their curiosity? How can explain my process and concepts to others, clearly and simply? Brené Brown says “Courage begins with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

I’ve been listening to the audiobook version of artist Anne Truitt’s journals. A mother of three children, and a single mother by the time they were teenagers, Truitt was also a dedicated artist managing all the complications of domestic and professional life. In the early 1970s she began a series of paintings called the Arundel paintings - all of which were variations of a large white surface with delicate graphite lines and/or subtle stripes of a whiter white. She was very keen on them, and they exhibited in 1975 at the Baltimore Museum of Art. They were widely panned. One irritated museum visitor sent the curator a three page letter of complaint: the first page said he would like to share his thoughts about Anne Truitt’s Arundel paintings. The second page was a blank white page. The third page was his sign off. Another critic called for the museum to have its public funding revoked for having exhibited this series. The harsh reaction cut Truitt to the quick, and yet she continued to add pieces to this series until 1999, creating seven in total. I aspire to her courage and vulnerabity, whether or not I ever reach the level of her talent.

I feel sure my first show, The Shape of Becoming, opening June 1 at Willow Street Gallery, won’t expose me to widespread public distaste, so I don’t need to fear that. What I hope for is that friends, collectors, colleagues, and maybe a few strangers can find me, can see the new work, can connect through it to some thread of truth within themselves, can follow me on the journey I took in creating it. And just maybe, someone will want to take one home to share their own journey.

Spring Release: Limited Edition Prints

Here are the Spring Limited Edition Prints!
They will become available for purchase in mid-May (as soon as they are delivered by my print partner!)

Each image will have 6 editions available. These are printed with archival inks on fine art baryta paper. Prints are 9x9 inches in size. The printed area is 7x7 inches with a one-inch white border on all sides. Each print is signed and numbered, is presented in a protective bag with a signed certificate of authenticity.

Pricing is as follows:
Editions 1 - 3: $65
Editions 4 and 5: $85
Edition 6: $99

Members of my VIP email list have received an invitation to pre-purchase at a special price. You can join that list here and receive an invitation. Otherwise check back in the Collectors Space for these to be posted, in a couple of weeks!

Woodpeckers

Winter Wonderland

Amalgam

Upcoming!

Here’s a rundown of places I’ll be hanging out, showing work, teaching classes and such, over the next few weeks. There are a few other irons in the fire I can’t wait to tell you more about soon. Or, come by one of these events and I’ll spill the tea.

Help select the next 3 limited edition prints

I need your help choosing my next limited edition prints!

It's time to select three more paintings to create limited edition prints, and I would love your help choosing which ones to make! I created three different limited edition prints last October, and 8 of the 12 available sold within a couple of weeks.

I am creating prints of 3 more paintings from my Rock Creek Park Collection. Like their predecessors from Fall 2024, these prints will be 6x6 inches with a one inch border, signed and numbered. They are printed with archival inks on fine art paper and will include a Certificate of Authenticity.

Here are the options for the Spring Limited Editions:

To cast your vote, please leave a comment on this post with THREE (only 3!) paintings that you think would be perfect for a limited edition print.

Tell me which paintings you think will make the best prints to offer for spring!

Wondering how limited editions work?

When an artist creates a limited edition of prints, they select a set number of prints that will be created at that size. Once those are all sold there will never be another reproduction of that print at that size. For this reason, limited edition prints increase in value as the available number of remaining prints decreases.

Open Studios at DC Arts Studios!

This Sunday, November 3rd, DC Arts Studios is open to guests from 1-5pm.

Many of our resident artists (including me!) will have our studios open, with work in progress on view, plus original works and other art for sale (oh and snacks!). It's a great opportunity to see artists at work, and find a new treasure to bring home!

The address is 6925-D Willow Street NW (we're across from the Takoma CVS)

DC Arts Studios has provided a vibrant and collaborative studio community for artists in and around Washington DC since 1979.

Meditative Collage Class

Meditative Collage Level One is a three-class series, meeting on Sundays from 1-3pm on Oct 27, Nov 10 and Nov 17 in the Artists’ Lounge at DC Arts Studios, 6925-D Willow Street NW.

Abstract collage is a terrific entry point into creative art making, and an ideal practice for cultivating mental wellbeing though arts. Learn composition techniques and explore materials for creating engaging collage pieces in a supportive environment with artist Katie Jett Walls. The class will include short readings from books such as Your Brain on Art, Big Magic, and Conscious Creativity.

Class is $99 + $10 materials fee

Week One (10/27): Intro to collage materials and techniques | Inviting Creative Play Into Your Life

Week Two (11/10): Intro to Composition and Color Concepts | How the Arts Contributes to Mental Wellbeing

Week Three (11/17): More on Composition and Collage Structures | Keeping Up Your Art Practice

Email me at katiejettwallsartist@gmail.com to request info and to register for this class. Max of 8 students so register today!

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

For all the moms who love engaging with art, here are a few ideas for gifts they will love! The books are available locally at People’s Book in Takoma Park, and all the other suggestions are available from me! You can purchase them, OR purchase a gift card from me for Mom to use as she pleases on any piece of original art currently available. Use the contact button at the top of the page or email me at katiejettwallsartist@gmail.com to arrange purchase!

Spring Open Studio at DC Arts Center

I will be one of a dozen or so participating artists at DC Arts Studios’ Spring Open Studios on April 28th.

Painters, fiber artists, and photographers will be hosting guests in their studio space, demonstrating their work, and offering original art as well as gift items for sale. Guest can explore the work spaces of local artists, and support local business/arts in the heart of Takoma Park.

I’m working on a few smaller pieces as part of my Rock Creek Park series. I’ve got several pieces I’ll be offering at a special price for those who visit my studio - doing a little spring cleaning before I leave in June for several weeks travelling out West.

If you’re free and in the neighbourhood on April 28, please do come by!

Arts & Artists Book Club at DC Artists Studios

DC Arts Studios hosts a bi-monthly book club for readers who want to explore more about arts and artists!

Led by yours truly, Katie Jett Walls, our book club meets in the Artists’ Lounge at DC Arts Studios, located at 6925-D Willow Street NW, just around the corner from downtown Takoma Park, and only a couple of blocks from the Takoma DC metro station.

Next book club meeting will be on Sunday, April 14th, from 5-6:30pm, and the book we will discuss together is:

9th Street Women:Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art by Mary Gabriel

"These individuals are brought to life by Pulitzer Prize finalist Gabriel, who shows how each defied social convention and professional boundaries to create new creative forms and attain equality with their male counterparts. . . .A must for modern art historians and enthusiasts." ―Library Journal

Purchase your book at PEOPLE’S BOOK in Takoma Park for 10% discount!

“The Insomniac” in the Willow Street Gallery

My abstract self-portrait painting “The Insomniac” has been selected for inclusion in the upcoming Willow Street Gallery Show, “The Narrative of Portrait”. Please join us at the Opening Reception on Friday, November 10th, 6-8pm!

There will also be a Panel Discussion on November 17 (6-8pm) and a portrait demonstration by artist Jonathan Ege on December 1st.

On Sunday, November 12 from Noon - 5pm, our studio collective, the DC Arts Studios, will be hosting Open Studios - multiple member artists will have demonstrations and artwork for sale, lots to see, and refreshments too. Come by while you’re out to visit the Farmer’s Market around the corner!

Later that same weekend, on Sunday November 12, you can visit my studio along with studios of other member artists, at our Open Studios event from noon till 5pm.

I’ll have a variety of new and older works available to view and purchase, and I’ll probably be working on a painting throughout the afternoon if you’d like to watch!

I would love to see friends and colleagues at one or both events - your support and enthusiasm have been inspiring to me since I began this whole painting journey.

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