Artistic style is something most artists struggle with when starting out. There’s a lot of pressure to find your own voice so that you’re not cranking out work that looks like that of your teachers.
I don’t think that a consistent style is as important as it was even 20 years ago, but I know it’s still worth pursuing.
In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with artist Julie deBoer, founder of Mastrius, a mentorship platform for artists. While we do discuss Mastrius in the second half of the show, I was most interested in talking with Julie about how she developed her painting style with the help of a mentor—primarily because she resisted what was coming from her hands for so long.
We discuss:
- Why she feels it was a mistake to try to go it alone rather than embrace the resources that were available for her to grow as an artist.
- Her decision to leave her galleries to focus on self-sales.
- Finding your creative edge, which led Julie to finding her personal style.
- Embracing what naturally wants to flow from your hands.
- The value of a mentorship, receiving feedback, and being part of an artist community.
- How Mastrius is structured for artist mentoring.
- The episode wraps up with one of my favorite discussions: how Julie finds the time to fit everything in while prioritizing her art.
Listen
Mentioned
- Mitchell Albala
- David Langevin, Julie’s mentor
- Growth Edge
Julie deBoer Quotes
“I just felt like I was hitting my head against the wall for a couple years, not enjoying the process. So that’s when I decided just to cut that out and just let it happen.”
“We can stare at our own work day after day after day … and struggle and not know what the issue is that we’re struggling against. And all it takes is someone to take a quick look and say, Oh yeah, it’s right there.”
“Being in relationship with other artists really opened my mind to, Oh my goodness, there’s many, many different ways to do this journey. There’s many different definitions of success.”
“You don’t know how badly you need community and connection until you have it, and then you realize, Oh, I’ll never go without again.”
“We really aren’t in competition with each other…. We’re running the race side by side and we just go farther, faster, and it’s much more enjoyable and life giving.”
Related Episodes
These episodes are about a commitment to the work in the studio.
About My Guest
Julie deBoer, founder of the global mentorship community for artists, Mastrius, is celebrated for her bold, stylized, whimsical paintings that flow and dance across the canvas. Best known for her large, stormy sky landscapes, her new work explores the movement and story of fire and smoke.
Though self-taught and isolated for many years, she found her greatest success once she stepped out of her studio and into mentorship and relationship with other artists. She’s an avid believer that we find success and joy faster when we work together, shoulder-to-shoulder, in non-competitive, goals focused, and supportive community.
Follow Julie on Instagram: @julie.deboer.art
