Hello, I’m Juliette, a full-time painter, writer, and creative educator. Welcome to Living the Way of the Happy Painter—a heart-centered space where I share essays about art, life, and living with intention. This is my ever-evolving journal of creativity and connection—and I’m so glad you’re here.
On my walks through Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, I often find myself looking up—toward the tree tops, the driftling clouds, and the Coopers hawks that have been nesting in our woods.
The Driftless has always felt different to me. Because glaciers never swept across this corner of Wisconsin, the hills, valleys, plants, and wildlife have a beauty all their own. Every season reveals something new, and my photo walks have found their way into my studio more times than I can count.
One painting that has slowly emerged from those walks is Guardian of Vitality.
Like so many of my paintings, it began without a plan. Layers of sky blue and deep emerald settled onto the canvas first, moving across the surface like storms moving in and puffy white clouds. I let each layer dry before responding with the next, allowing the painting to merge with imperfections. On top of the color, fragments of vintage sheet music appear and disappear, like memories or melodies at the surface. I love knowing that sort of history and continued story remains in every painting I create.
Owls have become consistent throughout my work. There’s something about their wise presence that continues to draw me in. Their gaze feels both grounded and watchful—as though they’re holding space between the world we can see and the one we imagine.
This painting carries that same stillness and strength. A sense of steadiness. Of light. Of vitality.
A few years ago, another landscape became part of my creative rhythm. During the winter months, I’ve begun spending time along Florida’s Gulf Coast, where evening walks on white sand have become a ritual. I never tire of watching the sky soften into pinks, blues, and golds as the sun dips below the horizon. The color is always changing, and somehow it always feels like magic.
Whether I’m surrounded by the rolling hills of Wisconsin or the open expanse of the ocean, I find myself returning to the same feeling—a sense of wonder. My paintings are an attempt to hold onto those fleeting moments when the world feels peaceful, expansive, and full of possibility.
I hope each piece offers a small invitation to slow down, notice beauty, and bring a little more calm, hope, and joy into your home.
And what’s especially exciting right now is that I’m back in the studio, preparing to begin a new 48 x 36-inch commissioned painting for Studio E Gallery. Soon I’ll be standing in front of a blank canvas, writing the first words and intentions that will guide the piece. From there, a magical woman with happy eyes, colorful hair, and feathers will slowly emerge layer by layer.
I can’t wait to share the journey, and the final reveal, with you in the coming weeks.
If you’d like to see what’s currently available, you can browse my latest studio collection. And if you have questions about an original painting or are considering a commission, I’d love to hear from you.
I hope you’re finding moments to savor this beautiful season, wherever summer is taking you.
Thank you for being here, for noticing, and for walking this journey with me.
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All photos and artwork by Juliette Crane
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