{inspiration} janet hill studio

UPDATED: 10.22.2010

(winner generated by wwwpsychicscience.org)

We have a winner!!

#5: Anonymous (Melis from Wis)

Here's what she said:

"Show Stoppers would look great in my spare bedroom/home office which is decorated in vintage.

Thanks for the chance to win!"

A HUGE thank you to Janet Hill from Janet Hill Studio for the opportunity to interview her as well as being so generous and offering up one of her beautiful paintings for this giveaway to happen.

And of course a BIG gigantic thank you to all of you who participated!

Janet's gorgeous art would be the perfect thing to add to our holiday/birthday wish lists!! *wink*

I've been anticipating today's blog post for some time now and I'm so excited to share it with you today.

Meet Janet Hill from Janet Hill Studio (and her adorable dog named Finnegan)

The very first time I saw the work of Janet Hill Studio I was hooked.

I was immediately drawn in to the soft, dreamy color palettes of her art.

With the subject matter of her paintings focused on all of the pretty things I love....pastries, home interiors, fashion, kitchens, baking, entertaining, nature - it was only natural for me to become instantly addicted.

I find her art to be a combination of styles: classic, vintage, & whimsical - all of which are delightful.

Seriously.

When I look at Janet's art, I feel as if she is painting a fairy-tale representation of my own life...all the things I love in all of the color palettes I adore.

So...

with that said.

Who IS Janet Hill?

What follows is an interview I did with Janet that will give you a little more insight into the artist & her beautiful paintings.

Grab yourself a cup of tea, sit back, & enjoy.

I intentionally left out the word "relax" because your heart rate is going to be elevated from excitement and inspiration as you pour over these beautiful images and get lost in the interview.

the interview

{ME}: First of all, can I just say how much I absolutely ADORE your work!? I'm drawn in to every piece. I was thrilled to have stumbled upon your gorgeous art and I'm even more thrilled now to be able to find out a little bit more about the beautiful artist behind these beautiful paintings.

My first question is "Who are you?" - I know that's a pretty broad question but I'd love to know a little bit about where you are from - are you married? where did you grow up? and where do you currently reside?

{JH}: I was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario which is a city just outside of Toronto. I moved to Stratford, Ontario (my current city) about 10 years ago. I’m married to a book seller (and book lover) for about three years and we live in a tiny Victorian cottage which has turned into my workspace.

Janet with Finnegan in Stratford

{ME}: Did you always know you were an artist? Or was there a particular moment in your life when it resonated in your soul and that's when you knew?

{JH}: I was always creative, but for many years, pursuing art as a career just didn’t seem practical. Eventually after failing at most other careers, I ‘gave in’ and just went for it.

"Dog Days of Summer" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: The original paintings you do are oil based? And the prints you offer in your etsy shop are giclee prints of your original oil paintings. Am I getting this right? Can you explain in layman's terms what a giclee print is for my readers who aren't familiar with that process?

{JH}: All of my original work is oil on canvas, sometimes I paint on paper just to make things interesting. In terms of my prints, I don’t do my own prints, they are outsourced to a company far more capable than I am to produce a high quality print. They are giclees, but I can’t tell you exactly what that is. It has to do with a certain quality of paper, and possibly how the ink is applied to the paper- although, I believe there are several different schools of thought on that.

"The Italian Bakery" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: I'm mesmerized by the color palettes you use in your paintings. And I'm also amazed at how life-like/3D some of the images seem. Your paintings have been described as "dreamy". Would you consider these colors, techniques & description to be your "signature trademarks" so-to-speak?

{JH}: I think most artists have certain signature techniques so to speak that define their work. My colour palette and ‘dreamy’ quality isn’t something that I try to do, it just evolves naturally to me. I think it’s important to follow your natural style, and not try to think too much about it.

"Butterfly Dresses" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: I've REALLY tried to pick a favorite painting and I'm finding it extremely difficult. Right now I'm leaning towards the "Italian Bakery". I also love the "Wild West", Sunday Picnic", "Ladies Room"....do you see my problem. I really love ALL of your paintings. Each one speaks to me in some form or fashion. Do you have a favorite? And if so, is there a story behind it?

{JH}: I don’t really have a favourite painting. Sometimes I’ll prefer certain ones over others, and then it will change. Right now I think perhaps my favourite is ‘Maiden Voyage’ but that’s likely because it’s a large work and I spent quite a bit of time on it. Right after I painted it, I couldn’t look at it because I was so sick of it, but after a few weeks, I started to appreciate it again.

"Maiden Voyage" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: All artists need inspiration. Where do you generally find yours?

{JH}: I find that my morning dog walk seems to be the key. It’s the only time of the day when I’m clear headed and can just let my mind drift.

"The Sunday Picnic" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: You seem to be able to add new paintings to your shop on a consistent basis. How long does one piece of art normally take you from start to finish. Are you able to do this on a full-time basis or are there other things that occupy your time?

{JH}: I actually only paint about 4-5 hours a day. The other four hours of my work day is filled with answering emails, shipping, and working with commercial clients. It’s hard to say just how long a painting takes and of course it depends on the size and complexity, but I think on average I paint about 3- 4 a week.

"Hot Chocolate" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: With me being passionate about baking, vintage items, cottage homes, european touches, party planning and dessert tables - I'm naturally drawn to your paintings. Are you passionate about these things as well and therefore are able to convey your feelings through your paintings?

{JH}: Not exactly. I’m a pretty terrible baker and rarely entertain now. My house is no longer a house but rather a studio and office so throwing parties is no longer possible. Maybe that’s why I paint what I do- it’s a fantasy perhaps.

"The Night Owl" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: On your website, it mentions your work includes portraits of women. I'm curious to know if you paint portraits from photographs or do you strictly do still lifes or live models?

{JH}: I paint mostly from photographs...with me posing for many of them. My still life work is usually a mix of things I set up, my imagination, as well as outside influences- like magazine spreads.

"She Liked to Rustle Her Red Crinoline" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: Out of all of the different things you capture in a painting, (portraits, objects, food, fashion & interiors), which do you prefer?

{JH}: That pretty much depends on the day. I tend to go through spurts. I’ll work for a couple of weeks on still lifes, then it will switch to portraiture and so on. The same thing happens with my colour palette too. I’ll often use certain colour combinations for a week in most of my work then switch to something entirely different a week later.

"The Cake Enthusiast" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: I read that following your graduation from the University in Kingston, Ontario - with a degree in Fine Arts - you spent several years working in fields unrelated to your true passion. After feeling creatively disconnected, you "took a leap of faith" and decided to paint full-time. Was there something in particular that you recall that finally gave you the courage to follow your dreams?

{JH}: Desperation. I was getting tired of doing things that I didn’t find particularly fulfilling.

"Show Stoppers" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: That same article, mentioned "she seeks out glamour and beauty in everything that surrounds her". Can you give me an example of something you recently found to be unexpectedly glamourous?

{JH}: Worn paperbacks, white t-shirts, and Roger And Gallet Carnation soap. It smells like Old Hollywood to me.

"The Little Cake Shop" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: You've been featured in numerous places like design*sponge, Romantic Home Magazine, and the Scarlet Peacock. Do you have a "dream feature"?

{JH}: Vogue.

"The Last Pair" - Janet Hill Studios

{ME}: With me being a digital designer of party printables, lover of hosting parties & all things sweet…cupcakes are a staple around here. This being said, the question just begs to be asked...

If you were a cupcake - what flavor would you be? (frosting included) *wink*

{JH}: I would have to be a Raspberry Chocolate cupcake.

"Strawberry Season" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: I understand you love the ocean, french-milled soap, your little black mercedes & your tiny victorian cottage. We all have at least one little luxury we just couldn't live without. What's yours?

{JH}: My husband. How nauseating is that! But it’s true.

Janet and her husband, John

{ME}: I find music to be one of the most powerful tools for inspiration in my own life. Do you create with music in the background and what would we likely hear on your current playlist?

{JH}: I don’t listen to music when I paint, but I listen to music when I’m cooking dinner. Lately you would find Stars’ ‘Five Ghosts’ album on my playlist.

"French Toast" - Janet Hill Studio

{ME}: I noticed you've done several paintings of what I refer to as dessert buffets. Would you ever consider doing a painting based off of photos of an extraordinary dessert buffet/ party hosted by an ordinary person? The ordinary person just might be the person interviewing you. *hint. hint*

{JH}:

I’ve never been successful with commissioned work with exception of work that I do for commercial clients. Not sure why it works for the commercial side of what I do and not the more personal side....it remains a mystery.

This next part is completely fabricated on my part because I didn't send a "final" thank you/ending question for the interview...*wink*

{ME}: Thank you SO much for the opportunity to find out a little bit more about you Janet. I absolutely adore your work.

and here's the fabricated part...

{JH}: It was my pleasure...I enjoyed the process and I think you are fabulously talented and beautiful and your blog rocks my world!

In all seriousness...I thoroughly enjoyed the interview with Janet and appreciate her taking time to shed some light into the artist behind these beautiful works of art.

With a customer/fan base from all over the world, Janet has recently been featured as the "Spotlight Artist" on Etsy and she's also had the opportunity to create the art for the cover of this upcoming book:

"Season to Taste" by Molly Birnbaum

According to Janet, "It will be published by Harper Collins but it likely won't make it on to store shelves until next summer".

How would you like to start your own personal art collection from Janet Hill Studio?

Janet has graciously offered up one of her prints to one of my lucky readers!

All you have to do is go check out her Etsy shoppe and pick the print you'd like to win.

Come back here and leave me a comment as to why you like the print and where you'll be placing it in your home.

I'll be selecting a winner on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21ST 2010!!

Wouldn't one of these prints make for a wonderful gift for yourself or for someone you know for the upcoming holidays? Speaking of which, Janet will also be releasing some new "Holiday prints" which will also be available in the form of cards.

"Deck the Heels" - Janet Hill Studio

Thanks again Janet! It was lovely to meet you!

Follow Janet on Twitter: twitter.com/janethillstudio

Enjoy your weekend everyone! Happy Friday...