Julia W. White
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Read a story about sex, murder and art.

10/26/2022

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This week, writer Doug Perry at the Oregonian, wrote a story around the Museum of Bad Judgement exhibit. It focuses on one of the more well known cases in my grandfather's memoir. It has a couple of images of the paintings, and some fascinating history about the case. Click the link below to connect to the article.
Read the Article in the oregonian

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In Florida; Acrylic on Paper and Panel; 2018
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Good Things Coming in October

9/5/2022

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PictureLast Vision Before Death; 2021; Oil on Canvas. Part of the Museum of Bad Judgement. Photo by Kevin McGowan

Museum of Bad Judgement in Salem, Oregon

For the past four years, I've been working on a series of paintings based on my grandfather's memoirs about several murder cases he tried early in his career as an attorney in Oregon. The series is called the Museum of Bad Judgement, and in October, I will have the distinct honor of showing the the series in Salem, Oregon at the Salem Art Association. 
It means so much to me to be able to show this collection in Salem because it is the center of where these stories actually took place.My grandfather graduated from Law School from local Willamette University in 1930 was the district attorney for neighboring Polk County a few years later. After that, he practiced in Dallas, Oregon, Salem and later Portland. My family has deep roots in Salem. Many of them, including my grandfather, are buried just up the road from where the exhibit will take place. 


Here are the details: 
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What: The Museum of Bad Judgement -  paintings by Julia W. White

Where: Salem Art Association
Bush Barn Art Center and Annex - Camas Gallery
600 Mission St. SE 
Salem, Oregon  97302
Salemarts.org

When: October 7, 2022 - November 5, 2022
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Opening Reception: Saturday, October 8, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Regular Gallery Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday - noon - 5:00pm
The exhibition space is next to the Bush House Museum at the edge of beautiful Bush Pasture Park. It's walking distance from the shops and restaurants of downtown Salem. 
Salem is a very vibrant small city in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It is the state capitol and about 50 miles south of Portland. It's a great place to visit - a quick day trip from Portland, or an overnight from Tacoma or Seattle!

I hope you can make it to Salem to see the show! 
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Me and my grandfather - June 1970. My mom, (his daughter) says he would love the Museum of Bad Judgement. He died in 1990

But Wait, There's More in October... 

Tacoma Studio Tour is returning Oct. 15 & 16.

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In studio with postcard. photo by Kris Crews.
After a two year hiatus, the Tacoma Studio Tour returns, and my studio will be open both Saturday and Sunday. Come by and hang out on the new covered porch, look at old postcards, listen to records and make collages. 

I will have paintings, prints and postcards available for purchase at special prices.



What: Open Studio as part of the Tacoma Studio Tour. My studio is #38 on the map

Where: My Studio 
1103 East 71st St.
Tacoma, WA 98404

More info and map here. 

When: Saturday, 10 /15 & Sunday 10/16 - 11am - 5pm. 

I'm excited to be participating again this year. It's a wonderful opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. I hope you can make it! 

Thank you to the City of Tacoma Office of Arts and Cultural Vitality for working hard to make this happen. 
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In the studio with one of my main painting albums. Photo by Kris Crews.
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Brand New Painting

4/14/2022

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I finished this painting last week. It's 40" x 60"; Oil on Canvas. It's the thirteenth painting in the Museum of Bad Judgement series (Click here for a full description of this series). The center is a portrait of the Polk County Courthouse where my grandfather tried many cases in his early career. Around it are more scenes loosely based his memoirs. It's actually four paintings in one, which is probably the reason it took so long. I actually started it in July of 2021, but I put it aside several times to work on other paintings. Here are some progress photos I took along the way:
I originally intended for this painting to be the last in the series. I thought I was done mining, and that I had gone deep enough. But, it turns out there are more images and ideas that keep coming to me, so I will to keep going. Stay tuned.... 
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NEW AMERICAN PAINTINGS #157

3/27/2022

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Sherwood High; 2019; Oil on Canvas.

New American Paintings
Pacific Coast Issue #157

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I am beyond honored to be included among so many amazing painters in the current issue of New American Paintings! 

I have been in love with this publication since the early 90's. I can remember working at Starbucks on the Ave in Seattle, and spending way too much time at Bulldog News looking through New American Paintings, because I couldn't afford to buy it. Each 9" x 9" issue was beautifully laid out on heavy paper, full of colorful paintings by emerging and established painters.  

​Here is a little more about them from the front of the magazine:

" New American Paintings was founded in 1993 as an experiment in art publishing. With over five thousand artists reviewed annually, it has become America’s largest and most important series of artist competitions. Each competition is catalogued in a unique volume: Northeast, South, Midwest, West, Pacific Coast, and MFA Annual. Featured artists are selected on the basis of artistic merit and provided space for free."

That's the great news. The not so great news is that because of COVID related shipping delays, this issue will be released in digital format only. While I was slightly disappointed not to be able to hold beautiful, colorful volume in my hands, the silver lining is that anyone with an internet connection can view the magazine and download it for free. I actually think more people will see the magazine, which is great.

To access your free issue, go to newamericanpaintings.com. When you get there, click the button that says "GO TO FREE ISSUE #157". When you get to the #157 home page, you have a couple of choices. You can  download a PDF of the magazine pages, or get a free copy on issuu.com by entering a special code which you will find close to the top of the page. The Issuu method takes a few more steps, but it is a great way to look through the magazine. Images of my paintings are on pages 152 - 155. 

Other than that milestone, my work continues in the studio and I have a group of paintings on exhibit in a salon in Tacoma called Studio 253 Salon. I don't have any other shows planned for this year (yet), but I am always willing to open and welcome visitors to the studio. Feel free to contact me if you would like to stop by. ❤️

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John Day Store; 2021; Oil on Canvas
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Pop-up Sale Coming 12/4/21

11/17/2021

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Work in Progress. Charlie's Rustic Bar. Come see how it turns out!
I'm setting up shop in front of Stocklist Goods
in Beautiful Downtown Tacoma!
Before things get too busy with the holidays, I wanted to let you know about my pop-up sale coming up in a couple of weeks. 

What: Pop-up Art Sale
When: Saturday, December 4th, between 11am and 3pm.
Where: Stocklist Goods (1936 Pacific Ave, Downtown Tacoma)

I will have a couple dozen small Pandemic Postcard paintings for sale at special low prices, as well as limited edition prints, and postcard packs. 

10% of my  proceeds will go to The Tacoma Rescue Mission and Stocklist will be donating a portion of their daily sales as well. It's a great way to support a local artist, a local business, and some people doing important work in our community. 

I am grateful to Stocklist for this opportunity. They are the greatest. This is part of The Low Key Pop Up Series that they started during 2020 to help artists in the community during the pandemic.  Hope to see you there! 

Here are a few samples of the paintings:
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Coming This Weekend - October 16th and 17th!

10/13/2021

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Join me at Arts at the Armory

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Acres; Original Acrylic Painting on Found Wood; 11.5"x11.5". Also available as a print.

Grab your mask and come down to the Tacoma Armory on October 16 and 17 for Arts at the Armory! This event is replacing the annual studio tour this year. I will miss having people into the studio, but I am really looking forward to being together with all the other artists! The Armory is gigantic (20,000 square feet!) so there will be plenty of room for everyone to spread out, and stay socially distant. 

I will be there both days with 27 original paintings that I have been working on over the past year+. I call them the Pandemic Postcards. These are small, acrylic paintings with imagery based on my beloved postcard collection. I started with one, back in March of 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic, and I just kept going. They are smaller, faster and more spontaneous than my big oil paintings and each one taught me something. The paintings will be for sale at special low prices. 

Last year, after I painted a number of of these, it seemed like a natural step to make a set of postcards of the paintings. That was Volume one. I kept going with that too, and I just got Volume 4 back from the printer. All four volumes will be available for sale as separate sets, or you can buy the entire collection (34 postcards total - pictured below.) I will also have some really beautiful giclee prints of my work for sale. Something for everyone!

Plus, there will be so many other awesome Tacoma artists there too. I hope to see you there!

Find out more details on the Tacoma Arts Month Website 

Here are the basics:
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WHAT: Arts at the Armory
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday 10/16 and 10/17 11am - 5pm both days
WHERE: Tacoma Armory 1001 S. Yakima Ave.

Masks will be required, regardless of vaccination status.  
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The complete set of postcards.
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Lloyd Center, Portland; Original Acrylic Painting on Panel; 9" x 12". Part of the Small Mall Series
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Pandemic Postcard Pop-up Show in Downtown Tacoma

6/16/2021

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Davenport; Acrylic on Panel; 2021
As COVID hit in 2020, I was just beginning a series of paintings that riffed on my beloved collection of old motel postcards. As the pandemic dragged on, I just kept going with these postcard paintings, exploring different themes, and pushing myself to be spontaneous, and believe in my vision. I ended up with several dozen paintings and named the series Pandemic Postcards.

These little paintings mean a lot to me, they have a friendly spirit that is difficult to put into words, so I won’t try. I am excited to be able to share them in Downtown Tacoma.

The paintings are small. They range in size from 18" x 24" to 9" x 12". All will be very reasonably priced at $125. If you aren't able to get to the sale, I will have this special pricing available online through
 Friday, June 18. So - if you are in love with one, and can't get to Tacoma on Thursday, check my online store here on Thursday night or Friday and snag it there at that good price. 

I also made three volumes of postcards printed from images of the paintings, and those will be available for $10 per volume or $25 for all three volumes together. Oh yeah - There will also be some free stickers. 

What: Pandemic Postcard Pop-up Show
When: Thursday, June 17. 1:00-5:00pm
Where: In front of Stocklist Goods - 1936 Pacific Ave. Tacoma, WA 98402


10% of the proceeds from sales will go to Nourish Pierce County, a non-profit that runs a network of food banks throughout tacoma and the surrounding communities.


Here is a video tour of all the paintings paired with the beautiful music of William Tyler. I have several of his records, and they have kept me company in the studio during these strange times. This song is called With News About Heaven from his latest album. You can find more of his music at Bandcamp.
Please come downtown and say hi, look at some art, visit the fine people in Stocklist and support our community food banks, all at the same time.
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I will keep looking for signs.

12/19/2020

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This is an update to my blog post from 7/22/20. I stopped to see my favorite magical, abandoned, fading motel sign las week and I discovered that it had been painted white. They have been renovating the big motel on the property, and I guess this was part of that.  At first I was upset, but then I thought - it obviously had been painted over before, and someday this white paint will start chipping off, to reveal all the amazing layers beneath it. 

I am glad I discovered it when I did and that I spent time with it and took numerous photos. For reasons that are difficult to put into words, the discovery of this sign sparked my creativity and moved me on a deep level, and I am grateful. I must have been ready for it, and it was there. When I saw it for the first time, I gasped when I walked around to the other side, and saw the old burnt out neon letters. There is something spiritual wrapped up in this experience, but I don't think I am a skilled enough writer to express it. It's one of the absolute joys of being an artist - or just being human. To be able to be taken by these sweet discoveries, these things that make us catch our breath when we find them, and follow where they lead us. I think we all have them, what's yours, where did it lead you?

I never know who or what is going to move me on that deep level, or when it will happen. For me it is definitely tied into my painting and art making. I will keep my eyes and heart open and keep looking for signs. 

Take a look at my blog post from 7/22/2020, to see more pictures of the sign, and learn about the Red Top Lodge in Hazel Dell, WA.  
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A Fire in Santiam Canyon

9/30/2020

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Eulogy for the Cabin

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The Cabin burnt down this month. The historic and deadly Beechie Creek wildfire came down the river in Oregon, and destroyed the little cabin on September 8th.  My great grandfather (My mom's mom's dad) lived in Salem, and built the cabin in 1920. He called it Jessie's Inn, for his wife. The Cabin was only 25 miles from Salem, Oregon, close by today's standards, but I imagine back in 1920, it seemed like it was out in the mountains. 

Everything is gone now, except the river and the kind neighbors who have looked after the place for years. 

Many people in the Santiam Canyon have lost so much more than we have, and my heart aches for them. But my heart is sad for the loss of the Cabin, and I want to share about it, because I think it will help with my grief. 


The Cabin was very rustic and not in the best shape. And by rustic, I mean that you had to be prepared to share the space with rats ( wood rats- cuter than city rats, but big) spiders and bugs. And so many ants. There were several large ant hills on the property, and the ants had developed a complex network of highways for conducting their ant business. when I went there last week, the ant hills were gone, but the ants were still there, looking dazed and confused. I am confident they are rebuilding as I write. 

The outhouse was called Friendly Village. I never thought to ask my Mom why until we found out it was gone. She told me that my  great - grandfather used it as a church retreat in the 20's and 30's, and his church friends named it that. That didn't really answer my question of why, but it doesn't really matter. 

We kept a diary at the cabin, where usually people wrote about the weather and what we ate for dinner. There were diaries at the cabin, going back to the 1960s. In the stack of diaries (now gone) my dad wrote about my first visit when I was a baby. He wrote something like “Jule didn't have much to say. She has yet to say anything about anything because she hasn't learned to talk yet." 

Somewhere, I have video of my high school friends and I having a small party at the Cabin. We are drinking beer, dancing and singing to Tom Waits -Rain Dogs - getting progressively more into it, as time passes, and more beer is consumed. Thank god social media did not exist then. 


Most everything of value had been stolen from the cabin because it had been broken into countless times over the years. When I was about 21, I discovered one of the biggest robberies. They took many antiques including my grandmothers wedding trunk, an antique dresser, any dishes that had any value, and a giant rack of elk antlers.

The beds were all lined up on a covered sleeping porch, where you could sleep outside under crisp sheets and blankets, listening to the constant sound of the river as it lulled you to sleep. 

Memories of family, friends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, kids, music, dogs, games, the 70's clock radio in the kitchen that constantly played equal parts static and OPB -- if ever a space and place and a soul, this one did. It was a place that five generations of my family shared and loved in our own way. It wasn't insured, and really the only value it had was sentimental. 

I went there on Saturday for the first time since the fire. Every single thing that wasn't metal was burned, melted or broken. Of the house, only the chimney stood surrounded by ash, the crumpled metal roof, glass and nails. On the surrounding property, only the charred tall trees remain ( many of which will need to come down). On the edge of the property there were many charred cans and bottles which had been thrown from the road. Some cans were from the days before the pull ring openers. 

I rescued a couple of charred things out of the ashes. But I really am working on just letting go of that old place. This helps to write about it, and think of what that place means to me. That love helps me to move forward, and think about what the future holds. 

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My mom, aunt, and grandmother - 1965
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Artist Talk!

8/26/2020

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A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to give an artist talk for the Pitzer@Home series on Zoom. I spoke about the evolution of my work and my current project. I was a little nervous, because I have never done something quite like this before, but it was great. It was so fun to share my work with a group of people I mostly didn't know, all from the comfort of my own home.  Here is the video of the talk. I'm to scared to watch it, I hope it isn't word salad!  I did notice that my cat, Elliott, makes a cameo. 
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