Julie Beard Artworks

I am self-taught resident artist at Missouri Artists on Main gallery in St. Charles, MO, where I present my art gourds. My latest passion is painting with Cold Wax Medium, combined with oil paint, acrylics, and collage.

Cold Wax Medium (CWM), added 50/50 to oil paint, provides a thick texture best applied with squeegees and palate knives. It gives paintings a depth and luster similar to encaustics, but it is more easily applied in cold form and helps oil paint dry faster.

After a long career in journalism, my artistic journey started with a calligraphy class, which helped my drawing skills. Then I worked with fused glass, which enhanced my desire to work with 3 dimensions. I tried pulp paper painting, which required large equipment I could not afford (aka a Hollander Beater). I worked with water color, acrylics, inks, collage, and back to 3-D with gourds. I carve them, paint, dye, wood-burn, and constantly evolve my techniques.

As an artist, I strive to highlight the nature of the mediums I engage with. My gourds lean rustic and natural. My paintings progressively celebrate color with little concern for first impressions. I am only as good as the medium I get out of the way of.

But now I have locked into the dimensional joy of cold wax. I joined the Cold Wax Academy and took a weeklong composition workshop with Jerry McLaughlin in Mexico. I have learned a lot about Jerry and Rebecca Crowell’s intuitive, layered approach to painting.

Here are some of my efforts in a variety of mediums, starting with Cold Wax.

Gourd Art

Other Art Works