Today we’d like to introduce you to Jules Gissler.
Hi Jules, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I have always drawn, painted, & made things since I was a child. In college, at Montana State University in Bozeman, I was exposed to all sorts of art classes; printmaking, jewelry design, ceramics, painting, drawing, & also product, interior, & graphic design. After graduation, I moved to Atlanta and worked as a manager of the graphics department, of an envelope company. There was little creativity involved, so on the side, I began making jewelry from hardware, pearls & unique beads. I still sell it today if people ask.
I was also asked to paint a vest for the silent auction for the American Craft Council. Helen Ballard Weeks of Ballard Designs catalog bid on my vest, but someone else outbid her. The painted vest lead me to doing hand-painted pillows with beads, or hardware, sewn on them. I sold them to Ballard Designs, Barneys New York, ABC Carpet & Home, New York, and various shops across the country. I also pursued an idea of making rock pillows.
When I lived in NYC, I began writing children’s stories also, illustrating them, and trying to get them published. One publisher was interested, but after a year of working with her on one of my stories, she was laid off, and it sat there a few more months, and then they passed on it. It definitely made me decide to put that on hold.
Later, when I went through a divorce, I decided I needed to live my passions. I wrote a short, 2 lines per page book, “Getting Your Magic Back” with my abstract paintings for the spreads. I self-published it on Kickstarter. It was originally for people going through a divorce, but since then, I have had people also reach out to me, who have a serious illness, an addiction, making a life change, and also experiencing abuse. I still sell them today, and donated many books to a women’s organization, “Fresh Start Women’s Foundation”.
I took online art classes with Lilla Rogers, “Make Art That Sells”. Students were from around the world. It was so wonderful to connect with them. At that time, I was also illustrating, painting, doing my pillows, and my hardware jewelry. I mainly painted flowers and dogs, and then made cards, prints, & calendars from them. People began to commission me to paint their pets. My whimsical furry kids have pink and yellow eyes, curlicue eyebrows, and noses. Some are dressed in pajamas, Hawaiian shirts, tiaras, boas, etc., whatever portrays their personality. I also paint them just as their cute selves. They are acrylic, ink, and a splash of sequins (just because). The dogs’ eyes never look straight ahead, either up, down, or sideways, which adds to their personality. I write a title up the side of the canvas, and over the top –kind of a secret for the client. A couple of years ago, I began offering what I call my “Jules style realistic” which is a mix of watercolor, gouache, colored pencil or charcoal. Instead of the whimsical eyes, theirs are realistic.
Besides my pet portraits, I’m venturing into abstracts, and kooky women with a short story. Most of the women have the side-eye stare, which adds to their quirkiness, or mystique. I love writing the short, quirky stories, and would like to do a book some day. I have also painted houses as commissions, pies for a local pie shop, “Pie Snob”, flowers, and a few landscapes. When creating my art, I like mixing mediums, doing hand-painted collage, and am always ready to try new ways of creating something.
Where I am today, I love painting Pet portraits, because I feel like I get to know the pet, staring into their eyes as I paint them, and especially presenting the painting to the people that love them, and seeing their reaction. I also, as I said earlier, would like to focus on painting more abstracts, my women with their story, and of course, I always love doing desserts and flowers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No–when I lived in Atlanta, I came up with the idea of doing a rock pillow. It was carved from foam, covered with velvet and I hand-painted moss with oatmeal. I took it to the Merchandise Mart and he liked them but said he needed more for a line. I thought about the vest I did for the silent auction, and that’s when I began painting my pillows. I took them back to him, and he then said they didn’t fit in his showroom, but suggested another showroom. She liked the hand-painted pillows, but not the rock pillows. I was determined to sell the rocks, and that is when I went to the design center and she asked me if I was on acid when I did them…that was the demise of the rock pillow.
I also painted my “ziG” wingnut bracelets an enamel red, so that the paint wouldn’t peel. I thought they would be a huge hit with the Detroit Red Wings hockey, but there was a lot of red tape with the licensing, so that idea fell flat.
Just trying to figure out which direction to go, and making a living with my passion was daunting. I quickly discovered that I had to venture in many directions. I have always lived by the words “why not” and that’s why I continue to try different avenues…you just don’t know where something may lead.
I also think you doubt yourself many times, especially after scrolling Instagram, but I try to remember that there is only one of me, and that makes what I do, unique.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have a “Save the Earth” daisy t-shirt, sweatshirt, etc, on Amazon. Under Jules Gissler “Save the Earth’ daisy t-shirt.
Creating brings me joy, and has helped me get through some of the tough stuff in life. I love connecting with others through my art and writing.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
As I said in my book–“Live your magic!”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.julesgissler.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/julesAgissler
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julesGisslerArtist
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/julesgissler
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