On the set of Dobro Jutro Hrvatska (Good Morning Croatia) with the one and only Ivana Vilović.
International Television Sensation.
Happy Fall!!! I mentioned in my last newsletter that I was going to be interviewed on the Croatian National Television station, HRT during a show called Dobro Jutro Hrvatska (Good Morning Croatia). What I didn't know was that the interview would be LIVE. I capitalized "live" because it is a big deal. When you are LIVE, that means no second chances if you mess up. Wardrobe malfunction? Slip of the tongue? Jimmy Kimmel Blooper? Doing something that makes your video go viral for all the wrong reasons? All could happen on LIVE television. What made my particular experience with live television more stressful than the typical situation was that I was asked the questions in Croatian (which I don't speak very well). The questions were then simultaneously translated into English in an earbud in my right ear. I gave my answers in English, which were simultaneously translated into Croatian for the television audience. As a result, there was always a slight delay between the end of the response and the beginning of the next. Dead air is the enemy.
I am happy to report that everything went off without a hitch. My T-shirt did not mysteriously split apart. I did not accidentally drop a four-letter word (probably the most realistic concern), and there were no extremely awkward pauses. In fact, it was fantastic, due to the amazing talent of my interviewer, Ivana Vilović, pictured above. Ivana is an intelligent, compassionate, funny, and intriguing reporter who has been working as a journalist and editor for 20 years. She knows her stuff, and she looks good doing it. She started a weekly segment on the Dobro Jutro Hrvatska show four years ago where she interviews foreigners living in Croatia. Her concept for the show grew out of a desire to share interesting stories with her Croatian audience, who might wonder why we would leave our homes to spend time in their country, when so many young Croatians are leaving Croatia to live and work elsewhere.
My dear friend, Tabitha Burrill, an amazing British artist, entrepreneur and businesswoman in Drivenik recommended me to Ivana after Ivana interviewed her on Dobro Jutro Hrvatska. What I love so much about this story, is it shows the power of women supporting other women and the absolute good that can happen when we lift each other up.
The video is currently available only on Facebook and only in Croatian, but if you click on any of these pictures, you will be directed to the video and you can see how lovely it was.
Art Exhibitions From 2017 to 2024
I started painting almost twelve years ago when I left my law practice for something "lighter." In 2017, about five years after I first put paintbrush to canvas, three of my paintings were accepted to an art exhibition in Vancouver, WA. It was my first time being invited to participate in an exhibition and to display my art publicly. I invited everyone I knew to come see my paltry three paintings and we all gathered in front of them like they were the Mona Lisa. The organizer was kind enough to include me in the show, but later commented that the paintings I submitted were "too detailed." He suggested I "loosen up a bit". He was talking about my painting style, but he might as well have told me to change my personality. These are the three paintings.
That was 2017.
2024 My First International Solo Art Exhibition.
Flash forward to 2024 and my first solo art exhibition in the DLS Pazin Gallery in Pazin, Croatia.
When I was in Croatia in April 2023, soon after the release of my book, Ebby the Magnificent, I had the great fortune to deliver a copy of my book to a lovely Croatian woman living in the small city of Pazin located in the center of the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia. Pazin is an ancient city, first mentioned in writing in the year 983. It has had it share of history, including a 500 year long stint under the Hapsburg Dynasty. Pazin also has a 130 meter-deep (300 feet) cave/abyss in the middle of town purported to have inspired Dante in his description of the entry to hell in The Divine Comedy and Jules Verne to write Journey to the Center of the Earth.
But I digress (as always). While delivering the book, I met Nada Putinja, the president of the Pazin Society of Fine Artists. After looking at the art in my book, she invited me to have a solo exhibition at the Society of Fine Artists' gallery, called DLS Pazin. The opening day for my art exhibition finally arrived one and half years later on October 18. I gathered together 29 paintings, including many original paintings from my book, hung them on the wall, and waited for the throngs of visitors to descend. You can watch a 31 second time lapse video of us setting up the show by clicking HERE.
Massive throngs did not appear because the tourist season is all but over, but I met some wonderful people who told me they loved the exhibition. It is really something to have complete strangers like your art. I'm not sure why, but it feels great. People have compared my style to artists like Frida Kahlo, Picasso, and Gustave Klimt. I do not think my art looks anything like their works. Perhaps it is my use of bright colors that inspire the comparisons. Needless to say, I have continued painting in "my style," tiny details, and all.
Here are some pictures. A big thank you to all the people who supported and attended my exhibition!
A Magical Return to Slunj.
A substantial part of my book takes place in the wondrous village I called Slune. In reality, the name is spelled "Slunj" (the u is long and the j is essentially silent), but since most English readers would pronounce Slunj to rhyme with "sponge", I spelled it Slune, which is closer to the Croatian pronunciation. Slunj lies in Croatia near the Bosnian border. Over the centuries it has been on the frontier between the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, between the "east" and "west." That is but one factor making Slunj so extraordinary.
The people of Slunj are brave, kind, and resourceful. Although Slunj is close to one of the most famous tourist destinations in Croatia, the Plitvice Lakes National Park, it is often overlooked by the hundreds of thousands of tourists passing through. Not by me, though. I am one of those people that stops at Historic Markers and Viewpoints. It was this specific trait that caused me to first stop in Slunj on my way to Plitvice several years ago. The sight of this extraordinary village took my breath away and inspired Ebby's adventures.
Ever since I published Ebby the Magnificent, I have wanted to share it with the people of Slunj. I finally had a chance to do that while taking some guests to Plitvice Lakes. We walked six miles through some of the most incredible scenery in the world. I made a short video of one tiny part of the Plitvice Lakes National Park to give you a taste. Click HERE to watch it. Then, I showed my book to one of the park employees. She was so excited to see a book written about her part of Croatia, she jumped at the chance to get a copy. I knew at that moment I was on to something.
Ebby the Magnificent has been Welcomed to Slunj!
While my husband took our guests on a walking tour of Rastoke, the part of Slunj where the old water mills are located, I headed off with a box of books to the Slunj Tourist Bureau to see what they thought of an English language book, written by an American, set in Slunj. If you have never cold-called someone as a salesperson, it takes some guts. You have to be willing to accept rejection. I prepared for the worst as I walked into the tourist office and was greeted by a lovely young woman. After I explained I was there to promote my book, she said the thing I feared the most: "You will need to speak to my boss." Urp.
I found myself in front of another lovely young woman, repeating my spiel about Ebby the Magnificent. She asked to see my book. She thumbed through it as I spoke about my love of their town and of Croatia. She lit up the office with her smile as she looked at the paintings I had done of Rastoke. She and her assistant asked how they could get a copy of the book, then she called the principal of the local primary school to see if she would be willing to meet with me.
Two hours later, I had not only discussed being part of the town's festivals in 2025, and doing a new painting to be used in their advertisements, I am in discussions with the school about presenting Ebby to the entire school! What a lovely, warm welcome!
Archival Quality Prints of my Paintings are available!
I now have Giclée prints of my paintings for sale! Giclée is the term used for fine art prints using a specialized high resolution inkjet printer. These Fine Art Giclée masterpieces are printed on heavy weight museum grade, archival fine art watercolor paper and will last for generations if properly handled and displayed. The barred owl painting turned out so great you would be hard pressed to pick the print from the original! The print captures every detail, every brushstroke, and the color is exact. These Giclée prints will be available for purchase at my in-person events, or by contacting me directly. An 11" x 14" unframed print is only $125.00 in the United States. Prices may vary if purchased outside the United States. Larger sizes can be ordered as well. I currently have several of my most popular paintings available in an 11" x 14" print. They will be added to my website soon, but in the meantime, if you would like to order a Giclée print of any of one of these paintings, or any other painting I have done, please reach out to me at jessica@jwjulian.com. I will number and sign each print.
Ebby is the perfect gift for every occasion. Christmas is right around the corner!
Ebby the Magnificent is available in a First Edition heirloom quality hardcover edition or a deluxe softcover version. Both versions include a sewn and glued seam, heavy, high-quality paper, gorgeous, full-color images, and a map of the Land of Stones on the front and back covers so you always know where you are. Because it is a one hundred percent positive, bright, hopeful and cheery book, full of adventure, beautiful illustrations, and valuable life lessons for all ages, it is the perfect gift for weddings, baby showers, graduations from 1st grade to PhDs, birthdays, the holidays and any other reason you might have to give a beautiful and thoughtful gift. Available only at www.jwjulian.com and select independent bookstores now listed on the Stores page of my website. I am happy to custom autograph your book.
We LOVE our readers and LOVE getting reviews!
Reviews are a great way for you to tell other people about the book and are extremely important for independent self-published authors. If you enjoyed Ebby, please consider sharing your thoughts with your friends, your book club, your colleagues, on Amazon, Goodreads, with me, or wherever you write reviews. As an independent, self-published author, word of mouth is my BEST advertisement. This is a review I received last year. It still makes me smile.
Happy reading and hoppy adventures!
J. W. Julian
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