"Laughing in the Park" Commissioned Portrait by Juliane Porter (16" x 20" Oil on archival quality, gallery wrapped canvas. Click image for better, larger view!)
"Laughing in the Park" is my latest commissioned portrait of a beautiful young brother and sister. I had a blast painting this carefree and playful pair. Can't you feel the bond between them?!
While painting, I was reminded of a favorite Emily Dickinson poem, There is Another Sky, which she wrote for her beloved older brother.
There is Another Sky
There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Austin,
Never mind silent fields –
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!
~ Emily Dickinson (Written for her brother)
"Lizzie Dances under the Pier in the Sands of Isle of Palms" Commissioned Portrait by Juliane Porter. (16"x12" Oil on Archival Gallery Wrapped Canvas) Click for a better, larger view.
Lizzie Dances under the Pier in the Sands of Isle of Palms is my most recent portrait of my dear, dear friend's beautiful daughter.
"Siblings" Commissioned Portrait by Juliane Porter. 36" x 24" Oil on Archival, Gallery Wrapped Canvas. (Please click for better, larger view)
So incredibly inspiring is the love between these beautiful siblings! While painting these two little cherubs, I couldn't help but fall in love with them!
“Mama and Her Cubs”, 24″ x 36″ Commissioned Oil Painted Portrait on Canvas (Click image for better, larger view)
It was an absolute honor to create this commissioned oil painting of my gorgeous friend, Bick Fielder, and her three beautiful children. Over the past few months painting them, I was overwhelmed by her amazing spirit and the perfect love she has for these darling babes.
Corner of the Marina, Nantucket, Mass, USA. Oil on canvas by Juliane Porter. www.StyleNectar.com
Corner of the Marina, is the third painting in my Chatham/Nantucket series. I fell in love with the reflections in the water and the light, happy feeling of being on Nantucket. There will always be something about water that I absolutely adore. The colors, the shimmer, it's power and vastness… it keeps things in perspective, like a great teacher.
According to Ayurveda, my dosha is Vata, which is woven from the elements of space and air. Jim is of the Pitta dosha, comprised of water and fire- so there's definitely something about this attraction to water for me:-)
What is your dosha? Take the quiz here. Then let us know what you are… feel free to share your thoughts on my painting too:-)
You may also enjoy:
Cream of Mushroom Soup, www.StyleNectar.com
This fabulous Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe is long overdue! However, the best things in life are always worth the wait 🙂 My vegan take on the classic is a bowl of warm, savory goodness. Rich, velvety and as always, simple to prepare.
I love this dairy-free version of Cream of Mushroom Soup even more than the cream-based & lower-fat dairy-based recipes I made in the past. This delicious soup gets it's luscious, creamy texture from the addition of cashews. (Dairy contains many hormone-containing and cancer-promoting substances and there are strong associations between dairy consumption and prostate, ovarian, adult testicular and colorectal cancers. 1.)
Lately, I often wonder if my tastebuds don't somehow know the difference between the foods that make me vibrant and healthy, versus those that don't. I adore my new vegan way of eating that much. It feels everyday like I get to have my cake and eat it too! I definitely have not given up a thing, despite virtually elimating dairy, meat, sugar and refined grains in favor of G-BOMBS (greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries & seeds). In fact I feel I've received a huge gift… the most delicious food I've ever made which happens to simultaneously make me feel amazing!
Please enjoy a steaming bowl of my Cream of Mushroom Soup to make your insides as happy as your tastebuds!
PS. I almost neglected to mention: "Mushrooms block tumor growth and have anti-estrogenic activity – regular consumption of mushrooms – as little as one mushroom per day – has been shown to decrease breast cancer risk by up to 60-70%." 2.
Cream of Mushroom Soup the Nutritarian way, www.StyleNectar.com
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
Method
Stay tuned for a to die for Mushroom Tapanade coming later this week…
You may also enjoy: Triple Berry Parfait with Cashew Cream!
Footnotes/References:
1. www.DiseaseProof.com, Dairy and cancer
Dairy products contain many hormone-containing and -promoting substances. U.S. cheese consumption has increased 182% (almost 3-fold) in the past 30 years11, and the incidence of our hormone sensitive cancers has also increased. There are strong associations between dairy consumption and prostate cancer.12,13,14Interestingly, some studies have found that prostate cancer risk was elevated with increased consumption of low-fat milk specifically, suggesting that the potential threat to prostate health may be more closely linked to dairy protein than dairy fat.15,16 Ovarian cancer risk is also elevated by consumption of dairy products equivalent to three glasses of cow's milk per day.17,18 Butter use is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer in women.19 Eating larger amounts of dairy products during childhood is associated with adult testicular and colorectal cancer.20,21
Cow's milk is the perfect food for the rapidly growing calf, but foods that promote rapid growth promote cancer. Consuming dairy protein on a regular basis elevates blood levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).22IGF-1 is known to stimulate the growth of both normal and cancer cells, and there is a strong and consistent association between serum IGF-1 concentrations and prostate cancer risk.23 One study showed that men who had the highest levels of IGF-1 had more than four times the risk of prostate cancer compared with those who had the lowest levels.24 If you choose to consume dairy, minimize your intake to small amounts – dairy products are not essential for good health and carries potential health risks.
2. www.DiseaseProof.com, Strategies for Preventing Breast Cancer, 6
Fields of Gold is one of several paintings from my Nantucket Island series, the rest of which I'll continue to share throughout the year. Please click the image for a better, larger view and feel free to listen to the accompanying audio (link directly below) which inspired the name of this painting.
Fields of Gold. 16×20 oil on canvas by Juliane Porter. Fields overlooking the cliffs of Nantucket.
Do you have a favorite inspirational travel destination?
Is there a piece of music which reminds you of any place in particular?
You may also enjoy~> Italy 2 Ways: Il Volo & Umbria
I promised, a few weeks back, to update you on how I'm tweaking my mostly raw, vegan lifestyle to a nutritarian point of view. First, let me preface that I think the whole process should be fun and the best approach to be open minded. This is a work in progress, and rather than holding myself to the strictest standards I will always feel reasonably comfortable compromising here and there. That said, my primary interest is taking the best possible care of myself, in a SUSTAINABLE manner, so that I can feel great, look my best and enjoy life to the max!
I've always been fascinated by how nutrition affects the way our bodies operate and ultimately, the way we feel and function as a result. Through my research, I came across the highly regarded, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, auther of the excellent book, "Eat to Live," among others, and creator of the Nutrient Density-based food pyramid below. Dr. Fuhrman explains the scientific evidence and first rate studies behind the very latest findings for how a "high-nutrient, vegetable-based diet style is the key to optimal health, increased longevity and disease prevention." In fact, he states, "high-nutrient eating, as a therapeutic intervention, is most often MORE effective than drugs and surgery at restoring health from chronic diseases."
Fuhrman isn't shy about exposing the myriad myths and total misinformation propulgated by industries with a vested interest in consumers buying their products (dairy, animal products, grains to name a few). Neither is he shy to point out the current recommendations/food pyramid guidelines offered by the FDA are totally off base, "listing protective foods as 'side dishes,' and allowing the vast majority of calories to be obtained from nutrient poor foods." The bottom line is that it's important for each one of us to become experts on our own bodies and how to support them, rather than blindly following the advice of industry-biased experts, the government, or even doctors (most of whom don't receive training in nutrition).
What has become lost in the bombardment of messaging & advertising all skewed to sell products, is the simple fact that our genetics have only a 10% impact on how healthy we are– the rest is very much in our hands! But that sort of information doesn't support a dependence on pharmaceuticals/insurance/products being sold by billion dollar industries. Therefore, the majority of the population get brainwashed into thinking osteoporosis, obesity, heart disease and breast cancer are a matter of either time or fate.
The truth is the foods we choose to put into our bodies have the power to heal, protect and nourish us in incredibly powerful ways! For example, Dr. Fuhrman points out, the very battle on breast cancer is being approached from the absolute wrong angle. There are tons of proven studies that show how specific nutritional application can kill/reverse/prevent breast cancer cells.
He states, "Mammograms for 'early detection' are not the only defense and do not even offer significant benefits. The scientific evidence shows that women do have the power to protect themselves against breast cancer with powerful preventive lifestyle measures." "[There are] foods that help to prevent the cancerous transformation of normal cells, and keep the body armed and ready to attack any pre-cancerous or cancerous cells that may arise."
But do many people know about this? Why not? Aren't these simple, preventative measures a huge part of the message to be spreading?
Once you've equipped yourself with just some the amazing knowledge behind how nutrition works, (check out www.diseaseproof.com) there will be no stopping you on your own quest to benenfit from the power it can have on your life. It's a little shocking at first, to realize most of what we've been taught is good for us, isn't in fact good for us at all. However, read up on the impact of dairy, animal products, excessive protein and processed food consumption and it won't be hard to start phasing them out. Read up on the amazing benefits of eating greens, berries, mushrooms, seeds and beans and you'll be running to the grocery store to fill up on everything you've been missing! The great part is that you'll begin seeing the benefits almost immediately.
Later this week I'll be presenting a wonderful Nutritarian lunch option both adults and kiddos will love! (In fact Jim and I have it for lunch quite often.) I'll also share a resource for an awesome 1/2 hour full-body workout I've been doing 3 times a week which is excellent for toning, strengthening and cardiovascular training in one quick, fun workout. One of the best kept secrets out there may be that you don't have to kill yourself to have a killer body! My personal approach to nutrition and fitness has been to find a SUSTAINABLE way of eating healthy and staying fit. I want to be happy and active until I'm at least 120 years old! Combining a nutritarian diet (with my own personalized modifications) and a consistent yet light approach to exercise removes cravings and keeps me energized.
Dr. Fuhrman's Nutritarian Food Pyramid.
Are you thinking about becoming a Nutritarian?
Have you ever experimented with a Vegan or Vegetarian Lifestyle?
You may also enjoy: Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice!
&
Cozy Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup!
**I am not a healthcare practitioner or provider. To the extent that any information is provided through this website, it is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute or substitute for medical advice or counseling, the practice of medicine including but not limited to psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or the provision of health care diagnosis or treatment, the creation of a physician-patient or clinical relationship, or an endorsement, a recommendation or a sponsorship of any third party, product or service by me. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements available on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
"Happy Days on the James" by Juliane Porter (48″ × 36″ Oil on Archival, Museum Grade, Belgian Linen Canvas)
(Please click image for a better, larger view)
"Happy Days on the James" is my most recent commissioned oil painting, capturing an incredibly beautiful, fun loving family. They adore spending a fine summer afternoon splashing about under the sun on the gorgeous James River, which winds about their historic city like a strand of jewels. What a treat and honor it was to capture this fond memory for them in a stately 4 foot oil painting. Thank you, my dear friends, for the opportunity to be a part of your very special love.
