Juliette Crane is a painter based in the scenic Driftless Region of Wisconsin. Her soulful, expressive work dances between abstraction and figuration, exploring themes of memory, color, and the natural world. When Crane lost her job in 2009, she returned to what she loved most as a child: painting. She began by dripping and splashing color, then intuitively uncovering the figures she saw within the layers.
When Crane found it difficult to paint large portraits at an easel after shoulder trouble in 2024, she began laying the canvas on a flat surface. Dissatisfied with this vantage point for painting faces, she gradually developed those first layers into transparent veils of luminous color to capture the emotions she felt from the figures in her paintings—a connection expressed through color, movement, and the creation of slow, intentional forms that represent the inner radiance of human life.
Crane uses techniques that involve building up layers of acrylic paint and mixed media to create rich patterns, celebrating the beauty inherent in imperfection. Her paintings challenge conventional expectations of everyday life, providing viewers with a space to contemplate their personal stories. She allows marks and textures to overlap in layers, mirroring the human condition. Each painting becomes a deeper understanding of the world, revealing universal truths and connectedness.
Her creative practice also includes writing and teaching, where she shares her process and helps others rediscover their own creative voice.
