Black Velvet

This is a painting I finished a couple of weeks ago. It's based off of a photo from a 1962 book for girls.

Funny looking pup.

I'm not sure how I feel about it...tacky?cute?cool?

So I named it black velvet, because like a black velvet painting, I can't decide how I feel about it. Is the tacky factor outweighing the cool?

(jen)

Therapeutic Endeavor/ Crochet Sculpting

sliced bread friend

I recently started back to school, which means I'm unable to find as much uninterrupted time to paint. I still have the need to create, and recently have been inspired to make crochet sculpture friends (sad, that may say something about me). I have to explain: it is important to understand these are sculptures--with imperfections. If you haven't noticed, I am the type of artist who welcomes imperfections. Imperfections add to personality of art, and people for that matter. My mom showed me one simple stitch in crochet (not sure if that is the correct term used in crochet), so any creation I come up with is of my own design. I truly am not one to follow recipes.

I love food and am creating a line of food friends. I've done cupcakes in the past, so I thought I would try my hands at something less predictable--like sliced bread and a green olive.

green olive friend

I also created this little chick (chicky babe, as my driving teacher used to call us girls...you have to love the not-so-politically correct late 80's). Chicky babe comes with a peek-a-boo shell to hide in when necessary.

chicky babe

chicky babe in her shell

And I know owls are trendy, but I had to create one; I saw two owls in one week, which served me as a sign and inspired me to create a whole line of animals inspired by creatures I see around my house. I'm currently working on a bat (which I had to shoo out of my house last year), and mouse (which I had to shoo out of my house last week), and plan to do a bunny, a raccoon, and some birds. Some of the creatures I've encountered around my property and house, have somewhat bothered me (don't get me started on insects), so part of creating these sculptures is to embrace these experiences.

Art as therapy once again.

(n) menagerie (a collection of live animals for study or display)

(jen)

Sculpture & Ross Brown's 120%/87% Theory

This is the completed sculpture I lovingly made (mostly) at school with tremendous help from my instructor Ross Brown. It's aluminum and stands well over 6' and turned out as I imagined it in the beginning, which is quite surprising, because most of my art does not turn out as I imagine it in the beginning. It also stands on it's own, which I actually did not expect.

It's 14 pieces in total, welded together (by Ross), and the petals are removable. I sculpted the body and base out of foam, and cast it in aluminum at the Bellevue Community College foundry. The petals were sculpted from wax and cast at a party at Ross and Sharman's house in his foundry.

About Ross and Sharman: Ross, my instructor, is a sculptor and his wife Sharman is a painter. They live on a huge piece of property that maintains multiple gardens, a studio, a foundry, and tons of art work (sculptures and whatnot). It's a magical place to visit--so much to look at; too much for me to list. They're website is worth looking into, because it too has much to look at: http://owingsbrownstudio.com/ (check out Sharman's painting a day blog).

A journey in sculpture: pictures of the cast party, the creation, and the result.

A view from the property.

The property has so many interesting hand created strutcures to see.

I think Sharman created these doll head sculptures.

This is some aluminum being poured for the foam sculpted part of my sculpture.

Hot.

This is a depiction of some of the hard work that took place on the day of our cast party. The entire class was invited to participate. We all pitched in, along with some friends of Ross and Sharman who were also there to bring sculpted pieces to life.

This is me, setting free out of its plaster casing, one of my four pieces cast that day.

And this is the fruit of my (and Ross) labor.

Ross has a 120%/87% theory, it goes like this (my interpretation):

1. you're really excited about your project (120%)

2. you start to sketch and toss around ideas and the excitement decreases a bit (100%)

3. you spend the funds it takes to create your project (decrease)

4. you start to work on the project and it may or may not go well (for me this is a daily evaluation, and the amount decreased depends on how well it goes that day)

5. at the completion of your project, if you find that you are at 87% pleased, then in 5 years when you revisit it, you will be 120% pleased with it again (or at least 100%).

*I love this theory, because I find it true. While you're in the passion of creation, emotions toward a piece can become exaggerated (especially negative emotion, and especially when money is involved). I like my work better when some time has been put between us.

(jen)

Look at Me! Jen's Featured in the Showcase at Etsy. (today only)

Just wanted to give a heads up on my featured presence on Etsy today. I'm featured in the art category of the Showcase section: http://www.etsy.com/showcase.php
I love how Etsy gives so many opportunities to allow looky-loos to find treasures they wouldn't have otherwise known about. I recommend checking out the Showcase area, but my favorite way to randomly discover new items is to pounce (and I prefer just listed/hasn't sold).

(jen)

A Step Away From the Usual

So this is a piece I finished yesterday entitled the king and i, and for anyone familiar with my work, it's a step away from paintings I usually produce. It's an adaptation of a photo a friend of mine took and gave to me for inspiration. I don't know if this is going to help me, but I find it cool and tacky at the same time.
Maybe the Leos will dig it.

(jennifer)

Artwalk and "See What Happens" Update

Jennifer (me) will again participate in the Edmond's Artwalk, on September 18, 5-8pm. This time I will be at John L. Scott; I've shown here before, and I like this particular location for a few reasons:
1. they appreciate art and have a nice collection themselves
2. they are a large cool open space to show
3. they have great appetizers (catered last time)
If you have not been to the Edmond's Artwalk, I encourage you to go. The link to the map for the evening's events: http://www.manyaveeselects.com/artwalk/artwalk.htm.
I researched a few of the artists to see who's going to be there, and I found one in particular whose work I really like. Her name is Jennifer Lommers, http://www.jenniferlommers.com/Gallery.html, and her site is worth looking into. It's the only drawback to participating, missing the opportunity to see the work of everyone else.
If you're in the area, come see me and say hi.

And now for an update on a recent painting, and thoughts regarding the life of art:
I recently blogged about a painting I finished (three robins and remained untitled). I felt ill at ease with it, so before I sealed it I decided to change directions. One day last week, I was having a terrible, non creative, no patience, no imagination toward the future end result to pieces I was working on day, and days like those seem to throw my whole world upside down. If there are any other artists out there reading this post, does this happen to you too? Anyway, I did what I always try to do in this scenario, I walked away (although it was several hours later than I should have; maybe it wouldn't have troubled me so much had I walked away sooner). So a couple of days later I went back. I turned my painting into a mixed media piece, using vintage cookbook recipes to fashion the birds, and finally I call it finished--cook book birds.


One last note, if any of you are wondering where Heather is, I can assure you all is well. She's busy with family and such, and I'm hopeful she'll chime in soon; I appreciate her creative perspective.

(jennifer)

Today's Work

This is what I finished today. It's entitled El Capitan.

On to other things: I'm almost crazy to share the link that I'm about to, because when you see his work, and then look at mine--well, it makes me look like I was painting with my hands tied behind my back, while I was intoxicated, during an earthquake, with my eyes closed--in other words, no comparison. Anyway, I want to share the link to Vladimir Muhin's work (http://www.muhin-art.ru/english.htm), because it is so beautiful. I was researching him to show a friend of mine, and I thought I'd share the visual wealth. My favorites are the Basics and Portraits. Looking at his work makes me want to sit up straight.

(jennifer)

Music and Paint, See What Happens

Today was a great day to paint; first day back to school for everyone but me. Nothing pressing, except inspiration, so today I streamed archive Positive Vibrations, via www.kexp.org, and went to work painting. If you are not familiar with positive vibes, I suggest you check it out: Saturday mornings, 9am-12pm. It's a program featuring Jamaican music, mostly reggae--to me a day without reggae is a day lacking in vitamin irie.
Kids hops (dj) is the best Seattle selector since Reggae Charlie back in the day of KCMU. That's my two cents concerning musical accompaniment to most of my work.
When music and paint come together, this is what comes to life.

(jennifer)