As usual, it’s been awhile…

Typical Jenn. I always forget how long it’s been since I last wrote. I’m surprised by the amount of time that has passed. I shouldn’t be, though. Things happen, life happens, etc…

I’ve been working on boxes for the past couple of weeks. Little decorative boxes that I paint and sculpt embellishments for. I’ll post pics at some point.

For the past 30 minutes, though, I’ve been going through files on my computer. Specifically old artwork and photographs. I’ve been sorting through the past several years of my life wondering where I would be now, artistically, had I been able to keep my shit together.

Life happens.

I have prints of my ocean photographs on Fine Art America that I occasionally sell. I found the folder containing them and I wanted to share one of my favorite ones. It’s not the most colorful or interesting, but it makes me feel the most. It’s not anyone’s favorite, but mine. I call it “Pull” because that’s what’s happening. I was standing in the water at Topsail Island in North Carolina and the waves pulled back, my feet sinking into the sand. It made me dizzy, yet it grounded me. I love that feeling. I look forward to going back.

I’ll write again soon.

World of Art Showcase: Raleigh

From November 1st to November 3rd Raleigh’s convention center hosted the World of Art Showcase, sponsored by our favorite art store, Jerry’s Artarama.  In trying to think of how to describe the event, all I can hear in my head is “Wow”.  That’s about all I’ve been able to express about it during and after.  It was so awesome that it turned me stupid.

I was initially excited to go, then I hit a couple weeks where my insecurities about my own art and my own life made me rethink my excitement and ask myself “Why even bother?”.  I told Jer, the husband, that I didn’t buy tickets (that I had intended to buy weeks prior) and after a few days’ worth of conversation and his pushing, I bought the tickets and we went.

As you may know from previous posts, he doesn’t consider himself an “art guy”.  Frankly, the art world freaks him out so much so that he thinks of the “art world” as an actual parallel universe that exists in quotations where he would be an alien lost in a group of artists that wear scarves year round, speak only in color, and eat with palette knives.  I’m assuming this is what goes through his head, anyway, as any mention of him being around people that do art causes his eyes to widen and his pulse becomes clearly visible in his temples. Over the course of those 3 days, however, he learned that these people are humans who not only do art, but they also like pizza, action figures, and enjoy dropping f-bombs when appropriate.  This was good for him.

It was great for me, too.  I was exposed to work that I don’t think I ever would have otherwise been exposed to if not for this event.  And as you may know from my history, there are still days where I feel like opening my front door will bring about death and destruction for all of mankind, however I did make it out of the front door, drove all the way into the city for those 3 days, and I talked to people.  ‘Sup.  I kind of feel like I deserve to shout-whisper a “Fuck yeah!” and perhaps shoot my fist into the air.  Only a few times did I have issues with dissociation, so that was pretty sweet too.  Yeah therapy!  WOO!

Within the next couple of days I’m going to get my photos together (I didn’t take nearly enough and am disappointed with myself about that) and get them on here.  Until then, here’s some pizza (it was yum).

Topsail Island vacation…

“Mrs. Gump, is there a Mr. Gump?”
“He’s on vacation.”

Probably not at Topsail Island, though. Which is where I am and have been since the 14th. I would like to say “That is why I have not updated my blog” but that would be a lie. I could say that I was busy getting things together for vacation, but that would only be a half-truth. I have not updated my blog because of my typical reasons. However, I did manage to post every day for a whole week that one week a couple weeks ago!! (did you follow that? I didn’t)

So, yes, Topsail Island, NC. Specifically, Surf City, NC. It has been beautiful and even though today is a gray one, that’s quite alright as I tend to favor them. I wanted to share with you a picture I took at sunrise on the 18th. Here:

A necklace…

Just a photo and a quick back-story:

A bit over 2 years ago my brother asked me to make him a hemp necklace, so I said I would. 2 years ago. I did it 2 days ago. Shame on me. This is not his necklace though – I was on a roll so I made one for my mom.

The Art House Co-op Projects…

I signed up for 2 more! I had so much fun participating in the Fiction Project (even though I never mailed anything in!!) and just as much fun doing the Sketchbook Project (I did manage to send that one in). Now there are 2 more:

The Photo Response Project: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/photoresponse

and

The Self Portrait Project: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/selfportrait

The Photo Response one is free, but also full. The Self Portrait is $25 to enter. I have semi-started the Photo one (I chose the 5th photo – it was the only one that flooded my head with ideas at first glance) and I have no idea what I’m going to do for the Self Portrait. Or rather, which one of my personalities to represent…

There is one more project I just spotted that I think is quite interesting:

The Adventure Project: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/videoadventure

This one is free and 351 out of 1000 available spots are filled. 30 seconds to record an adventure. I’m trying to think of any adventures I could go on that would be filled with some sort of amusement or horror and set within 30 seconds. While I have been leaving my apartment a bit more lately (Go me! No fear!) I can’t think of anything that fits that criteria. All I can come up with is cleaning the litter boxes, but not only is that ick, it’s also more horror and amazement “How did Gabriel manage to pass that candy wrapper AND toothpick?!” My cats are freaking talented.

I’ll have to think on this…

So, yeah, go to the Art House Co-op and get yourself into something interesting.

Dead foot…

I took a series of photos a few months ago (probably longer than a few, I suck at time) of feet. When I was in junior high I went through this foot-drawing phase. I just drew feet on everything and I have no idea why. My English teacher (who wasnt a bit fond of me) smiled and said “Maybe when you grow up, you’ll sell shoes”. Yes. At 14 years old, I aspired to be Al Bundy (although I should say if Her Hotness Katey Segal was my wife, I would have zero complaints).

Last night and a bit today I’ve been playing with these photos. I have a sort of love/hate for photo editing software because it helps me get my photos close to what I see in my head, but also allows me to procrastinate on learning how to fully operate my wonderful camera. Lazy. I’m just lazy. On one particular photo, I zoomed in and out repeatedly; getting up close and personal with dry skin. The adjustments I made to the photo caused discoloration and pronounced shadows and slight imperfections so much that the foot looks filthy, disgusting, and dead. I love it.  I love the horror of it, I guess.

Going back to the first paragraph of my childhood aspirations I actually wanted to be everything in the entire world. There were certain careers that stood out more than others, but I liked the idea of being able to help people with anything from a plumbing problem to an interior design crisis. One specific career that I was really interested in was becoming a mortician.  I wanted to be a Funeral Director. To me, Funeral Directors got to play several different parts; like actors, except continuous work was a guarantee (maybe this is relevant to my identity issues). This life-long preoccupation with death comes through in a lot of my artwork and this foot photo was no exception! After playing around, it started looking like a dead foot. The skin, along with looking filthy and dry, appeared mottled. I’ve done this with body photos before and I always like the outcome, but I’ve never zoomed in like I did with the foot. I like that even more.

I am fascinated with breaking people/bodies into sections. Picking one area and highlighting or removing it from where its supposed to be. Disjointing, I suppose. So taking this foot and zooming in so close goes along with that fascination. It’s truly repulsive (and I’m smiling as I write that).