PoppyRow

April 26, 2007

Child’s Play

Filed under: inspiration, growth, self-examination — jen @ 3:44 pm

I had the good fortune to be able to see a new exhibit when I taught at the Chaffee Art Center over the weekend. It wasn’t quite your typical show- it was a kid’s exhibit featuring art from preschoolers to seniors in high school from the Rutland, VT region. It was an excellent show, and on day two of my seminar, I decided to take my students on a tour of the galleries so we could talk art. After all, art is not created in a vacuum, the inspiration is interactive, the process is interactive, and the results are definitely interactive.

Art created by children is so wonderful. Not simply because (more…)

April 24, 2007

Weekend Retreat (well, sort of…)

Filed under: inspiration, contemplations, education — jen @ 8:53 pm

picture-002.jpg

I spent the weekend in Rutland, VT at the Chaffee Art Center teaching a two-day watercolor seminar. I love the Chaffee, and I love teaching there. They always treat me like an honored guest, which I’m never opposed to! The class consisted of four ladies, one of them being my mom, and we just really enjoyed having two full eight-hour days, back-to-back to hang out and make art. I was able to begin a new painting that is actually a flower, but just the greenery. I am very excited to see the end result! (more…)

April 23, 2007

For Sale!

Filed under: materials, contemplations — jen @ 9:34 am

So I am usually suspicious longer than necessary for all things concerning computers and the internet. You may be surprised, considering that my husband is a computer programmer, we own at least 4 if not 5 functioning PCs (I lose count!) and I have a website and a blog. I seem rather computer savvy to a lot of my artist friends. But this is because I’ve been of methodically brainwashed for 13 years! Every time Ed sets things up just so, and I’m able to understand and function with relative ease, he changes things! Then I kick and scream and drag my heels, because I don’t want to learn how to do things all over again. Ed patiently explains how it’s better, and will save time, and be easier in the long run. But I know he is just trying to make me crazy. Can nothing concerning computers ever remain stable?!

This brings me to the real reason for this post, beyond the generic PC tirade. (more…)

April 19, 2007

Spring has Sprung..

Filed under: inspiration, contemplations — jen @ 9:31 pm

Finally. Spring. It’s here.

This past Sunday winter lagged on, dragging its slushy heels, making me cringe as the white stuff fell. I went out to my car after work, scraping off the snow with my ID badge, having thrown the ice scraper into the recesses of the garage to wait out the summer season. I saw the weather forecast, but did I think to put snowbrush/scraper back into the trunk? Of course not. I’m not ready for winter; I’m waiting for spring! And today, just a few days later, it’s pushing 65 degrees without a snow bank in sight. What is up with that?  

But it’s exhilarating and causes me to pull myself out the winter-induced lethargy (more…)

April 18, 2007

Oh to be famous…

Filed under: general, education — jen @ 10:33 am

me-0307.bmpMy friend, and VERY talented photographer, Judy Olson, recently took this informal shot of me. I rather like it (I always HATE my picture!) and I thought perhaps you’d enjoy seeing a face along with my voice! Hi, it’s me, Jen!

Well, I’m not famous, but it sure is fun to see your name, picture, or even better yet, your artwork in the paper. I’ve been lucky enough to have all three, (without any illegal activity attached!) and thought I’d pass along the latest bit of “news”. It’s not much, just a blurb about my upcoming class in Rutland. But it’s me nonetheless! So here it is, fresh off the Rutland Herald press:

http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070406/NEWS/704060321/1045/FEATURES17 

Scroll down and you’ll see me listed under The Chaffee Art Center….Next thing you know and I’ll be joining the Hollyweird masses, beating off paparazzi with a stick!    

 

 

 

April 17, 2007

Back from the dead…

Filed under: contemplations — jen @ 9:55 pm

Okay so I have been pretty irresponsible not posting. I hold out my hands, put the shackles on my wrists. I have some excuses, but when I say them out loud, they are pretty lame- like I worked a whole bunch of overnights, and I’ve have a splitting migraine for a week, and my daughter was off from school, and…and… yadda, yadda, yadda. See? It’s not good. I have been thinking about you, and I’ve had ideas and thoughts and more, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I do not want to end up like countless other blogs, at the bottom of the cyber-ocean of internet failures in a pair of cement boots, doomed from the start by my own apathy.

My head still hurts and it’s apparent in my nonsensical ramblings. Forgive me!


I am thinking, thinking all the time of the “assignment”. The very tea I love causes me migraines, so I feel shafted. (more…)

April 2, 2007

Your Own Show – Part II – Get the Word Out #3

Filed under: business, art marketing — jen @ 10:22 pm

I have heard from a handful of followers who plan to participate in Challenge #1 – “Tea”. It’s only about five of us at this point, but it promises to be fun and have some interesting outcomes. Feel free to join in at any point if you’d like, the assignment isn’t “due” until April 30th. I already have some interesting ideas for my project, but I can’t tell you! You’ll just have to wait until the unveiling party! :)

I was really ready to move onto the next section of the series, when I realized I had left out some information that may be valuable. It isn’t much, but probably shouldn’t be overlooked. (more…)

April 1, 2007

Group Project

Filed under: art challenge — jen @ 11:07 pm

Okay, today we are going to take a break from the “Hosting Your Own Show” series for something fun. Because I’ve had some positive response to the idea of a group assignment posed a few posts ago, I decided that on the first of each month, I would post a themed project idea. At the end of the month, everyone can email me the image (not a massive file size please!) to be posted on PoppyRow, and can therefore be critiqued by fellow readers. Don’t be scared about the critique idea- I have earlier posts about this concept, and it will help you mature faster as an artist than you would otherwise within a vacuum.

I realize this blog is still a baby, and I may not get a huge level of participation early on. Nonetheless, I am VERY excited about this and wanted to dive right in! (more…)