Rockport

Last weekend my husband and his parents went up to Rockport for the day. It was a beautiful, clear crisp day and being Halloween weekend, and out of season, it was relatively quiet (we didn't have it in us to try Salem). I can't imagine how crowded it gets in Rockport in the summer. It was filled with little shops (literally, small. We felt like giants.) and galleries.

We visited the Rockport Art Association. I really liked the exhibition of Zygmund Jankowski's work. These were two of my favorites:




We walked around, ate veggie dogs (and cheese fries!) at Top Dogs and took some photos. Here are some of my photos from the day:

The Minsk

While trolling around on the internet, my husband Greg discovered this illustration by UK artist Dale Bowers, which is inspired by one of Greg's poems "The Minsk". It is so cool! It is amazing that through the internet artists across the ocean can connect and be inspired in ways that used to be almost impossible. Love it!

I have always wanted to do some kind of companion piece or series of photos inspired by my husband's poems, but haven't yet. I am glad that someone has because they are ripe with images. If you want to read more of my husband's poems, you can read his blog or his book, I Thought I Was New Here.

Clutch

I just had to share this gorgeous clutch that my very talented cousin made me. He is an excellent knitter and the proud owner of a "Real Men Knit" bumper sticker. He made this felted clutch on his own and worked up a pattern for it that I believe you can find at Knit or Dye in Brattleboro, Vermont. A great shop if you are in the area or want to shop online.

I love the organic lines and square button clasp. Thanks B!

Seattle: Art

My final installment of my Seattle trip round up is about some of the great art I saw while in Seattle.

One of my absolute favorites was at Suyama Space. It was Andreas Bee's work - Raumgreifend


When I first walked in and saw the light, moon jelly like pieces floating in air with the sun streaming into the gorgeous space - it was almost magical.

I was also lucky to tour a space that is not usually open to the public and saw Dale Chihuly's boathouse where his crew blows the glass for his pieces. The workshop ran like a well oiled machine and was impeccably clean and organized. It was also a treat to see site specific work installed around the boathouse in addition to some of Chihuly's collection of Americana and other art.

Glass rods for coloring glass.

A site specific installation in the corner of the studio.

Molds for shaping the glass.

Instillation detail.

Another detail.

Lap pool with installations above and in the pool.

Gigantic 96 foot long table made from a solid piece of wood with tons of Chihuly chandeliers overhead.

I also very much enjoyed the Settle Art Museum, the Olympic Sculpture Park, and the Seattle Public Library.

Another highlight of my trip was learning to "crochet" with Mandy Greer and helping make a river. I say "crochet" because it was lucky for me that Mandy didn't mind, lumpy, holy bits in the piece. Her project Mater Matrix Mother and Medium sounded like such a great project that invited anyone to contribute and used art to draw attention to an environmental issue. I am bummed I did not get to see the actual installation myself.

All in all I really enjoyed Seattle and look forward to going back someday. There are more Seattle pics on Flickr.

Good Enough to Eat

Every so often I browse through the numerous and talented Somerville artists and crafters on Etsy. Today I found ConfectionaryClay and it was love at first sight. I adore the shapes and scalloped edges, the delicate imprinted patterns, and the sweet colors. I can picture serving afternoon tea in a bright, sunny room when I look at the dishes. Sigh.


Visit her shop and support my local economy!

Moving Sale!

I love danitashop's Moving Away print, check out her other lovely creations in her shop.

Her print is the perfect inspiration for me right now because in order to get ready for the move I am having a buy 1 get 1 sale in my Etsy shop.

After May 15th I will be closing the shop for about 6 to 8 weeks to settle in to the new place and hopefully work on some new designs. In the mean time, come buy and help make my move easier!

La Vie en Rose - Yvette Inufio

I can't get over how gorgeous Yvette Inufio's photostream is. The above mosaic is just one of her amazing sets, called La Vie en Rose. I also love her set of Still Lifes at Home. Best of all - she also has an Etsy shop. This is my absolute favorite photo. If all goes well, we will be moving in a few months (more on that later). I might need to get a print as a house warming present for myself!

"Friday" Find - Kelly Neidig

I love all of Kelly Neidig's paintings in her Etsy shop kelcan. I generally love square art, whether it is a photo or painting- a square is infinitely more satisfying to me than a rectangle. Add to the shape the gorgeous colors and the subject matter and my heart goes pitter patter.

Creek

Incoming

Canary

I Thought I Was New Here

I can't express how excited I am that my husband's first book of poetry is coming out this year! It is being published by BlazeVox Books and now has a page on their site.

I helped my husband set up his blog/website today, where you can find most of his poems, reviews, and information about the book. Now, instead of a running list of his work on my sidebar, you will see a new button that will take you right to his site. In addition to his site, I also got to design the cover of the book using a photo from NASA that my husband liked, which was so much fun.

I will keep you up to date about the progress of the book. It will be on Amazon and some other places when it comes out. I can't wait to hold it in my hands!

Pinhole Happy

These are a couple pinhole pictures I took last weekend. It has been a while since I used my pinhole camera. I broke it out because I have been in a card funk and haven't liked any of my designs lately so I thought doing something different might help.

It was fun walking around my mom's house taking pictures. Sometimes the snow was up to my knees if I fell through all the way. Now most of it must be gone, thankfully. For years all I did was take photos, and then I got to a point where I was so critical of myself, such a perfectionist, and put so much pressure on myself that I couldn't take pictures anymore. It became so cerebral it wasn't fun. It was like I strangled the creativity out of me when it came to photography.

What is that anyway? I am better now about creative stuff now and take it easy on myself, but I am just now getting back to photography a bit. It is fun again, which is nice. Have any of you ever done that? Over thought your art and/or craft so you just had to walk away for a while?

Anyway, you can see more pinhole photos at my flickr photostream. I will be working on some wedding photos to match the save the dates I did recently, and I am excited about them. That will also help get me out of my card funk. That and spring!

Talking 'Bout My Jen-eration

I just got around to catching up on a few blogs and saw Design*Sponge's post on jen11. I found this particularly interesting:

...each artist will be sharing their work, as well as contributing to a visual dialogue about this particular generation of women born with the same name (more than a million children were named jennifer in the course of 15 years, leading business publications to refer to them as “the jennifer demographic”)

I had no idea I was "part" of a demographic. I knew there were a lot of Jennifers. The name Jennifer was the most popular name in 1978, the year I was born. But I am not a Jennifer I am a Jenifer. The answer to the prompt "First name?" given by the pharmacist/customer service representative/phone company/etc is "Jennifer with one n" and then I wait for them to back up and delete that second n which they automatically typed when they heard Jennifer.

I am simultaneously of a group but set apart. Its an odd sensation, maybe only because my name is a derivation of such a popular name. When I asked my mom why one n, she said she just wanted my name to be different. The irony which I point out is that in being different she picked the most popular name of my generation and took out one letter. But it makes me smile thinking of it. I can almost see it as a desire by her for me to be someone that would fit in and be well liked, but just unique enough to stand out from the crowd.

I like my name, despite spellcheck telling me it's wrong every time. And surprisingly I am not the only one with one n. There is even one in the jen11 show, Jenifer Altman. I have met at least one other Jenifer in person and, oddly enough, there is a hallmark across the street from my work called "Jenifer's Hallmark Shop." I was so excited the first time I saw it I went in and I asked the woman behind the counter if she was Jenifer with one n. She was not. Nor were the other three women I have asked since. But I still hold out hope.

So what's in a name?  What's in a name that is simultaneously rare and shared by a demographic?  I don't know for sure, and in the end it may not make too much of a difference since everyone knows me as Jen.  And that is something I do share with jen11 and all the other Jennifers.  Unless of course you're a Jenn. Jenn with 2 n's? Now that just doesn't make any sense ;)

PS - given that one of the three show locations is in New Hampshire, my home state and current neighbor to the north, you can bet I will be checking it out this April. It looks like a great show!

Tilt Your Shift

I learned about tiltshiftmaker.com on Modish yesterday and had to try it with some of my photos. So fun! Don't they look like miniatures? The boats kill me. You have to try it.



OK, I'm messing with you, the third photo is actually of a miniature room. All this talk of miniatures reminded me how awesome the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago are. My mom took this photo there when she was visiting me once. Check out these other tiny rooms. Another thing I will go see when we finally get to go back to Chicago. Hopefully soon!

"Friday" Find - dozi workbooks

I have not been the most regular blogger of late. It has been a busy month or so and I haven't been able to spend as much time as I would like on crafty things. But my day-late Friday Find was made easy when I saw dozi's workbooks on Etsy's front page yesterday.

I am not sure how I have not seen her shop sooner, I love everything in it. All the products truly are simply delightful. These sets of three workbooks are sublime. I couldn't decide which I liked better, sea or field. Hmmm, how about all of the above! They would be perfect to have on hand as last minute gifts, or to just covet yourself.

The House pocket jotter - summer is also too cute! Be sure to check out dozi if you haven't already.

Natural Fit

I finally made it to the Harvard Museum of Natural History over the weekend. I was really looking forward to seeing the glass flowers and the sea creatures in glass and wasn't disappointed.

The above is a photo I took of a snail shell. The funny thing is I was so excited to see as much as possible I forgot to check and see if it was real or if it was glass. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to distinguish between the two, but the amazing thing about these pieces of art/science is that it is truly impossible to tell. The flowers are botanically accurate beyond comprehension. You can only wonder at the mind and creative focus that could create them.

Here are some photos that in no way do them justice. For a real close look (if you can't make it to Cambridge to see them) I recommend The Glass Flowers at Harvard.



And here is one of the glass jellyfish:
You have to go see them all yourself if you are ever in town. Sunday mornings are free for MA residents, but be prepared for a crowd. You can see some more photos in my photostream.

Friday Find - Miniature Chicago

I have not posted much this week. It was one of those weeks at work that's completely draining. I haven't had much going on upstairs except "get through this week," "I'm tired," "uhg" and I knew you didn't want to read 5 posts about that. The other thing on me and my husband's mind lately is going back to Chicago for a mini vacation. That is where we met and we have been swept up in nostalgia lately.

Since we won't be going anytime soon, and I needed to escape right now, I was thrilled to find James Spicer's alluring Miniature Chicago Neighborhood Scenes. These are three photos from his set of 5. Check out all his other great, tiny worlds.




I want to be there now. Oh well, at least it's Friday.

Pretty Polaroids

I love these gorgeous polaroids from kristiana parn's photostream.

Chambers Street, NYC

Autumn Flowers

Friday Find - Simmer

Primordial elements stewing. My high-school lab project on diatoms. Lichen, rain drops and fungus. All of this comes to mind when looking at yellena's art. Especially my favorite print, Simmer.

I love the incredible detail and colors. Be sure to visit yellena's shop. I just bought my 2009 calendar from her, I can't wait to get it!

ICA Between the Acts

Last week my husband and I went to the free Thursday Night at the ICA. I love the building and the space, the only bad thing was that we picked a night between main exhibits. They were taking down the Tara Donovan and didn't have the Shepard Fairey up yet.

So we ate ate the cafe and then explored the permanent collection. I have been before and as always, my favorite was Cornelia Parker's Hanging Fire. This is a photo of it by Charles Mayer from the ICA's website. It is really stunning up close, it is fire frozen and suspended.

I have a very love hate relationship with some contemporary art sometimes. I guess my internal response is that if the description is more interesting to me than the piece itself, then I don't find that piece as successful as others where the reverse is true.

I want to go back soon and see the Fairey exhibit. Next time I also want to get a fancy dessert from the cafe. Food and art, you can't go wrong.

Friday Find - Queen Anne's Lace

Wow. Has it really been a week since my last post? How did that happen? I had more good intentions than I knew what to do with, and at least three things I wanted to blog about, but daily life got the best of me. I think this 3 day weekend and a new president will help recharge my batteries.

Anyway, I fell in love with this fabric the moment I saw it. Gorgeous...

It is Queen Anne's Lace by Cicada Studio. Really, all of her fabric designs are beautiful. Be sure to see the others in her shop.

I think I am back on the blog wagon, so check back soon for some more posts.

Friday Find - Emma Klingbeil

I love, love, love Emma Klingbeil's art. I usually feature an item in a seller's shop for the Friday Find, but I couldn't pick just one so I decided to feature several of her pieces. They speak to me in dream language, or some kind of vague childhood memory of a story that was read to me as I was falling asleep.

And I love the people and animal's tiny teeth.

Check out her Etsy shop and website. These are three of my (many) favorites...

The Mycologist

My Junkyard Robot

Sending a Letter