WWW.JENNIFERLOVEGIRONDA.COM
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ARTIST
    • TEACHER
    • MUSE
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • GALLERY
  • Press
  • SHOP
  • STUDIO 2-110
  • #AngelDropART
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ARTIST
    • TEACHER
    • MUSE
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • GALLERY
  • Press
  • SHOP
  • STUDIO 2-110
  • #AngelDropART

35!

11/29/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

2014 Muse News...

11/26/2014

0 Comments

 
The folks down at Gallery 2014 are gearing up for a big #SHOPSMALL this coming Saturday!  I made the trip down south yesterday to finalize pricing and find out what I info I need to provide for the gallery inventory system.  I will have many, many pieces available through this gallery...all originals.  The fact that my work will be alongside such amazing artists...is this real life?
Picture
0 Comments

'Sold'

11/24/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
A lil' angel painting, sold!
Picture
This piece sold! I was trying to find a final pic that included the little embellishments that I added...alas, I could not, but here is the piece!
I mentioned in my last post that last week was a little hectic.  One of my high points was...I sold some work!! How cool is that?  I found out that one of my pieces down at Gallery 2014 sold ...and also the piece I painted for the Artists/Collectors event at the Lighthouse Art Center in Tequesta...which is the same event that landed me a commission that I will be starting after Thanksgiving.  


I am just so excited to have the chance to show and sell my artwork...and to create commissions pieces for folks.  I won't be able to quit my day job anytime soon (and I wouldn't want to, DUH!  I love teaching art!) but it's still great news!


Also 'in the news' (at least for me, yay!) I will be selling some work in downtown Delray Beach at Art-Sea Living.  They liked my 'Makeup Series' from July 2014 so five of those pieces are currently available there now.  I will be creating some additional pieces in this same style for this venue, so look for updates on new art for sale there!
Picture
These pieces are on display and for sale at Art-Sea Living in Delray...stop by!
0 Comments

BLUR.

11/23/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
I...I don't even know where to start.  I really don't.

This past week was a week of ups and downs.  I was on my game, I was off my game.  I was with it, I was out of it.  I was focused, I was borderline ADHD.

If I had to choose one word to describe the week that word would be 'blur'.  

...how crazy did it get?  I drove down to Miami this morning for an event...an event that happened yesterday.  Yep, totally happened.  Besides being out my time and gas money...I gained some time to catch up on my sleep...and to just...be still for a little while.  

The first thing, probably one of the biggest things to report is that the folks over at Gallery 2014...ummm...they liked my work.  (yes, I had a MAJOR Sally Field moment, and I ain't afraid to admit it!)  Last Friday night I spent time organizing my work, prepping some bootleg 'contact sheets' I came up with, printing inventory sheets..and basically just trying to get my s__(insert favorite 'S' word here)__ together.  And I did my best.  Went to sleep, feeling kind of like a kid on Christmas Eve.
Picture
Saturday...I hauled 'Grape Ape' (my '97 Honda Civic with muchos miles on it) down to Hollywood, Florida with three years worth of my art packed away in plastic bins and a large black portfolio.  I had another bag ready with clear plastic sleeves, lightweight mats and some backing boards...just in case.  I brought all my work in and then took a deep breath.

I wasn't prepared for what happened next.  Elizabeth San Juan, one of the owners for Gallery 2014, literally sat on the floor and just started to go through my art- all of it.  I would babble on about each series...hoping I made sense, but knowing that when I get excited I talk too fast and my southern accent thickens up.  But she kept on, bin by bin, folder by folder, she literally looked at every piece of my art, and had good things to say to me.

So she and Sharon pulled some pieces aside and then I worked on pricing with Sharon while the gallery started to fill up with folks in for the Art Walk.  Elizabeth was in and out and she kept looking at my work, at me, and then back out at the gallery.  She said she wanted some pieces out there ASAP and then...just like that, some of my work was already out, for sale.

In a real, white-walled, fancy art gallery.

I also discovered that Elizabeth is allergic to cats, but that's a whole other story...so...coincidentally that even goes with the craziness of this past week. (Sorry, Elizabeth!!!) 
So that was the weekend, obviously a 'high' moment.  Followed by Sunday, November 16th- the day that Amy died, which no matter how many years pass will always be a low.  This year I spent my day in my pj's, napping and just being by myself.  
Picture


And I started to think....about the day after Amy passed, November 17, 2005.  That was an important day because that was our first day without her...and the day that we all started to have that realization...and try to make sense of it...and move forward...somehow.  I created a FB group for our classmates and other people who knew Amy to post under the idea of #AMY1117. The idea behind this is that of November 17th...the next day...figuring out how to keep her memory alive.  

I have been thinking about my art, and why I make it and the more I think I have figured out the more questions I come up with.  I know that Amy is such a large part of my art and my life, sometimes it is hard to articulate that into words...so I just make my whimsical ladies, and they make me forget about all that fancy thinking stuff.  But I feel that there is some way that I can connect the healing that my own art has provided to me to other people that are going through the bereavement process...and the more I think about that the more I like that idea.

Sorry again, syntax.  Sorry, order.  Sorry, sense.  

I will continue to revisit this stream of thought...just know, well- know that I am still trying to figure it all out.  (hey, aren't we all?!)


I have more to report from last week, but I will save it- all good things.


The bad things were me oversleeping on Tuesday, thinking I lost an ENTIRE class' artwork, issues with the kiln...oh, and driving to Miami this morning for an event that was yesterday.


I hear ya universe, slow it down.  Let me wrap up this blog post, start on my daily art and try to make it to sleep by midnight!
0 Comments

heART.

11/16/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's November 16th.  

Every November 16th I take time to pause and think about the life of Amy Elizabeth German, whose life was cut short in a car accident our senior year of high school.  That is the most simple way that I can express the significance of this day.

But what I cannot express is everything else.  All the what ifs, what could have beens...  The days pass, the years go by and there is not one day that Amy is not on my mind.  Not one day. 



...today I remember her, and the day that she left.  But it is the same as the day before and the day before that...and tomorrow and every day that is to come.  Every day is November 16th. 
 
I have had an amazing week.  My work was accepted into a gallery and people will be able to go there and see my art, heck, even buy it.  Part of the preparation process was to prepare an artist statement...truthfully something I have avoided doing.  I wrote some things but the more I think about why I make art and how I make art...the more things I am figuring out...and the more questions I have...the more possibilities I see.

Making the art is easy.  Explaining the WHY...that is harder.

Picture
This is the piece I was working on, November 16 1995.
One thing that I keep going back to in my mind is the impact that Amy's death had on me.  When I found out that she was in an accident, I was working on a piece of art in Mrs. Malloch's room by myself, since I was upset.

I was working on this piece...it was a self portrait.  I had created a stippling piece of myself, then made a ton of copies, which I was cutting and gluing to create a low relief.  The figure in the front was more realistic and the figure behind had more color, placed right on the face with colored pencil.  I just remember looking down at the pieces I was cutting out, I can't remember if I was crying or not...I had overheard that Amy was an accident, but that is all I knew.

Looking back on it, I had a very prolific year that year, in terms of my art.  I made a ton of work.  Now when I think about it, I think that might of been a way for me to cope with losing Amy.  I guess I didn't realize it at the time.  When I was making the work I didn't have to think about it, I could just lose myself in the process of making art.  It helped me get through that time.

So it makes sense to me that I would associate art with Amy...and making art to creating a safe haven for myself in a time when things were out of my control.  In my life, when things were out of control...like when it was just me and mom when my dad left...and times when we didn't have money...I would turn to things that would allow me to create my own sense of 'order'...from coloring my coloring books one page at a time, in order and leaving the pages in the book...to dressing and redressing my Barbies and meticulously 'posing' them on the shelf before I went to bed so they would be ready for the next day...trying to 're-decorate' our always humble living spaces...single-wide trailers, apartments, houses with no central heat or air...and even now that I think about it, mom did this a little bit, too.  She would make sure my clothes matched and I looked nice for school, no matter what our circumstance.  You don't realize it...or at least I didn't...but all of these things feed into who I am as a person and an artist. Things being 'beautiful'  and 'organized' gave me comfort.

(Side note...this is all very jumbled and stream of consciousness.  It used to bother me and I would try to neaten up my writing...but this is my inner narrative...my voice...so it has to be read like this.  Sorry for any grammar-lovers out there, syntax doesn't live here.)

Another thing that I often think about is the actual moment that I found out that Amy died.  The whole ride to the hospital I was crying, but I didn't think she would be gone.  I thought she was hurt.  I never for a minute thought she would not be here anymore.  But I was in the room when the doctor came in and told John and Jennifer the news...and I feel like that day I heard...I felt...their hearts break when it happened.  That moment will never, ever leave me.  That pain, that loss.  

So I made art...I turned to making art to fill that void...to keep my mind off things...to fill dark spaces with light.  And making art helped me with the healing process...and the art that I made...that I make...I have noticed that it can help others as well.

Which is why I love my #angeldrop side project so much...and when people are moved by something that I create.

I was on the phone with Jennifer earlier this week and she was telling me about an artist that made it his life's work to help the bereaved through his art.  This rang so true to my heart...every time I think of this possibility it feels my eyes with tears and my heart with love.



So...I am continuing to work on this idea of an artist statement...but the direction of what I do might be changing some.  I am still figuring it out, and how I can share my art to make a positive impact in the world around me.  Every piece I make is from place of love, a place where Amy lives in my heart, reminding me that our time on this earth is short...and you have to make it count...and make it better for others.

...that is what is going through my head on this November 16th...remembering my best friend...and her reminder to me to create.
Picture
0 Comments

Gallery Dreamin'

11/13/2014

0 Comments

 
You know…I don’t know where to start.  I have good news…but it’s like I am almost afraid to share it for fear that something will happen and it will fall through…or not be real.  But I guess its okay to share…so I will.

If you follow my ramblings or any social media blahdy-dah…then you know I make art every day.  But before that…  I have been making art my whole life…from when I carried around a Sheds Spread butter tub filled with crayons around with me , along with my Barbie coloring books of course…from middle school with Mrs. Berliner…to being inspired to be an art teacher myself by my amazing art teacher Robin Calcutt…to my days running around with charcoal and glitter on my face as an undergrad at the East Carolina School of Art…to going back for my MAEd and taking textile classes again with my beloved Christine Zoller, who encouraged my love of embellishment and color (but said, ‘hey Jen, take it easy  on the glitter’)…to finding and losing time and motivation for making art after grad school…to coming across the Creative Every Day challenge…making art every day, meeting my creative girlfriends down here in Florida and finding excuses to have girls art nights…being a part of the dream that is Art Hive Magazine (Jess and Angela, thank you so much for including me and my craziness!) …art…has always been in my life.  But I don’t think at any point I thought to myself, I am going to be an ‘artist’ when I grow up, which seems weird, right?

When I was younger, I wanted to be a geologist.  Seriously, I was a total rock nerd- I had an amazing collection, too…wish I still had it.  Somewhere around middle school art became, well…me.  In high school I decided I wanted to be an art teacher…and in college I became convinced that I didn’t belong in the gallery world and neither did my art…so I didn’t try.  My work wasn’t serious, the colors were too bright…too much embellishment…no one ever said it per se but I just looked around and that’s how I felt.  I have the technical training, I have completed drawing, painting, ceramics, surface design, weaving… I have learned tons of art history (and I love it!) but my work is more whimsical than the formal training I received.  I just didn’t think there was a place for what I do.  Even though I make my art every day…and even though I have over a thousand pieces of work on hand… I still never thought I would have my work accepted by a ‘fancy white walled gallery’.

But on Tuesday…it was.  My work was accepted.

I contacted the gallery a while back via their web site…sent some information and received an email to set up a meeting, so I did. To prepare for the meeting, I went through my work from the past three years and made digital files of the pieces I liked best from each year…then selected some physical pieces to take with me.  I went to sleep not really sure of myself but still excited.

Picture
And I went to the meeting, nervous…preparing myself for maybe, ‘we like your work but it’s not right for us’.  I think I was even prepared for, ‘Who are you? ‘(seriously, I was) But then the strangest thing happened…I was in fact REALLY supposed to be there for this meeting and…they LIKED my work.  They looked and looked again, going back and forth between different years and series.  And they even touched the pieces that I brought in, inspecting the smallest of details…and…they liked it.


So that is how it came to be that me, gal from North Carolina, who likes to make pretty faces, will have work in a real gallery.  It was a dream that I didn’t allow myself to have.  But…it happened.

My hope is that folks coming in will like my work.  I hope that the prices will allow them buy it, or buy it for others.  I hope that it will one day hang in regular houses and even fancy houses.  I hope that working class people, professionals, young hands, and old hands will have the chance to purchase the work.  I hope that it will make money for the gallery so that they can continue to give back to the community and to help even more artists.   I hope that someone will see it and feel inspired, maybe someone will dreams of seeing their work hanging in a gallery too.  

Just like I did.


So anyway…thanks again to Elizabeth, Ken and Sharon for taking the time to look at my work…and for giving me a chance.  

Picture
0 Comments

November Series...

11/12/2014

1 Comment

 
I am making angels this month. I wanted to venture away from my colored pencil work and revisit some mixed media, that much I knew.  But I wasn't sure of the colors that I wanted to use for the series...or the format...size...and because I like to work within fairly strict, self-imposed perimeters...I had to figure all of this out.  

So I have been working on the angel heads...and that is it. Til now.

Be forewarned...the next few paragraphs are straight out of my rambling brain, and I am going in a big circle...so stay with me for the full rotation, it will all make sense, or at least it does to me.

Picture
A bunch of lady heads, nothing to see here folks...
So, why angels?  The single most profound event in my life has been the passing of my best friend, Amy German,  my senior year in high school.  Hands down- this changed my life.  There have been other events, but when I think about the heart of why I do what I do- it all goes back to Amy.  Her death awakened in me to need to create, and to try and spread beauty and joy...which I do, or hope that I do, with my art...to share my heART.  

I revisit the idea of angels... halos.. wings... butterflies and dragonflies periodically in my art. This is all part of the imagery that I attribute to my friend...to honor her...and because I think that these things are beautiful and bring joy to others.  

And I am kinda into that...which led me to...

...something I call an #angeldrop.  
That's when I leave art for folks to find...hopefully it will brighten their day.  I used to call it #angelbombing, but that became problematic...I didn't want to potentially cause a bomb-threat situation. (ummmm...that would be BAD) So I started using a different tag...making small angel paintings, usually watercolor outlined in pen...and I just started...leaving them.  Everywhere.   I am going to do a separate post on this at a later date because I have some things in the works...including adding a link in the navigation for these...but that will be later...

Last weekend, I went to New Orleans with my husband John. (congrats on getting the paper in the SMA conference!  Yay!)  While I was there, I 'dropped' twenty angels in the French Quarter and also in the airport.  For the most part I left them for folks to find, but I also handed a few out to people face to face, which is also fun.  When I was painting my angels Friday night I had the idea to combine my whimsical angel bodies (heavily influenced by the flying, floating, FABULOUS images of Marc Chagall) with the unresolved heads I had been working on.
.  
I had the idea then...but I wasn't ready to act on it yet.  Nope, I wanted to #angeldrop. So I did.
Picture
Blue Angel by Marc Chagall
Picture
Nawlins with #JohnnyNice ...too much good food, amazing street music, jewelry and art from local folks...and angels everywhere!
When returned to Florida, I continued to work on the drawings and played around with some backgrounds...then finally, I just went for it. I started to glue things down and made a few angel bodies to attach to the last few pieces I started.  

So far for the series I am using my 'grown up' colors (this is what I refer to when I work in more muted, neutral colors instead of my usual bright jewel tones).  I am painting scrapbook papers, collaging, layering, stamping...and I am just getting started. 

Picture
So far...I am really excited about the series. Pairing the flying figures with the faces...just seems to fit.  I can still draw my semi-realistic, stylized faces that I love, and then combine the elongated bodies that I use in my #angeldrop art...AND play with mixed media.

I will probably work on my daily art in pieces, starting with the heads, creating one each day for a few days and then sitting down to finalize the backgrounds and attach everything, so you may not see the pieces completed each day...just bits and pieces and then all of a sudden- angels.  I am going to attempt to allow myself this freedom to work...we'll see how that goes.

Stay tuned for more angels...and side note...many good things happening!  I must have some angels looking out for me!!  More on that later!
1 Comment

WIP

11/10/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

D'Art, Day of the Dead and DYI...

11/6/2014

0 Comments

 
...playing a little catch up on my blog...here is a summary of the first part of November...

D'Art
On November 1st John and I attended a fancy private party at the Lighthouse Art Center in Tequesta.  I donated a piece for their D'Art for Art event (November 8th) which gave me the invitation for the Artists Appreciation and Collector Party.  I made a second, smaller piece for this event...hopefully it will sell!

Here is a link to a short video of the part...John and I were grubbing out, the food was delicious!  And there was such a good variety of art!  (http://youtu.be/F7eD3OiyzZw)
Picture
Day of the Dead
We left from Tequesta and drove to Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery in Lake Worth for the closing reception of the Day of the Dead Group Show. I am already thinking of what I want to make for the next show in December!  
Picture
DYI
I wanted to mention my latest DYI mini-project that I utilized for the above events.  I am a little neurotic about having the same thing on for events.  Its weird, I know.  If I can at least change up my accessories, especially if I am wearing a basic black dress then I am happy, and my #OCPDartist inside calms down a bit.  To handle the two art events on the same day I paired a black metal necklace I purchased from a local shop (I think it was under $14) with a long black dress.  Then I used black wire to make two mini 'hangers' to simply attach a black polymer clay skull (encrusted with rhinestones, of course!) to the necklace.  (Shown below without the skull in #1 and with the skull in #2) I made this skull a while back with my friend Jess,during one of our polymer clay baking play-dates.  You could do the same with a fancy button or pin, or with several of them.  Just a thought.  

If I get a chance, I will do a quick tutorial on the polymer clay jewelry pieces with some ideas for how to use them...
Picture
wait...more DOD! (well, kind of!)
Last of the weekend's events, the ArtFest at El Sol in Jupiter.  This was my first artist festival in a while and the weather was perfect...I had my Fridas, my Day of the Dead pieces and good friends all right there.  
Picture
...and an extra special THANK YOU (with glitter on top!) to my girl Stacy for keeping me company at my vendor space.  I sent Stacy a text on a whim, remembering that she was not that far away...she literally came straight from the beach, the bottoms of her jeans still damp from the ocean, bag full of seashells and sat with me the whole time.  I asked her to pick out a piece of art as a thank you, so she selected this one, with the dragonfly and this quote by Frida Kahlo, which is so perfect for her...and all of us;
Picture
At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.
0 Comments

    Author

    ...just a gal trying to get this art out of my soul to share with the world on a DAILY basis...no big deal...check out my ramblings!-JLG

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    ​Archives

    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly