This morning.

So...I drop off CC#2 at his bus stop... another boy waiting there had picked a bunch of kumquats off a tree right next to the stop and had thrown them on the ground and stomped them... and was throwing them into the street for cars to run over... So I got out of my car...(cause I saw him doing it and all)... and thought this could go very badly for me. But I did it anyway--explaining to him that he shouldn't be picking someone else's fruit and making a mess out of the bus stop. (which is also a public transit stop) I told him to pick them up... and he did it. He was so ashamed and wouldn't even look at me. So when he sat down to wait for the bus--I held out my hand and said, "Hi I'm Ben's mom, Jennifer." He looked up at me--red eyes with tears and said, "My mom's name is Jennifer too." And I said, "Well Jennifers are good people."

the way things are

perception is everything.  i've been struggling ever since ted left me... he walked out the door and seems like we didn't see him again for a month.  it was so hard on the crumbcakes to have a regular full time super dad... to having nothing.  they were bitter and sad and depressed and they just couldn't understand why he left.  he eventually told them he left because mommy didn't love him anymore.  this of course was true but only partially.  he failed to tell them why i didn't love him anymore... but even though i no longer loved him--i didn't want him to leave.  i thought we would eventually work it out. 

Now that it has been over a year since he left and he sees the crumbcakes on Saturday nights and Sunday and I have full custody... I opened a gallery called the eve-N-odd gallery.  I have struggled all year to get this TINY gallery on the map.  Tried to make tons of art to sell... sold a lot of paintings and rag dolls, but not enough to earn a living. 

Last week my van was repossessed.  My house is in foreclosure.  It really looks like everything is falling apart and I seem to be unable to save it.  Although after a year of living on almost nothing... I have learned to let things go.  The house and contents must be liquidated.  To me it seems like this huge task... I think about the two bins of collage materials in my studio/dining room that will probably end up in a dumpster and it breaks my heart.  I think about my crumbcake's things... their baby toys that I saved... all the remnants that once defined us as a family.  

I struggle all the time.  I feel so depressed most of the time. I feel alone and unwanted all of the time.  I will be losing the gallery when my lease is up.  I really don't see how i can continue to work 60 hours a week at a job that I am not getting paid for.  When I look at myself--I see a failure. 

October 2011: St. Augustine

almonds and dried mango for breakfast

eve-N-odd gallery

Hi everyone! I have been neglecting this blog... as I am now blogging  HERE. I've opened a small gallery in the Crislip arcade in St. Petersburg, FL.  I am very excited about this new venture! Opening night was last Saturday and it was very successful!  I really couldn't be happier and I feel like I am fulfilling my dreams, as well as, helping sell work from other local, national and international artists.  I  have a wonderful variety of whimsical, outsider, folk, etsy, handmade, mail art and fluxus ART! I hope you stop by and see me: 645 Central Avenue #11, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Selling my art on ebay!

I am trying something new... Selling my art on ebay.  This week I will have three hand painted purses for sale! 
LINK TO MY EBAY

I have also recently listed many hand painted card cut-outs in my etsy store... link to the right and HERE!

In Memory of...

Masoud Hashemazadeh, Amir Javadifar, Neda Agha-Solton, Sajah Ghaed Rahmati--Angels of freedom.

Last month Iran banned Valentine's Day.  I don't celebrate the day myself... but I thought it ludicrous that a government can take away a day and a choice.  This is a 30X40 inch acrylic painting on canvas.  Feel free to use the image if you like it.  Thank you.

Back to sending out mail art

I took a reprieve of mail art for about 9 months.  I am back now. 

Sketchbook Project: Arthouse Coop, Brooklyn NYC

This will be my third time participating in a sketchbook project with the Arthouse Co-op based in Brooklyn, NY.  Last year I went to the opening.  I got to check out sketchbooks from the Arthouse library.  And thus I signed up to do it all over again.  My theme this time was: Figuring You Out.  I made it about me... figuring me out.  The sketchbook is a collection of photographs taken by me mostly and enhanced or collaged in some way.  Since my husband left me 9 months ago... I have been trying to figure me out.  I am a mom.  I am an artist.  My biggest fear is being alone for the rest of my life.  Seems like dating and meeting men are something of an anomaly for me.  I feel ill equipped.  Yet, here i am.  I think I'll stick to art. 
LINK TO ARTHOUSE COOP
LINK TO MY ARTHOUSE ARTIST PAGE

Thank you everyone!

Thank you everyone who came out to the Trinkets from Heaven art show opening! 

Trinkets from Heaven and other misunderstandings...

This Saturday night will be the opening of Trinkets from Heaven and other misunderstandings which is a collection of work that I have spent the last three months making.  There will be a great variety of pieces from $5 to $1500.  There are many $10 items.  I want to make my work accessible to anyone that cares to own a piece.  I call it--Art for the Masses.  Most of it was made from recycled items or things that I already had in my studio home.  There are 237 pieces for sale! 

I hope people realize that investing in each other, in handmade, in local businesses is a really good way to keep St. Petersburg a destination art city!  

The event is free! After you stop by the Morean please walk down to the 600 Block of Central Avenue to see the other shows and galleries that will be open.  I also have work at Art On! Central and the Artpool Gallery.  Artpool will be having a big art and fashion show that night!  

So....This Saturday night...

5:30-8:30 

GALLERY WALK... 12-11-10

Morean Arts Center

719 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727.822.7872

Here is a link to the featured artist page.

I would like to say a special Thank you to the Morean for inviting me to show in this gallery space.  I would also like to thank Truman Bentley Jr. for supplying me with many handmade canvases.  Local artist, Frank Strunk III, really helped me out by--not only letting me use his wood working tools, but also gave me some pointers.  Thank you Frank for your time and helping hand!  And lastly, thank you to my crumbcakes for your love and support and being my constant inspiration. 

BLACK FRIDAY

Instead of spending money on crappy made-in-china junk...
Why not come to a super cool art show where you can buy HANDMADE gifts and ART. 
Please come to the Black Friday Show! You won't be disappointed. 

And yeah, I'll have some paintings there too. 
And they are inexpensive.
Enjoy!!

trip to Myakka state park

Had a lovely day.  It was good to get out...

These Days

I want to apologize to all my mail art friends... seems I've been such a slacker.  But, in reality I've been working feverishly hard for an upcoming show in St. Petersburg.  Actually I'll be in two shows in November and one in December.  You can no longer find my work at Artful Living in St. Petersburg, FL.  Turns out they didn't want my stuff and showed me to the door.  Actually it has been somewhat of a relief as I have a lot to do for ArtOn Central and Artpool.  So with the extra shows coming up and the local galleries... I feel utterly overwhelmed.  I've also been posting on ebay and in my etsy vintage store.  I shop at yardsales, estate sales and thrift shops to find special things to resell. 

Everything has been such a struggle these days.  This morning I posted, "These Days" by Nico on my facebook page.  My sentiments exactly. 

I've been out walking
I don't do too much talking
These days, these days.
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had the chance to.

I've stopped my rambling,
I don't do too much gambling
These days, these days.
These days I seem to think about
How all the changes came about my ways
And I wonder if I'll see another highway.

I had a lover,
I don't think I'll risk another
These days, these days.
And if I seem to be afraid
To live the life that I have made in song
It's just that I've been losing so long.
La la la la la, la la.

I've stopped my dreaming,
I won't do too much scheming
These days, these days.
These days I sit on corner stones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten.
Please don't confront me with my failures,
I had not forgotten them.

jenny jo