Jen Jovan Art Musings and Random Thoughts

All the Ages You've Ever Been

7/25/2021

Your inside person doesn’t age. Your inside person is soul, is heart, in the eternal now, the ageless, the old, the young, all the ages you’ve ever been.
- Anne Lamott

Let's take a break from space this week and plant ourselves in the studio, where a large figure has begun. Beginning with charcoal dipped in water on canvas. We shall see where she goes from here.

This is the week I turn 59, which makes everything (in my head, at least) about me. No, not in a "where's my cake? where is the party?" kind of way, but everything is being filtered through the lens of turning this age - what does it mean? Who am I now? Where the heck am I heading?

Excessive introspection is the curse (or super power) of the introvert.

So when I came across the Lamott quote, a question was answered. Who am I now? I am all the ages (and all the things) I have ever been.

Work in Process

My inside person (I love Lamott's phrasing there) is, indeed, soul and heart. And I do think she grows larger - takes up more space- in my being with each passing year. My outside person seems to shrink; skin, hair, bones....even my coloring washes out as I age. But this just leaves more room for my inside person. I imagine someday, when the outside can no longer contain the inside, there will be a shift in my existence. But for now (the eternal now) I am just tickled as heck to be here with you, dear reader.

Now, where is that cake? :)

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If I Were a Space Cat

7/22/2021

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"If I Were A Space Cat" - mixed media on cradled wood panel, 12" diameter. Ready to hang. Available August 11 - 12 at Fusion Gallery.

If I were a space cat
Sleeping all the day and yowling half the night
All the treats would be mine to eat
If I were a cat in space.
I wouldn't have to primp much.
Meowy yowy yowling rowly yowly yow
If I were a little bitty space
itty bitty tiny little cat.

- sung to the tune of "If I Were a Rich Man"

Goodness gracious. What is HAPPENING around here? Even the animals have ventured out to space. Well, it's what happens when no one is supervising and I have a new studio to explore. Wonder Mike is all for it, as long as HE doesn't have to wear a helmet.

If I Were a Space Cat

Here's a smidgeon of demo and a look at some of the other spacey pieces at various stages in the process. (sound ON! It's a cute kitty ditty)

About the art: After drawing with a colored pencil, acrylic painted on wood panel, liberally spritzed and squeegeed and rubbed and splattered. Once all the layers are thoroughly (REALLY AND TRULY) dry, ink added with a Rotring Tikky graphic artist pen.

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When in Doubt, Wear Red

7/19/2021

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"When in Doubt, Wear Red" - mixed media on cradled wood panel, 12 x 16 Ready to hang. Available August 11-12 at Fusion Gallery.

WHEN IN DOUBT, WEAR RED
- Bill Blass

You, dear reader, who so graciously accepted my prediction that space helmets would be all the rage this fall, might also have been wondering if RED is the color to wear in space.

I say YES!

As an artist, I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of colors. Red is one of them. It screams of power and passion and also blood and fire. There is a lot of emotion in red.

I am drawn to red paintings, red dresses, red walls. And apparently red houses. Yet on my body, red is something I shy away from. Take a look inside my closet and you'll see black and gray and white and maybe blue. Neutral and nothing else. Red feels overwhelming.

When In Doubt, Wear Red

For this painting, a pen and ink mounted on board and then painted, red was the only choice for her shoes. Isn't she, in her way, Dorothy? In another land, dressed in her finery, adventuring with the locals...as long as she has those shoes, she can always find her way home.

so much gratitude to instagram.com/burnsidestudio for this pic

Dear reader....an anniversary of sorts passed this week. Five years since being hit by a car while cycling. What do we do with these things? We make art.

A book's spine holds all the pages together⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
yet lets the reader open, thumb, sift, devour.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As the book ages, so does the spine⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
pages come away⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
seams split⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
the book lays wide open⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
splayed to the world without resistance⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
can you hear it sigh⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and surrender?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Splayed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
my own spine⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
age and injury⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
sigh and surrender⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
softly, gently open⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and now the light gets in.⠀

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Build Your Wings on the Way Down II

7/15/2021

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"Build Your Wings on the Way Down" - mixed media on cradled wood panel, 12 x 16 Ready to hang. Available August 11-12 at Fusion Gallery.

What if your place is in space?

What if you were born in the wrong location, and your heart longs for celestial views?

What if you were born before space was even a place where billionaires could go?

What if your pen and ink wants to be a full-fledged painting?

This helmeted dreamer has taken control of the studio, mounted herself on wood and added a little (very little) color to call herself completed. And she has a sister (a very SASSY sister) who is following along closely. Which led to a cat. Which may lead to who knows what. I only know the muse is dreaming of outer space and its contribution to the dreamy inner space of my little sci-fi imagination. And also I believe space helmets and dresses will be all the rage this fall. Better grab a helmet before they are all sold out. :)

Build Your Wings on the Way Down (finished version)

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I Was Earth

7/12/2021

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"I Was Earth" - mixed media on cradled wood panel, 12 x 12. Ready to hang. Available August 11-12 at Fusion Gallery. on Facebook.

In my youth, I was thought to be invincible.
In my adolescence, immortal.
Oblivious freedom, then
Conscious denial.
In mid-life, a recognized need to take care.
Longevity required reversing past neglect.
Sustaining new behaviors.
I was Earth.
-Michelle B. Larson

The BOBS have gone wild. From birds on balls to balls on beings. I am still infatuated with space helmets. And now adding pen and ink to paintings.

The BIG SLOG (moving) is nearly done. The studio is assembled, the cupboards are populated and the lights are on. One more trip to the old house and then the keys to that one will be in new hands.

The Universe, with its quirky sense of humor, timed my takeover of Portland Open Studios Instagram account with the first day in the new studio. Wonder Mike was excited to be momentarily famous while I was spinning the various plates of technology and fervently hoping none of them crashed to the ground. None did. Woot!

In case you want to take a peek at what happens when you give me free rein on Instagram, here's a little video for your entertainment (volume on!)

For those of you in the Portland area (or those who might want to visit in October), the studio will be open to the public for two weekends as the artists of PDX Open Studios 2021 cause a ruckus by allowing just anyone and everyone to see what they do and how.

Wonder Mike says "bring treats."

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All the Ages You've Ever Been

If I Were a Space Cat

When in Doubt, Wear Red

Build Your Wings on the Way Down II

I Was Earth

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