My artwork seen in TIMES SQUARE NEW YORK CITY, July 24th.

As a result of entering a competition and art show, I was able to show SIX of my images in the See.Me #takeover in Times Square New York City.

I wasn't able to go there in person but I was able to sift through some of the photos that were posted to find 4 pictures out of the 6 I had in the show.  Because the billboards were SO LARGE some of the pictures they took were hard to make out.  I did find ONE though which make me super super happy!!!!  The new photo galleries online were great quality - so i still have TWO more to find!

Thanks to everyone that believes in me and my work.  I have a great time going on adventures in my mind to create pieces that are MEANINGFUL and thought-provoking.  NYC is one of my favorite places - so I would love to see my work go there more often!!! :)

Here are the images I've found so far!

Inspired by Inspiration part 2. - the "Breakdown" of the vision.

I just finished reading MeRa's blog about her starting an art class.  I think because I grew up DOING art...I can relate to the process a little more that way.  I also know that my pencil/pen/painting doodles were merely me passing time and expressing myself as I went through life.  I still have many of them hanging in my home.  I don't have anywhere else to HANG them! :)

So to get where I'm going - read THIS blog entry...and then i'll talk about MY part as well that I related to:
MeRa Koh: "How to draw a siamese cat"

When I read this, I could relate off the bat because many years ago, probably 10 or so I was going through my phase of seeking again.  I took an art class locally in continuing education.  I believe it was a still-life class in which we drew various objects and learned about shading, details and which pencils to use where/when.

I have great drawings on paper of white on white objects (where it was all about shading only)...and a few other fun things.  But eventually the teacher was like.... "OK!!! our final project is drawing from a photograph!".  But what she didn't say right away is that it would be OUR FACES!!!! Yes, indeed.  We took pictures and printed out a 4x6 or 5x7 - I don't remember which - and we had to draw our HEADS.

What I remember briefly about mine is that we had a grid that we laid on top of the image so we could break it up into squares.  This made the task actually EASIER to comprehend in stages for me.  I looked at my picture and my face and thought, WOW, am I really going to do this?  I have a foggy memory about it but I realized that as we went box to box...I could see the picture starting to form.  We had laid out the foundations...lightly sketched our grid onto the paper and box by box...we filled it in.

The part where I freaked out the MOST was when I got to my eyes.  By the time I left the 2nd class session I was starting to see myself STARING back from the paper and it freaked me out.  A few people would come over and comment and I would say YEA I'm creeped out by me staring at ME!!!!!!!  Bit by bit...I worked through the eyebrows...the eyes...the mouth....the nose....and I just looked at this 10 minutes ago.  I even filled in the details of my EARRINGS to perfection . Every DETAIL about my image was on that paper.  In that moment, I was clear.

I don't have any of the old pictures of the process - but i do have the final result. :)

You can see WHY I got freaked out by staring at it. :)

May 2000 - Art Drawing Class - CCCCD

 Every once in a while I glance locally at the classes going on and wonder ....what other new thing could I try that would enhance the creativity inside? <3  I've done arts, sewing and even took an archery class.  I hope I find that next fun thing soon....I could use a break from the norm! :)  I have been learning a LOT....and celebrating how far i've come.  I hope you do the same today!

CELEBRATE YOU.

Love Jen

Day of the Dead : Collaboration with Pink Light Images and Hallie Garcia : Artist & Face Painter!

The following teaser set is the VISION of Hallie Garcia.  Her dream was to put together a "Day of the Dead" or "Dia de los Muertos" shoot involving her styling and designs of  face painting and atristry.  Below you can see the colors, textures and styling we all collaborated on.  IT WAS SO FUN!!!!!  I had already seen a few people in my life do their own sets of this theme - so it was of no surprise that we did our own to celebrate this kind of artistry.  Our original goal was TREES and FOG....but the never-ending rain threw our plans into a kind of plan B.  That is ok - we are planning part 2!

We have a lot of lovely and talented peoples in the DFW metroplex.  I'm glad to call quite a few of these ladies friends.  It has been fun putting together ideas and just having fun.  I have and keep writing down ideas that I want to accomplish for myself...and i'm knocking them out one by one.

My main goal really - NOT GET DISTRACTED.

I find that when I'm on the verge of really amazing creations - I get distracted before and I get distracted after.  I have emotional thoughts that come into my mind - and I'm getting better at fighting them - but sometimes they win.  Sometimes they don't!  I think when you stay on your path - true peace leads you.

Maybe it is because I don't mind the drama and battle within.  I would rather have a battle, than a boring life.  I may whine or complain and I may shut my mouth and just do the work.  The point is, I'm just being me.  The only ME I can be.  The ever-evolving artist expressing myself over and over and over as I jump from flower to flower or mountain to mountain.

Again, huge thanks to all the ladies that came out to play Tuesday nite.  This will be my final blog entry for the weekend as I nurse my neck and get well with these tense muscles.

Art comes from life.  Be it pain or joy.

We had a BLAST...and I hope you see it in our teaser images!!!!

Thank you, bless ya!

Much Love,Jen

Models: Carrie Sumner, Destiny Lenora, Hallie Garcia
MUA: Hallie Garcia
Styling: All of Us.
Photographer: Pink Light Images
Hair: Kat Howe

and here is the lovely quickie VLOG i put together for you today. have a great one!

NEW YORK CITY, here i come.

For those of you following this around....I've been doing a few adventures here and there in NEW YORK one of my most favorite places to visit.  In February my goals were to attend a fashion show in which the NEMO BLIZZARD wiped out most of what I was planning to do.  However I did get to meet Kenley of Project Runway and that made up for it! hhaha!!!  In May, I made my way to brooklyn to attend and support Kenley's PINK LADY line and had a blast taking pictures and having fun over there.  It was my first time to really explore the Brooklyn area a bit more.  (such a HUGE CITY!!!!)  Plus, an added bonus of Montauk and Long Island.  Crazee, i know! :)

Next up for me and NEW YORK CITY is the time I'm spending with the Dream Center.  Fully funded by my supporters and friends I'm about to fly there for about a week to do some community work with them and my team from the local church I attend.  Last year's success with the LA Dream Center definitely helped me to DREAM BIGGER for myself as well as seeing others dream big too.  It has been a blessing to know more people and see more of people's hearts.

As an added bonus - I received word that some of my photography will be featured in a NYC exhibition literally STARTING when I get there for the Dream Center.  I figured it could not have been planned any better...I'm amazed how God works things out...and all the struggles, pains and frustrations have been worth the wait of my blossoming and flourishing at this time in my life.  I think what is most important for me as a person and artist is sharing my work and point of view, but really I want to inspire people to search and walk their OWN PATH instead of wishing and dreaming of "one day".  Your day can be right now....I just encourage to start WALKING.  There is so much more I could share i'm sure...but I wanted to stop, share this...and I have to keep walking foward too to prepare for what is ahead for me.  Some of my busiest times are ahead of me and I'm praying to have strength and God's help through all of this.  I can do nothing apart from HIM and his peace.  If i didn't have PEACE about everything I would not do it. 

(doesn't matter how AWESOME stuff is - no peace, no PIECE!) hahaahahah

Meanwhile, if you are traveling to NEW YORK CITY between July 25th and September 10th...please see the following INVITE to the show featuring a couple of my pieces.  Please drop a line if you go!!!! I would love to hear what you thought! It looks like it will be super fun.

INVITE: The Story of the Creative

Enjoy the rest of your week....I'm winding down with lots of family time and on my way to the next adventure!!! Peace out.

Love Jen