 Starfish from the Boston Aquarium, painted for Joel, 2013.  My youngest son has started daycare three days a week. It's been a blissful first week with so much new artwork begun. In the flurry of ideas, I've been working on my 2014 ARTaments for my sons, Joel and Auggie. Last year I came up with the idea of ARTaments, handpainted custom ornaments featuring precious moments, travels, and people. I have always admired artisan-made ornaments that commemorate memories. During our trip last year to Boston, I was on the hunt for unique Christmas ornaments for my boys that they could add to their collection to remember our weekend together. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, traveling with two kids, and a huge snowstorm that kept us close to our hotel, I was unable to locate anything I wanted to purchase. Later in the year, I decided that I would just paint my own ornament as a gift to them. Thus, ARTaments were born! Now that I am free as a bird, three days a week, I've begun my new pieces for my boys. I'm thru with the conception of Joel's, which ended up being less about a specific place and more about the wheels of this year: he sat in his dream car at the NY Auto Show, a 2014 blue Corvette Stingray, and learned to ride and love his bicycle. I'm still brainstorming Auggie's design, so follow me on Facebook or Twitter for updates. I would also like to extend you a special offer when you purchase ARTaments by Halloween. Now through October 31st, all ARTaments orders are 25% Off! Shipping is included in your purchase price, and each ARTament comes with a gold ribbon for hanging and a box for storage.
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 Former adult students from my studio in Newton, NJ. "Your job is to learn to work on your work." David Bayles and Ted Orland, Art and Fear. Are you afraid to pull out those dusty art materials? I've worked with many adult students over the past 8 years who had some past experience or interest in art, but for many reasons stopped creating or never started. Fear is often the inhibitor. Through my nurturing approach, I've successfully jumpstarted several students into making art again, and turning it into a priority in their life. I am starting a small group class beginning November 4th on Tuesday mornings, called JUMPSTART, for adults who want to get back to their art and are afraid of where to begin. The sessions will be minimally, 1 hour in length, with an option to extend to two if there is interest. I intend to schedule the sessions between the hours of 9:30 - 11:30, to be determined once we have a group together. There will be some wiggle room to play with the time depending on the individuals in the group. We will be working mostly 2-dimensionally and media will be determined on an individual basis. I begin getting to know my students, learning their backgrounds and goals. My approach is a mixture of nurture and constructive criticism to get you back to making art. Where we go from there becomes a journey we take together, eventually developing a direction or vision for one's own work. Prospective students must realize that there will be fun, but sometimes growth is connected to frustration and roadblocks. I will be there to get you through them and achieve those "aha" moments when stuff clicks. If interested in enrolling and taking this journey with me, you can explore more at traillworks.com/art-lessons--workshops.html. There are two offers for you: refer / enroll other students and save 15% on your tuition or enroll yourself by October 31st and save 15%*. I would love to invite you into my studio this Tuesday morning for coffee and conversation about enrolling in JUMPSTART. Email me with your interest or fill out the form below. *registration fee does not qualify for discount.  Please join me if you're in the Syracuse area on Thursday evening for the opening of Syracuse University's Department of Art's Painting Alumni Retrospective. I'm honored and humbled to be included in such a significant show striving to explore the changes in painting in America over half a century and Syracuse University's contribution to it, beginning with alumnus Clement Greenberg '30. The opening reception is this Thursday from 6 - 8pm at 914Works in Syracuse. I'll be there with my mom, the first artist in my life! As we roll into October, the students at TraillWorks have been doing amazing work in just a few short weeks since the start of the Fall session. Although we are three weeks in, my lessons are structured for flexibility and open enrollment throughout the session. I am currently offering a Saturday morning teen group, a Thursday afternoon 5 -7 year old group, and am planning to start a Tuesday morning adult group (perfect for moms / dads who have some flexibility after school drop-off and want to devote time to art making. The pieces below were created by a six year old student in only two one-hour sessions. At TraillWorks, due to small class sizes, I specialize in offering very individualized attention so a lot can be accomplished. The student spent the first week working on several blind contour drawings of a model horse and llama set up for observation. She decided to draw the furry penguin during her next session where we focused on gesture drawings in conté crayon. She was able to achieve drawing on a large scale; these took up full sheets of paper. Her first contour drawings were only about the size of a fist. Lastly, she began visual brainstorming with thumbnail sketches, which are small quick studies to work out the composition of an artwork. While it might be hard to tell what she has drawn, they are shorthand drawings that she and I understand. She will use these to help her create a larger drawing incorporating the penguin, and utilizing the drawing skills she's learned thus far.  Progression of drawing skill over two art lesson sessions. Below, longtime student, Emily, a senior at Sparta High School, finished her self portrait that she began earlier in the year, destined for her portfolio. This was a labor of love, one that involved time, hard work, perseverance and creativity. I think the finished piece speaks for itself and I know that she was more than pleased with the end result. Bravo Emily!  Self Portrait, graphite and watercolor on paper, by Emily Haag, Sparta High School Senior. If you or someone you know is interested in a nurturing, intimate environment where you can grow and learn, please get in touch or share! I'd love to speak with you about your personal goals and interests to see if we might be a good fit. Email me at lessons@traillworks.com with your interest or questions. |
Jennie Traill SchaefferDeemed the Kitchen God's Artist by NJ Savvy Living for my sainted appliances, I'm now known more for my vibrant, meditational paintings of chairs set surprisingly in landscapes. Since relocating to NC from NJ, mothering my two sons, and caring for our rescue pup, Cider, took the lead. Now, that my Durham home studio is renovated it's open again for virtual art coaching and the resumption of my personal art and commissions. The work I make is inspired by my joy of teaching, exploring nature, and traveling. On The Teaching Artist Blog, I share my approach to teaching and educate my readers about my creative process. Join my VIPs for First DibsArchives
July 2023
Want to read more from the past? Click here to read archived blog posts from my previous blog on Blogger.
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