 UPDATE: Due to rain, we are moving to the underpass under the South Orange Train Station! Tomorrow afternoon, weather-dependent, I'll be enjoying a unique opportunity to moderate part of a day-long FREE Life Drawing Marathon in a public park in South Orange, NJ! Artist, Charles Hawthorne, would be pleased. No, the model will not be nude, but I'm pretty excited about the event regardless. The Life Drawing Marathon is part of the South by South Orange Festival which is touted to be the "first of its kind" in New Jersey by Jay Lustig, founder of NJArts.net. From 10 - 4pm in Spiotta Park, three artists (Ed Gunneson, Sarah Petruzielo, and myself), will be guiding a model and visitors in life drawing sessions. I will be moderating from 12:40 - 2:30, should you want to stop by and see me. Spiotta Park is considered the Creative Midway which is free to visitors and will offer a host of other events including: paint ball art, Celebration Singers’ performances, an improv poetry scavenger hunt, a creative collisions open mic sound stage, a ‘zine workshop, Theatre Group Dzieci, buskers and assorted performers, and a group art and architectural project hosted by David Everitt-Carlson of DEC Design and iThinkOutsideMyBox.com. Whoa! This is just the tip of the iceberg. The festival is a "3-day collision of Art, Ideas, Music and Exploration" with too many speakers, artists, and performers to list. You must spend some time exploring the event listing, and really take advantage of the terrific topics and tantalizing timetables. Plus, I just discovered there is childcare available through the Baird and Work & Play (my host for the upcoming Watercolor Workshop I'm teaching)!
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Sunday was the well-regarded SOMA Studio Tour held in South Orange and Maplewood, NJ, sponsored by 1978 Arts Center and the Baird, along with many supporters. I exhibited in a beautiful space at JESPY House, a non-profit which aims to house and educate learning and developmentally disabled adults to provide them an opportunity to live independently. As you can see from the photos, the space was stunning, the light terrific, and weather sublime. Well over 100 people came by to check out my work, along with artists, Bill Billec and Liz Demaree. I enjoyed meeting so many new people: chatting with students, sharing stories about my work, and talking about the topics of decluttering and collecting with several guests. Since closing my gallery space in Newton, I've found it very difficult to get my work in front of people, not for lack of opportunity but time with my kids. This gave me the fix I needed! Plus, I'm pleased that I sold my first set of ARTaments to a woman who will be gifting them for Christmas to relatives that cycle together. Another new customer happened upon one of my giclées of an older Appliance Portrait who came over with such a big smile and told me though she was out of space, this made her so happy she had to buy it! I was over the moon. That makes my art-making worthwhile; touching someone in that way. And, I was able to also to sell one of my favorite Appliance Portraits: Chrome Fabricator of Pasta. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and graced me with your compliments and purchases, or stopped by to say hello! Thank you to the South Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs and the 1978 Maplewood Art Center for providing this remarkable opportunity! I couldn't have done this show with my fractured foot, without the support of several friends and family, including: friends Meghan and Jeremy for schlepping, friends Sonia and Brooke for taking my kids, and, most importantly, thank you to my husband, Lee, who spent time taking care of the kids, lugging boxes and art from the 3rd floor to the car, to JESPY House, and installing the show.  Wedding Cake Portraits, Still Lifes and Linocuts on exhibit at JESPY House.  Kitchen Gods on exhibit at JESPY House.  A Pair of ARTaments, sold to be given to a couple that cycles together!  Best compliment: the buyer said she had no room for this, but it made her so happy she would find room!  Chrome Fabricator of Pasta, sold to a new collector!  Thanks to my hubby for his hanging / installation expertise! 
My work, The Perfect Pearl, surrounded by strong works on display above the info desk at the Maplewood Library.
Speaking at the opening reception of 11 x14 Exhibit at the Maplewood Library on 5/16/15.
Selfie with artist / karate instructor, Louis Toledo
I attended and spoke at the Maplewood Library this past Sunday for the opening of the 11 x 14 Exhibit by Studio Tour Artists. 29 works are currently on exhibit through May 30th by artists participating in this year's Studio Tour SOMA, set for Sunday, July 7th. There are so many more works to see, so stop by the library or visit me on June 7th during the Tour at JESPY House at 111 Milligan Pl, South Orange, NJ. A special thank you to artist, Louis Toledo, for the great shots during the opening! Learn more about the upcoming tour at traillworks.com/upcoming-exhibits.html.
The Perfect Pearl, 11" x 14", Mixed Media, © Jennie Traill Schaeffer, on display at the Maplewood Library.
I'm thrilled to announce that I'm participating in this year's SOMA Studio Tour, set for Sunday, June 7th. In anticipation of the event, the Maplewood Memorial Library is hosting a month-long exhibit of past and current Studio Tour Artists, all works 11" x 14". I hope you'll join me on Saturday, May 16th for the opening at the Maplewood Memorial Library. Artists will be talking about their work, myself included, along with live music by Elvie & the Boys, a local acoustic group. The opening is from 2 - 3:30pm. If I don't see you at the opening, please join me on the 7th of June for the Studio Tour. I'll be exhibiting at JESPY House in South Orange. I'll post a blog soon about the event, but in the meantime, learn more about the SOMA Studio Tour here.    Set up for Handala-making at Gregory School's Happy Healthy Kids Night Sometimes all you need to be creative are some basic tools, a framework, and a nurturing guide within which to make something. During the 1st annual NJ Makers Day on Saturday, March 21st, I will be offering visitors to the West Orange Public Library an opportunity to creatively contribute their mark without intimidation or expectations. I hear all the time from adults "I can't even draw a stick figure" and "I'm not creative". Banish those thoughts and let me help you contribute to a community "Handala". Influenced by the structure of mandalas, the "Handala", a concept I discovered from artist, Ron Hornung, is a mandala made of hands. (While rooted in Buddhism and Hinduism, mandalas in their simplest constructs are visual structures, which represent wholeness, because of their arrangement of integrated elements around a unifying center.) Visitors both young and young at heart, will be asked to trace their own hand and embellish it or the space around it with colored pencils. During the making of the "Handala" hopefully I'll dispel some myths about art making, giving you a chance to express yourself without fear, as well as a chance to learn more about a very old artistic / spiritual symbol. The completed "Handalas" will remain at the library for display after the event. Children and adults are welcome. I guided students and parents in making "Handalas" at Gregory School's Happy Healthy Kids Night in the Fall and saw many self-conscious adults in particular, sit down, get past their fear and make something with their kids. I will be at the library from 1:30 - 4pm on the 21st. Many other STEM activities will be offered throughout the day including creating recycled jewelry and family activities involving technology demos and art. Check out the article in The Alternative Press for more information about workshops, demos, makers, and hours. I hope you'll save the time to participate in a day that promotes the culture of making!  Handala in progress at Gregory School's Happy Healthy Kids Night. Fall 2014 |
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 DibsWORKSHOPS
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