 Saturday and Sunday, June 2 - 3rd, I'll be exhibiting new works alongside two other West Orange artists, Samar Hussaini and Peggy Pardon, at the studio where I teach my classes, Oh! Canary. We all happen to have kids around the same age within the town and are each striving to work as professional artists. You'll have an opportunity to meet us all, see and purchase our work, watch us work when we're not chatting with visitors, and see a sampling of student work from the students of Oh! Canary. Plus, you'll be entered to win one of my limited edition prints, "June's Pearls," a nod to the ever so wonderful Jersey Blueberry. The SOMA Studio Tour encompasses both South Orange and Maplewood, along with some artists from surrounding areas (like us). View the map of all the studio locations which include 75 artists!  ENTER TO WIN DURING THE TOUR: June's Pearls, Limited Edition Giclée, 12" x 6", printed on 100% textured rag, © Jennie Traill Schaeffer  In progress works by Samar Hussaini ABOUT SAMAR HUSSAINI: Samar Hussaini is an Arab-American, Fine Artist and Graphic Designer working, creating, and living outside of NYC in West Orange, NJ, and also a friend of mine. Designed with multiple layers showing the enriching distinctions of being an Arab-American her work creates thought-provoking ideas of dialogue and hope. Hussaini tells the story of Arab identity in a positive way transforming the prevalent misconceptions portrayed in the media and revealing the story of Arab people in a humanizing way. Hussaini earned her Bachelor of Arts from University of Maryland, with a double major in Studio Art and Art History and her Masters at Pratt Institute in Communication Design.
ABOUT PEGGY PARDON: For several years Sasha Huetz owned and operated a well known high-end vintage boutique in New York City's lower east side called Peggy Pardon. After the shop closed, Huetz started a family and continues to work as fashion stylist for editorial shoots and celebrities alike. Peggy Pardon (2.0) is a pet project of hers - setting out to create something with her hands and in doing so taught herself the art of porcelain clay, resin and metalsmithing. In the process Huetz came up with a collection of hand-crafted jewelry that she herself would wear.  Work in Progress by Jennie Traill Schaeffer ABOUT JENNIE TRAILL SCHAEFFER: If you're new to TraillWorks or you've been following for awhile but don't know a lot about me, I'm a teaching artist living in West Orange, NJ, just west of NYC. I earned my Bachelors of Fine Arts in both painting and art education from Syracuse University, and had the opportunity to study in Florence, Italy. I've spent more than a decade painting oils that juxtapose kitchen appliances and food with religious symbology, along with landscapes of importance. Over the past two years, my work has started to shift and I believe I'm finally discovering a new body of work, returning to the landscape in a new way. Some of these works will be exhibited for the first time this weekend. Please join me Saturday and Sunday at Oh Canary, located at 513A Valley Street, Maplewood, NJ. And, if you can't be there, join us on social media (Instagram & Facebook - @traillworks) over the weekend, or subscribe to my newsletter for the official release of these works in my online shop.
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My most recent works, the Red Carpet Icons, have been on exhibit at Hat City Kitchen in the Valley Arts District of Orange, NJ, for two months already! A couple of weeks ago, the restaurant hired a new executive chef and repainted the dining room. After the transformation, Jeremy Moss, local artist and operator of the gallery for Valley Arts, my son, and I spent an afternoon rehanging the show. The photo below speaks for itself. I'm both sad to see the exhibit close in a month, but happy to explore new venues for these pieces. If you haven't gotten to the restaurant to see the exhibit, the work will be hanging through March 9th, and Valley Arts, the host of the Orbital Gallery at Hat City Kitchen, is hosting one last Artists' Salon Monday, February 8th, from 6 - 8pm. I hope you'll either come out and join me, or explore the exhibit online from the comfort of your device. There's also something special on Monday for attendees and email subscribers. So hop on over and join my list and make it an #Artful2016!  One of the Red Carpet Icons: November Birthday Cake, 11" x 14", Oil on Panel, ©2015 Jennie Traill Schaeffer  My gallery assistant got too tuckered out.  View of the West Side of the Orbital Gallery, featuring Red Carpet Icons by Jennie Traill Schaeffer  Detail of "Cooking up a Pearl", my last painting signed with Schaeffer. I've been struggling recently with something less tangible than my artwork: my name. I'm from Generation X, or so I'm told by a recent online game. I was born in 1977, so now you know my age, and raised to be and do whatever I want. Both a blessing and a curse. But with that freedom comes questions and uncharted territory, and mistakes. So, when I got married ten years ago, I wasn't certain what do do with my name. I had started my artistic career and all of my works had been signed "Schaeffer," my maiden, or as another artist called it recently, my birth name. At the age of 26 (I turned 27 the week after our wedding) I was among the first of my friends to marry. I had many conversations with the few who were marrying about their naming decisions. Should I keep my birth name, should I lose it and take on my husband's name, Goldberg? Or should I lose my middle name, Traill, shift my birth name, Schaeffer, to my middle, and take my husband's as my last? Should I hyphenate? And then, what should I go by for my business and what are the legal / social ramifications of those choices? I had no idea, few had any real experiences to share, so I decided on the following since I was already creating and selling work: keep my middle name Traill (my business name is built upon that name; I'll write more on that in a future post) and use my birth name, Schaeffer, in my business, use my husband's name, Goldberg, socially and legally hyphenate Schaeffer-Goldberg. Experience is simply the name which we give our mistakes. Oscar Wilde Well, ten years and two kids later with one in elementary school, all of my decisions are proving frustrating. Now that I'm meeting people socially in school, but also wanting to associate myself and son with my business, all of these names are just too darn confusing. So, here's where I am now. I have begun signing my work with TRAILL. It is the name associated most with my artwork and business (TraillWorks), and it's easier to sign legibly than Schaeffer. I'm beginning to introduce myself as Schaeffer-Goldberg. It's the only way I see to make it easier for people to learn about my artwork and also associate me with my son, and my husband as well. Yikes! I've always been someone who hates conflict and wants to have my cake and eat it, too. So I'm going with the longer name, which will allow me to stop over-explaining who I am and why I made the choice, and started signing my work with TRAILL. Married women artists, what did you choose for your name? Please share with me and let's start a conversation. If you're a younger artist, embarking on marriage, feel free to comment or ask questions.  Detail of "St. Crock Pot in Orange" with my new signature, Traill. |
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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October 2024
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