REPRESENTATIONS
I’ve been working with AI art tools for a few years now, and while I was met with misunderstanding and fear sometimes, now I’m met with it MOST of the time. Even if people want to understand, now they have to UNLEARN and overcome what the media and misinformed audiences have planted into their brains. To be honest, it surprised me when I was met with fear and apprehension about what I was doing - training an artificial intelligence model on a body of my work, and working with the results - because I was absolutely delighted by it! It was so reflective, it fit right into my practice, bringing my knowledge about art therapy, mindfulness, connection, energy… all together. It felt therapeutic (from actually studying to be an art therapist and counselor, and from being a person with C-PTSD, actually in therapy). How could everyone get it so wrong?
I saw the Terminator films too! But I have also realized that I’m an early adopter, I’m someone who gets excited about ideas, and who is generally interested in changing the world to make it a better place. I also strongly identify with the concept of radical hope! I got really down about people being so hateful this year - if you didn’t know, the internet can be awful…
People fear what they don’t understand.
And this backlash has happened before in art history, with impressionism, dada, pop-art, the camera, the digital camera, photoshop, digital art… and now AI, which is probably the biggest change art historically, that most of us have been alive for.
So I really tried to listen, and what I kept hearing was the fear. Not only were people kind of afraid of AI becoming sentient and taking over the world, but they were also very afraid it would cause artists to lose their jobs, it would take over and kill art and creativity, and it would degrade the value of art. Everyone also seems to think all this creative AI was made up by big tech bros with an evil agenda to make money, and completely misunderstand how any of the technology actually works.
What I’ve heard about problems with AI are really systemic issues and total misunderstanding.
Which is why I chose to do the REPRESENTATIONS collaborative project for Taking. Up. Space. this year. It’s so important that people understand how this stuff works, and how to use it, because it’s here, and it’s happening, and you all need to be part of it! How else can you influence its direction?
This project has its own tab on my website, and will be virtually exhibited during May/June of 2023. Click Here to visit the page and learn more.
REPRESENTATIONS
As part of the @thrivetogethernetwork, and the Taking. Up. Space. global grassroots initiative, #takingupspace2023 I’m seeking submissions for a collaborative project, set to debut in May. This project is called “Representations” and the intent is to educate and encourage womxn to take up space and affect the future at the intersection of art and technology. All of the collective work will be used to train an artificial intelligence model, which will be used to generate a new body of work reflecting the collective. I’ll be sharing the process of creation through live sessions and videos, and the final body of work will be available as free-to-collect NFTs.
Call for art ends: February 26th, 11:59pm EST
A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT ENCOURAGING WOMXN TO TAKE UP SPACE AND AFFECT THE FUTURE AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY
As part of the Thrive Together Network and the Taking. Up. Space. global grassroots initiative #takingupspace2023 I’m seeking submissions for a collaborative project, set to debut in May. This project is called “Representations” and the intent is to educate and encourage womxn to take up space and affect the future at the intersection of art and technology. All of the collective work will be used to train an artificial intelligence model, which will be used to generate a new body of work reflecting the collective. I’ll be sharing the creation process through live sessions and videos, and the final body of work will be available as free-to-collect NFTs.
Eligibility: Project participation is open to all women-identifying and non-binary artists. No knowledge of NFTs, Cryptocurrency, or artificial intelligence (AI) is necessary to participate!
Submissions:
Work must be submitted as a JPG or PNG file. One artwork is to be submitted by each participant, please select something that you feel represents your individual perspective or artistic style.
Enchanted AI Art
I’m excited to announce that the Visionary AI Art Learning Collective is LIVE!
Wait, the what what?
Okay. So I met these two fabulous women who were as excited about using AI to create as I have been, and we talked, and IDEAS! They had launched Magical Stock Art, and had been getting requests from people who wanted to learn how to make art this way themselves. …So I’ve been teaching AI for Fine Artists and AI for Creative Expression, and we’ve been testing and figuring things out. It’s been awesome to see people get inspired by the process of creating with AI art tools!
There is also a LOT of hate towards AI art tools being used right now. So let me dispatch it - with the many, many, many conversations I’ve been having, it comes down to fear, misinformation, and systemic issues.
As women, we are legendary at transforming fear into love through creativity and community.
THIS IS THE VIBE!
After I did a residency with a big community component in September, I knew I wanted to teach people how to use AI art tools, and I was already doing it as part of explaining how the heck I make my art. I believe I can make this a little less scary for people! - I genuinely LOVE people, and my enthusiasm for what others are creating is deep and authentic. I also think it’s important for womxn to pick up these tools and show up in this space because it’s crucial that we influence it!
So, I’m leading the Visionary AI Art Learning Membership! And you can join me there!
ON::VIEW Revue
CELEBRATING THE ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE OF 2022
On display: January 13th - February 18th, 2023
Reception: Friday, February 3rd from 5 - 9PM
From Sulfur Studios:
Sulfur Studios is pleased to present ON::View Revue, our Annual Exhibition featuring Artists-in-Residence from the past year. 2022 was a record year for the ON::View Residency Program, bringing artists from around the world to Savannah thanks to the new 5th Dimension Apartment just blocks from the studio.
We welcomed conceptual artist Jon Field from England; printmaker, illustrator and book artist Kazumi Wilds from Japan; rising star painter Tiara Unique Francois from Dallas; Cuban-born conceptual artist Carlos Estevez from Miami. Timothy Harding of Fort Worth, TX challenged traditional conceptions of painting and sculpture with his site-specific painting in the round, and Sue Carrie Drummond of Jackson, MS developed a pop-up artist book focused on issues of domesticity and gender. Artists engaged with the public like never before – from Stephanie Barber’s poetic video dialogues filmed with participants all over the city, to Field’s site-specific merzbau inviting collaborators of all ages. Savannah local Gabrielle Torres took on a giant weaving alive with invasive plants and interpersonal histories, and nomadic artists Monica Jane Frisell & Adam Scher captured Savannahians through storytelling and portraits developed in their mobile darkroom, The Nomadic Photo Ark. From Kazumi Wilds’ centuries-old suminagashi paper-marbling techniques to Jen Palmer’s cutting-edge collaborations with artificial intelligence, ON::View Revue brings together a diverse range of thoughtful, impactful work by each artist made within the past year, as well as providing opportunities for deeper learning through artist talks, studio visits and field trips with students of all ages from schools across Savannah.
AI Art School
Curious about AI in art? Want to learn how to use AI in your established art practice, or to use AI for creative expression with no prior skills required? Join me…
I’ve started teaching classes about how to use AI in your creative practice! I’m really excited about this, because I want to share the magic that I sensed with AI in my own art practice with other artists, and develop the use of creative AI as a tool for reflective practice for anyone.
I’ll be teaching these first classes with a newly formed AI Art School, and if you’re interested in learning, there are two courses right now - one for fine artists, who already have a body of work, and one for anyone who wants to learn to use AI as a tool for creative expression. These are beginner level courses, so if you’re totally confused, or curious but don’t know where or how to start, these are for you!
The link below will take you to Rebecca Tolk’s website for further information and check out, don’t be alarmed, this is correct! I’m teaching the evening cohort of the AI for Creative Expression course, so click on that sign-up link to learn with me as your guide!
The Savannah Storm Drain Project
Where does the water go to when it goes into the storm drain? It turns out that most people in Savannah didn’t know the answer, so the city (Laura Walker the Water Resources Environmental Manager) started this project to raise awareness and help people make the connection. The city has a website here to learn more about the project and view all of the entries and finished murals: https://waterconnectsusall.com
Above: Some images of me getting started - the color palette is definitely mine!
I really lucked out with the location I was assigned, Heard Elementary School - a STEAM school! I had some really great moments with the classes that came to visit my worksite - their understanding of why projects like this are important (and the fact that they’re being taught this) - just phenomenal! So much love for the inclusion of art into everything 🖤 I also had the chance to be part of a roundtable discussion with faculty and students at Heard, and Tamara Garvey of on Art(s) on the Air. Listen to the episode (and the rest of the radio show!) here: Art(s) on the Air -It’s also available as a podcast wherever you listen to those ;)
In progress - I didn’t realize until later that my face got quite windburned! The wind really picked up my 2nd day on this project as Hurricane Ian was heading through (Radar screenshot from my phone - yikes!)
Images of my finished storm drain mural!
Rob Hessler wrote an engaging article for the Savannah Morning News about the project, you can read it here: 'They're our waters': Savannah's Storm Drain Art Project involves community in our waterways
It’s been truly lovely to work with every single person I encountered throughout this project, I’m grateful to do this work, and to get to do this work with you all!
ON::VIEW Residency Finale
I’m so grateful for having been able to spend the past month in residence ON::VIEW at Sulfur Studios! Connecting with people, sharing my process, and how I use artificial intelligence in my work has been a great experience. Everyone comes at this with a different perspective, so I’ve gotten a lot of practice talking about the work and bringing people into my process from where they are.
During the residency, I held open studio hours, inviting people in to participate by painting with me. Participants were given the option of learning a little about how waves are physiologically calming, and creating a waveform painting, or doing a meditative prompt about body awareness and creating an intuitive abstract painting. With 30+ paintings in each series, the works were digitized and used to train two separate artificial intelligence models. These models then generate more work, that is a combination of everything it learned from that dataset. I comb through thousands of resulting images, and work with them further to create a final collection of images and video clips.
Here are some of the intuitive abstract results:
Here are some of the waveform series results:
It was cool to see people come back in for the finale reveal that had worked on the project with me, or checked up on its progress over time. I really liked having all the work hung from the walls as it built up, and still on display with the video pieces being shown on screens in the same space. It really gave a sense of the entire project.
The month flew by! I was too engaged in conversation all evening to get photos with people in them, so here’s one last shot of the studio before I moved out.
There is an NFT to collect for free from the project, and I’ll be sharing more from it going forward. You can collect those here: https://jenpalmerart.cent.co
I’ll also be making more prints available from this work, make sure you’re subscribed to get updates when those become available.
Thanks! 🖤
The Artist & The AI
This is a presentation adapted from a talk I gave during my residency at Sulfur Studios last month, a little about me, my work, and how I came to include AI in my creative process.
( Fast Evolving Tech Disclaimer: The data in the presentation was up to date when made, but could be different at the time of reading this)
In Residence…
I’m liking the cyclical rhythm that the Thrive Together Network is creating. Previously, in the Red Tent, we talked a lot about these things, how the seasons affect us, and how we can use that information to our benefit. I have needed more of this in my life! The entire community just came off of a general sabbatical and into planning for the virtual residency, which started or starts for most of us this week. Coincidentally, I was offered the opportunity to be in residence at Sulfur Studios, pretty much the same as the virtual residency - I’ll get to check in with the TTN community the whole time☺ For the virtual residency, I just figured in all the other things I’m also working on during this time - like the storm drain awareness painting project with the city, reading, and keeping up with my research and applications. So I get an extra layer of accountability (Hello, Obligers), and support 🖤
The ON::View Artist Residency Program at Sulfur Studios interested me when I heard about it, because I was seeking opportunities to work in a more public setting, with community, and for this, the whole point is that it’s ON VIEW. I’m thrilled to have the support of Playform going into this as well, so I can share my methods and do more demonstrations of the process. Read more about the ON::View Residency below, subscribe to my newsletter, and follow on the socials if you don’t already 🖤
“What are the possibilities for NFT’s beyond Bored Apes and Pudgy Penguins? Will artificial intelligence turn on us - their human creators - and create a dystopian future of Terminator cyborgs controlled by Elon Musk and Skynet? Jen Palmer may have an answer to these important questions!
Jen Palmer moves beyond the tired stereotypes of NFT’s and AI (artificial intelligence) to explore the possibilities that this nascent technology holds for the intrepid artist. Palmer combines meditative reflection, traditional media and technology in her art practice. During her Residency, she will be working with mixed media and inviting the public to participate using simple meditative prompts as a guide. The works created will become part of a dataset of images to train AI. From that output, Palmer will develop a set of images and create short videos that will be shared through projection on-location in the Residency space, and as freely collected NFTs. Through the window, passersby will be able to view the work being made from the datasets, as well as the projections of work created collaboratively with artificial intelligence.
Hailing from rural Southwestern Pennsylvania, Jen Palmer currently lives and works in Savannah, Georgia. She works across various mediums, using her artistic process to hold space, make connections, and create expressions of radical hope.
Open Studio Hours: Thurs - Sun, 12 - 5 PM - Pre-registration via calendly is encouraged!”
NFTs on Cent
I’ve been having fun sharing NFTs and connecting with people through my Cent page jenpalmerart.cent.co
To collect a free NFT, you click the subscribe button and then the collect button under the artwork. If you stay subscribed, you’ll get notified when I release a new NFT.
Since my work is about radical hope, and we need all of that we can get, I’m glad to have my work collected 🖤 I’m glad it’s resonating with others, and will be sharing more on this platform soon.
If you want to check out some of the other creators on the platform too, Cent has this list here. Have fun and go collect some free NFTs!
OBSERVANCE
Review of my recent exhibition: OBSERVANCE
OBSERVANCE was held in conjunction with over 60 other exhibitions taking place in the month of May as part of the inaugural Taking. Up. Space. Initiative. After the opening, I was honored to speak with the Thrive Together Network about the exhibition and the work. I also held a live Q & A session on Instagram discussing my process, working with artificial intelligence, and creating a virtual exhibition. There were over 200 individual visitors to the exhibition, and I’m grateful to each of you who spent time in this space.🖤
“During a month-long residency, I practiced holding space for myself using mindfulness and creative expression using traditional materials. This practice has been developed through my studies in art therapy and personal trauma recovery work, with the phenomenological knowledge that these expressions are tied to our bodies. We can not create anything that does not come from within us. AI is the same, it can only give us back what we teach it. I use it as a tool for reflection in meditative practice, where I observe the AI rendered images with curiosity and non-judgment. The works that come from this practice serve as reminders to the viewer, of self-acceptance, of acceptance of others, and that we can create these spaces for ourselves and each other.”
The exhibition consisted of work available as editions of one, in print format, or for the video work, as an NFT.
This next series of images is presented as a slide show to demonstrate the placement of still and video works together. In the exhibition, as you “approached” the video pieces, they would start playing, and loop continuously.
Below are some more screenshots of the exhibition space. During the exhibition, you could navigate the rooms using the arrows, your mouse, clicking on a piece to view it up close, or by using the menu to tour piece by piece or travel to a specific artwork. Clicking on an image would take you up close, and the works could be purchased from that screen.
Thanks for taking a look at OBSERVANCE. If you want to make sure you get notified about my next exhibition, sign up for my newsletter here.
Pro-Art Filter Walk Through
I made a walk through video to answer some of the questions I’ve been getting about using the Pro-Art Filters on Playform. Let’s collaborate through AI!
Playform Pro-Art Filter Release
“Playform is excited to introduce a new selection of artists’s works as part of the release of Playform Art-Filters. Included in this selection of artists are Albert-Abdul Barr Wang, Allan Linder, Andrew Tricaso, Hana Gauër, J Rosenbaum, Jeff Brice, Jen Palmer, and Uli Ap.”
I have been having a lot of fun with these filters, testing which artwork worked best with a variety of images, so now you can go apply them to your art or photographs and get some really beautiful results! I would love to see what you make, so share and tag me on Instagram @jenpalmerart, on Twitter @jen_palmer_, or email to hello@jenpalmer.art
Made with a photograph of a magnolia flower, applying the Brightforms Pro-Art Filter (using the “fine” setting)
Made using the Brightforms Pro-Art Filter, applied to a sketch, using the “fine” filter setting.
These results aren’t upscaled, but if you create something you love and want to print it or up the resolution, you can also do that on Playform!
Creating with AI is wild! Let me know what you think in the comments <3
Simulacra Exhibition at Sulfur Studios
I’ve got four works in this group exhibition at Sulfur Studios in Savannah, GA. If you can’t make the opening reception (masking is required) or don’t feel comfortable doing so, you can view the exhibition images here - though the pieces I made are a level up in person!
I’m excited about participating in this exhibition because it was a perfect fit. The work I make is about radical hope - a concept in which we have acceptance of our current state, and hold certainty for a future state for which we cannot yet understand and does not yet exist. My work holds space and reflects upon ever-shifting forms. Informed by bodily knowledge, using traditional painting and drawing materials, I intuitively create works that give space to these forms to live. To further this exploration and reflection, I enter a body of work into an AI platform that generates new work in my visual language. While I haven't drawn or painted this space, it exists and resonates within me. Its realness is as much as any mental state we may experience.
I hope you get the chance to check it out! Let me know what you think & if you have any questions for me!
HOPE Exhibition at the Roaring Artist Gallery
HOPE is a themed group exhibition, running through October 31st, 2021, at the Roaring Artist Gallery (This amazing virtual gallery run by the lovely and talented Katie Bradford Osborne), benefitting the L-CMD RESEARCH FOUNDATION. You can visit the virtual gallery and view my piece in the show, or view them on the website. “Sureness” is available for purchase through the gallery.
I’m excited to be participating in this exhibition, and that everyone can experience it virtually, I truly appreciate the thoughtful curation.
I hope you take the time to explore and enjoy all the arrangements of beautiful art in this virtual space, and maybe decide to bring a piece into your actual space as well.
NFT
My first NFT art is available as part of the REMIX exhibition with Playform Studio, on Rarible!
REMIX
REMIX Exhibition promotional by Playform
I’m excited to be participating in REMIX an exhibition by Playform, exclusively on Rarible. The NFT art works will be available on Aug. 9th, and some of the artists, including myself, will be participating in an artist talk. If you want to hear more about making work with no code AI, NFTs, discussion on mashup, and new technologies, here’s the link:
About REMIX
Appropriating, amalgamating and collaging have been prevalent artistic methods throughout history. Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain '' and Warhol’s “Botticelli” are some examples of re-contextualizing throughout the art historical canon. Inspired by the artistic concepts of sampling and mashup, Playform Studio presents a Studio group exhibition, “REMIX.”
Defining new ways of creating in the age of AI, “REMIX” explores the ever-emerging relationship between technology and art. Works from “REMIX” will also be available as NFTs, exclusively on Rarible.
Featured artists include:
Carla Gannis, Chris Trueman, Andrew Tricaso, Trygve Skogrand, Jen Palmer, Nathaniel Stern, Albert Abdul-Barr Wang, Roxy Savage, Katya Grokhovsky, Irina Raicu, Michael Pierre Price, Yeli Rodriguez, and Witold Riedel.
YOU CAN PLAY TOO!
Play with REMIX Artwork in Playform Stylize
The exhibition release is in affiliation with Playform’s Stylize feature which offers Playform users to apply the style of their favorite artists onto any photo, image or sketch. The final works featured in the exhibition are options of “Pre-Defined Style” within the Stylize feature. Playform users are invited to "remix" their own images with these new styles!
Here are some of the images I've remixed with my own Pro Art Filter! (click to view them in the lightbox)
Screenshot of Playform, featuring an image with my REMIX Pro-Art Filter applied
Screenshot of the Playform Stylize Interface.
You can use Playform from a mobile device or computer. You select your style, then upload your image. You can choose which process, and how much style and composition affect the result. Just go to https://playform.io/jen to check it out! Oh, and share your stylized images with me on Instagram or via email!
“I love you, and I’m sorry”
OKAY. A lot has changed since my last post! It’s been a whirlwind and today is the first sort of day to myself, to just focus on my stuff, and I almost don’t know where to even start.
THE CHANGES - Vaccinations! Moved to GA! Quit my day job!
Whoa, right? That’s a lot in 3 months. Which is why my husband just kept repeating the phrase, “ I love you, and I’m sorry”, ha ha. The plans all started when he decided to “put out feelers” to see if there were any better options for him in another job. WELL - the response was immediate, and everything went really fast, and here we are!
My last day at my day job was Friday! So today is the first official day of work, just for myself!
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