Artist of the Week

You Are Here is an awesome non-profit art gallery in Jeannette, PA, and they are starting a new project to help support artists during this time, when so many opportunities have been lost.

Feature artists will be sharing how they’re being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic situation, along with what they’re offering as far as art you can purchase, services, etc.

If you’re in a place where you can support working artists, this is a great opportunity to connect and make a difference. You Are Here is making these features into a permanent artist roster for the direct support of artists and their work.

I’m always grateful for the support of You Are Here, I’m currently doing their Satellite Artist remote residency, and now am the first featured weekly artist!

You can check out the ARTIST OF THE WEEK page here, and my Satellite Artist Blog here. Thanks!

(Exhale)

It’s been a month since I last wrote here - and oooh, boy, has a lot happened. We’re pretty much all on home confinement now, as the COVID-19 virus is everywhere. I haven’t had to change my routine a ton, because I already work from home for my virtual management job and at my home studio. I’ve been writing posts for my satellite artist - virtual residency over at You Are Here. I’ve eliminated external duties, and moved my appointments all online.

I’d already been feeling overwhelmed, with an increase in work at the management job, plus different tasks that took a lot more of my energy than normal. I’m doing the residency (which is good because otherwise, I’d be letting my own work subside for right now), and keeping up with appointments and meetings, but my bandwidth had been really low, and doing anything else just added more stress. I KNOW I wasn’t getting enough time to myself to recharge.

… and now this. I am not capable of handling unwanted emotional labor right now.

It is definitely a weird time for me. I’m worried about people, furious about the ruling party (as usual), and mentally exhausted. I can’t stand all the hateful rhetoric being spread about, and the issue that no one wants to take responsibility for anything. I want radical change on a good day. We NEED radical change on a good day…

Satellite Artist at You Are Here

I'm doing a virtual artist residency with You Are Here!

I started at the beginning of February, and will have regular updates about the work I'm doing on their website: Jen Palmer Satellite Artist Blog

This is a really neat opportunity for me, because of my health and all its demands and limitations. I wouldn't have the capacity to drive somewhere and work every day, so this Satellite Artist program is a great fit 📡🎨🖤

Women’s Work at You Are Here

I have a couple pieces featured in the Women’s Work exhibition at You Are Here - the opening was this past weekend, and the show will be up until the end of February. What an awesome group of women artists!

You can read the Trib write up here.
Local womxn artists, join the You Are Here Women In Art Group, we meet at the gallery, and have a private Facebook group.

2019 reflections & 2020 visions

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For the past couple years, I’ve been playing along with Gretchen Rubin, Liz Craft, and the Happier Crowd when it comes to my new year planning. I love this time of year, when our energy is drawn inward and the mood is set , in this part of the world, for slowing down and reflecting on our lives, and figuring out what we want moving forward.

I also pick a word or phrase for the year - inspiration, or a general reminder of what I want, when it comes to things that aren’t on that list. I really needed to get good at setting boundaries, so it’s helped me figure out if I should say yes or say no to something - does it further my overall vision for my life? I think it’s a really powerful tool, which is why my word for 2020 is “curate”.

Last year, it was “embrace being multi-passionate”, which was all about me just being who I am, and having a variety of interests, from painting, to photography, music, social justice, podcasting, reading, beading, and playing Magic: the Gathering. One gain I got from this focus, was noticing how these seemingly different things overlap, and seeing my own patterns elevated through my interests and how I pursue them. Social justice and art - DUH, social justice and Magic: The Gathering? ABSOLUTELY! Through this lens, I got to see my strengths and really think about how each of these things brings more happiness into my life. I also got comfortable with the idea that I’m allowed to do this. So this year, I’m further embracing that empowerment with the word “curate”. Part of saying yes to all that stuff I love was saying no to other things. Which is ok, and I’m allowed to do that. WHOA! Apparently this struck me as vital, because here’s the definition of my word for 2020:

curate

noun

Chiefly British. a member of the clergy employed to assist a rector or vicar.

any ecclesiastic entrusted with the cure of souls, as a parish priest.

verb (used with object), cu·rat·ed, cu·rat·ing.

to take charge of (a museum) or organize (an art exhibit):to curate a photography show.

to pull together, sift through, and select for presentation, as music or website content

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Let’s check this out…

• person entrusted with the cure of souls - healing, caring for the health of, ridding of detrimental factors

• taking charge

• organizing

• sift through and select

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POWERFUL STUFF. I am in charge of the care of my soul. I have the duty to rid it of detrimental factors. I say what’s welcome, what stays, and what goes. Holy boundaries, Batman. (I’m super proud of myself for getting to this point, BTW!)

In 2019, my list of 19 things included a bunch of health goals, finance goals, and creative community related goals. There are a few things I haven’t completed, like organizing everyone’s birthdays and current addresses, and getting the storage space cleaned out to make my encaustic studio, but I did a lot of things this past year that I’m happy about because of that list - like finally participating in book club! I did hard things, like paying off a huge loan, and going to all my appointments (2-3 a week, usually). I visited a Buddhist center, became a THRIVE member, and found YAH Women in Art right after too! I looked at a lot of art! I also played a lot of Magic Arena (even though I only made it through Platinum one season), worked on my oracle project, started a podcast with my friend Jess, launched this website, and ordered that perfume I’ve wanted for the last decade. I looked at campers, got new brown boots, and tried RASA, (adaptogenic coffee alternative) - I love it! I still don’t have a photography project I’m passionate about, but I've pitched a few ideas for grants, and that’s a step. I might scale back that project so I could do it in some form? Maybe? It’s going on the 2020 list!

I’m still thinking over a few things for 2020 (I’ve got a day!), but here’s the list so far:

• get 20 rejections

• put photos on my website

• save down-payment

• explore digital painting and illustration more deeply

• do block printing

• walk 20 in 2020

• write consistently

• make postcards

• do a photography project

• podcast with Jess

• have a really good artist statement

• make new business cards

• explore my visual language

• plan some day trips (Serpent Mound, Polymath Park…)

• find tiny earrings

• collaborative art projects with Alicia & with Meghan (It’s happening, it’s on my list!)

• organize addresses and birthdays

• acquire white tortoiseshell glasses

• clean out storage - set up encaustic studio

• find a good framing solution

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I quite enjoy the whole dreaming up of possibilities, don’t you? What are your plans for 2020? I encourage you to make a list and play along! It gives us a unique opportunity to recognize and support one another. Jess and I will be discussing our lists on the podcast, and checking in throughout the year on our progress - we’re both Obligers, can you tell?

OK folks, I love you! Well wishes for 2020!

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