Goddess guides – a year long journey

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022Leave a comment

My newest online art journal class is starting soon!

I am so excited to introduce my new online Art Journaling class! This is a theme near and dear to my heart, and a journey of exploration and inspiration that I have wanted to take for years.

My classes are open to all levels of experience. We will collage, and make marks…. and utilize image transfer techniques. I want to foster a practice of exploration and expression, or play and process! I have included a video with my approach to the theme – take a look below…

Here are the details!

12 months – 24 lessons. Lessons are emailed on Mondays, twice a month – and include private video tutorials, and PDF’s of information, images, and inspiration. Your access to these videos does not expire!
There will be 2 Facebook live demos per month – for a chance to connect, have a Q& A session, see new techniques in progress.
1 ZOOM call/month. Optional – but a chance to connect, to chat, to build community. These will be on a floating schedule. Planning a year out is near impossible!
Schedule – START DATE March 6th. First lesson Monday March 7th.
SPRING: March – May
SUMMER: June – August
FALL: Sept – November
WINTER: Dec – February.
Pricing: $65 per quarter/season – that is 6 lessons a season! Each quarter is priced individually. You are welcome to customize the year to your schedule, and pay as you go. (Invoices will be emailed via PayPal, and can be paid via credit card. )
If you prefer to sign up for the entire year, you have 2 payment options:
- Option A- a single payment of $240 and a free gift
- Option B – 2 payments of $120 and a free gift.
Sign ups: Email me at Jen.davies.reazor@gmail.com and I will invoice you. Please select a payment option…. (Or PM me if we are connected on social media)

As to materials and class supplies – stay tuned! More info to come!

Thank you for your interest! Please don’t hesitate to email or message me with any questions!
Jenny

Are you new to my Art Journaling classes? Are you interested in “Sparking Creativity” my intro class? No worries! I am preparing it for an online teaching platform – and it should be ready in the Spring. The goddess class is open to all levels – so if it sounds interesting to you, please don’t hesitate! ( If you are receiving this newsletter – you will get notified when SPARK is ready!

Art Journaling with Jenny: sparking creativity.

December 4, 2020March 27, 20224 Comments

It started out as just me and the page in my art journal. It was an escape – a place to go play, express myself, collage, splash paint around… and be both distracted and soothed in the midst of a global pandemic. My art journal became a place where I could vent, but also a place I could go to elevate my mood, or take simple joy in art materials, color, image, text…

And then I decided to share it…

Well, my friend Patti (who became my co-facilitator for class) encouraged me to create an online class. We would meet via Zoom. I could film video tutorials – but we wanted an element of camaraderie too – a social interaction we were missing during “Safer at home” times. And thus “Art journaling with Jenny: sparking creativity” was born.

The first session was a learning process – for me – and also hugely satisfying. It surpassed my wildest dreams. Here are some student testimonials:

Jenny’s Art Journal class was amazing! The presentation of techniques and pace of the class gave me time to absorb, learn, play and ultimately complete gorgeous journal pages – something I wasn’t sure I could do. The safe space created by Jenny, as well as the camaraderie and community with my classmates grew as we journeyed together allowed me to open up, experiment and go places I hadn’t even imagined. And finally, as a frontline healthcare worker, “taking it to the page” gave me a healthy release that kept, and continues to keep, me balanced, focused and feeling hopeful. No kidding. Ten thousand thumbs up! Amy T

Jenny Davies-Reazor took me on an adventure into art play and art journaling in her “Art Journaling: Sparking Creativity” online workshop! It was eye opening for me as I had never done anything like this in my own artistic journey. It was also very cathartic. She is very organized and willing to share everything she knows and truly gives a lot of herself and her time. Not only did I enjoy learning new ways to play with art materials, I would get so engrossed in the process of creating that time would slip away unnoticed. Jenny is fun, knowledgeable, and is also willing to experiment in front of her students. It lead to some happy accidents, which was encouraging for me.I am looking forward to her next class! Patti P.

Are you looking for community, camaraderie, inspiration and fun? Look no further, you’ve found all that and more. Jenny’s class is informative: you learn different techniques, she walks you through her creative process and you’re introduced to new materials to play with and create. You become part of a very supportive group of people: you can choose to share what you’re working on or just soak in the process that your fellow participants are working through. This class was amazing. I can’t say enough about it. I would give it all the “stars”. Nikki T

Here’s a firsthand look at MY pages – and the “Hows” and “Whys” behind the class:

As I mentioned – the lessons are NOT drawing heavy, but instead utilize collage, and image transfer techniques. The materials list is provided after enrollment and includes links for online ordering… Each lesson is themed around a symbol or motif and its relevant meaning/folklore/mythology. My style of teaching encourages you to explore. I teach you the technique and show you possible applications. This isn’t the type of class where everyone ends up with a copy of the teacher’s piece… Its you, in your journal… with your preferences and experiences, and choices!

Interested? Here are the details…

Cost: $70 includes a packet of images ready to use in image transfers. ( send via USPS)

Duration: 6 weeks of class. Access to videos – no expiration.

Access to private class Facebook group: intended for sharing images of pages, discussion of techniques, etc.

Each lesson includes:

Monday – weekly email with inspirational PDF, links to private video tutorials.

Wednesday – FB live demo (recorded for any who miss it live)

And the “Spark” Zoom calls – introduction, mid point check in, finale call. 3 calls spaced over the 6 weeks. (Optional and recorded!)

Sparking Creativity will be available late Spring 2022 as an on demand class! Sign up for my newsletter to stay in touch!

To enroll:

Send an email to me at Jen.davies.reazor@gmail.com with the subject line “Spark sign ups”. Let me know you are interested.
I will invoice you via PayPal. Then you will receive your supply list – via email – and can order anything you might need.
Join the FB group!

You can also email me to ask any questions! Feel free to check out some other art journal videos on my You Tube channel~ Until then, stay safe, and thanks for reading to the end. 😉

On keeping a plague journal…

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020Leave a comment

It seemed like the thing to do… when I went into self imposed lock down, and then when the statewide order came, I was looking at the hours in my day. On one hand, working from home was the norm. But I was frozen, stalled by the uncertainty and grieving what my life had looked like in the near past and immediate future.

I thought establishing routines would be helpful to me. Getting up, coffee, shower, head to the studio as I normally would… and the idea of a daily art journal practice came back into play.

The #100dayproject is in April – should I combine my idea of a plague journal with that daily practice? Establishing habits now? The #100day project/ art journal was pivotal to me in 2018 as I was saying goodbye to my mom. So I started with folios of paper already prepped for a daily journal attempt from the past. They are unbound – which I love. Easy to set aside to dry, or lay flat to work on…

There are moody days, and rage-y scribble days. There are simple days of manipulating an art material. there are fast and slow days. There are days that serve as journal of feelings and stressors and shit one is trying to deal with…. and there are days where pretty colors and marks make patterns, where the process took precedence over the product.

I have just about reached one month here, safe at home, not venturing out. And the first folio of pages is coming to an end. I will keep this up – and I wonder how many folios I will fill?

Magic on the Streets of London…

February 7, 2018Leave a comment

(OK – now I have the Smiths song stuck in my head… )

Part 2 of the trip!

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? Its magic… When Lesley and I realized that my visit would coincide with the Harry Potter: History of Magic exhibit at the British Library… well, you can guess the rest. What REALLY made this day magical was who joined us there!

We took the train from Bournemouth and had a lovely scenic ride through he New Forest and into London. Arriving at Waterloo and then heading to Euston by Tube – I was thrilled to see 2 of the 270 enameled labyrinths! This public art project was the creation of Mark Wallinger. In 2013, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Tube, 270 unique labyrinths were designed and installed. One in every Tube station. The signs aren’t labeled in any way, and were enabled by the same company that created the iconic London Underground signage. The video about the project is outstanding!

Newton in Bronze by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi

St Pancras station – next door. And no, we did not go on to Kings Cross platform 9 3/4.

Exhibition poster: Fawkes bu artist Jim Kay

So this was a momentous occasion! I got to meet all of my team mates from the Art Elements blog! The whole UK contingent! I have to say – it was so exciting, so energetic, and yet so familiar. I have known and worked with these creative talented women for years. I treasure these friendships! And while we were meeting in person for the first time, it felt like old friends getting reacquainted!

The UK team! And me! All together none place! ( From top left: Lesley Watt, Caroline Dewison, Laney Mead, Niky Sayers, me. )

The British Library? Heavens. I cant even find the words. We toured their exhibit first. The Magna Carta. Original Shakespeare. The Lindisfarne Gospels. Beatles lyrics scrawled in pencil on old greeting cards. Medieval girdle books. Simple awe inspiring. I was incredulous.

Then we went to the HP exhibit. ( No photographs, naturally). What a beautifully curated exhibit! Arranged in groups, mirroring the subjects at Hogwarts, the items displayed ranged from Medieval pieces from the BL collection, to handwritten notes and sketches from JK Rowling, to new illustrations by artist Jim Kay. There were also pieces from the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall. ( Drawings below from an interactive piece at the end of exhibit)

Heading home – bag filled with treasures, gifts and more than a few books…. Mendel and Malachi were rather mischievous. ( Crocheted mandrakes by Caroline!)

And hijinks continued as I worked on my travel journal the next day…

You can read more about my travel journal over at Art Elements. There is a nice sense of spontaneity and memory-making that I get from creating a travel collage/art journal in real time. With found papers, and a little Googling…

Me – I am back in the studio sculpting cauldrons that Snape might even sneer fondly over… There will be a whole new series of Mythic tiles this year. Magical creatures, witches, wizards, alchemy, and the like!

Stay tuned for part three of the trip coming soon!

Art Journals – personal journeys

March 27, 20173 Comments

Lino prints series in progress, ink drying… many stages all at once.

I have always kept a journal. Sometimes lists, events, feelings… sometimes doodles, scraps and ephemera. Over the last few years I have gradually been making an art journal a new personal habit. For me it is a place to play, to emote, to work through things… and maybe never to share with another set of eyes. Its a place to work in art mediums that aren’t my day to day work as a full time artist. Its a chance to create with no pressure, no deadlines, no gallery or show inventory lists to check off.

Last year and this year I have signed up for Journal 52 hosted by Canadian artist and journal keeper Effy Wild. On her inspirational mailing list – one received a prompt each week. This has kept me motivated, helps me stay accountable to myself ( and sharing as I choose in the online FB group) and helps me get out of my own way. I dont need to plan – I can respond. I can think it through or go intuitive. And as the 3rd month draws to a close I am up to date. I will be gentle with myself as the show schedule ramps up for the season – but it has become a habit, and some “me” time I relish.

I wanted to share a few images with you:

“Portal” exterior

“Portal” interior. Quote paraphrased from the famous Joseph Campbell quote.

“Portal” – carat d’ache crayon, watercolor, wax crayon, ink, marker, salt. Quote paraphrased from Joseph Campbell.

At the Art Elements blog we started a weekly challenge – to contribute as you can – no pressure. Themes range form color to concept to object. You can see the weekly round up of offerings each Sunday on the blog. Here are: “Red, Spiral, and Serenity” This series has made me start thinking of small prints that echo my Mythic Nature tiles. Perhaps coming to a show this Spring?

Week 5: Anticipation. collage, gel medium, marker, interference paint, watercolor

Week 8: Stillness. Acrylic paint.

Collage, paint, ink, piles of work in progress.

Week 10: Truth. collage, linoleum prints, marker

Week 9: Emerge. This coincided with St Davids Day – honoring my Welsh heritage. And allowing the errors to show… ( Materials – Tombow markers, carat d’ache crayons, watercolors. )

I will keep updating here periodically through the year – to share and keep myself accountable. I would love to hear your thoughts. Do you keep an art journal?

Old is new again… rejuvenated shrines.

February 18, 20151 Comment

February is short and speedy. I realized that I hadn’t blogged yet all month, and I have a lot to share. This month my show opened at the Palette and the Page in Elkton, MD. We had a fabulous opening on First Friday! So many friends attended, old and new, and I thank you all!

The timing of this show created a challenge for me. The ceramics studio where I work and fire larger pieces was closed from early December until the third week in January. I had started quite a few shrines, and some large sculptural figures… but it wasnt meant to be. I couldn’t get them dry/fired/glazed/fired in time. So I turned to some orphans I had waiting patiently in my studio. These are pieces that were perfect; no flaws or faults… but they hadn’t ever been completed with their interior elements. I was waiting inspiration, and this year it came! So I wanted to share a few of these with you.

“Hope springs eternal”

B/F Hope Springs

It all started with the hare, a carved boxwood netsuke bead. The polymer egg is the work of Barbara Bechtel of Second Surf. From the hare and the egg, symbols of spring in many cultures, the rest fell in place.

“Into the Woods”

Into the Woods

This was loosely inspired by the topic of Red Riding Hood and a discussion that occurred on Terri Windling’s blog. Terri is a Muse of mine, a fountain of folkore knowledge. The piece was carved with trees, intending to have a woodland theme. I sculpted polymer bread and a jug to go inside, referencing the items Red takes to Grandmother…

And so you see – pieces that were waiting for me. This altar (below left) was a blank slate. I decided I wanted to hang elements, but hadn’t drilled holes before firing. The solution? Fabricate decorate wire hooks, or course. The bright butterfly piece shown below – that was dates 2011. The intense colors are not my usual palette, and it languished. But a polymer moth, hovering in from of a floral collage? Really visually pleasing to me…

New shrines

Making the links

This piece is a personal favorite, a successful blending of techniques. I have been happily seed beading and adding bead embroidery to my jewelry repertoire. I want to make the wearables and the sculptures cohesive as my body of work. Beading the bottle element in this shrine adds a level of detail and color. It also makes connections to jewelry pieces displayed in the show.

I hope people do get a chance to see the exhibit, which will remain up for this month. I am represented by the gallery, and do have other ceramic and mixed media pieces on display. Patti Paulus, one of the artist/owners created this wall for me. I was giddy!

Gallery wall

The Palette and the Page:

120 East Main Street ~ Elkton, Maryland
410.398.3636
Tuesday – Friday 11am-6pm & Saturday – 11am

Stay tuned for the next February update: February FunADay!

Allegory Gallery visit!

February 19, 20143 Comments

Allegory – def. a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

Allegory Gallery in Ligionier PA is more than just a bead store! It has a sense of style all its own, it fosters creativity and community, and supports the arts in myriad forms. The work of Andrew Thornton and William Jones, it is a retail and gallery space that I could see myself frequenting… if it werent 4+ hours away! I was thrilled to exhibit there, and glad it gave me a reason to go for a visit.

gallery view1

Allegory display, with collage

Gallery Montage

The shop is a feast for the eyes. From original architectural details of painted tin wainscoting, to vintage glass dishes displaying beads, there is so much to see. The space is shared with a wonderful used book store, staffed by friendly, fun people. I am sorry I did not have more time there! There are beads, glass and stone – your staples and more unusual finds as well. I did manage to shop a bit – of course! Just a few treasures, but such good ones! Those Mother-of-pearl quatrefoils are so perfect, something Medieval, images, resin…

treasures found

And yes – a few pictures from the opening. (Photo credit – A. Thornton, borrowed from Allegory Gallery page.) It was a pleasure to spend time with local people, and friends who traveled into town. (Thanks Terri and Sue!)

JDR with gallery wall

Laughing at the camera phones.

JDR Mythic Nature

My Mixed media collages on the gallery wall.

Mythic Nature showcase at Allegory

My mixed media pieces in a very stylish case!

Thanks all for a wonderful show opening! The exhibit will run until May 2, 2014.

If you are in the area – dont miss this great gallery and shop!

Allegory Gallery is located at 139 E. Main St Ligonier, PA.

New Year, New work

January 24, 201320 Comments

*Please allow me to do double duty with this post – and count it as my “Focus on Life” post. I have been in the studio all week finishing new work! Also – there are additional images tagged on Instagram. Thanks!*

As January draws to a close, I wanted to share with you the latest. I have been in a flurry (pun intended) of activity in the studio, preparing for a new show. Betsy Mortenson and I are showing at the Palette and the Page in Elkton, Md. The opening will be Friday February 1st, and the show will be up for the month. Betsy and I have done collaborative work in the past, sharing ideas, and sparking creative thoughts one off the other. This year we discussed animals/totems. While the work isn’t paired as directly as Oceana/Detritus of Dreams from last year, we are happy with what is happening…

I am particularly excited to show collages and mixed media necklaces together. Many venues don’t allow for such diverse offerings in one show. Let me give you a sample…

Raven collage

As of yet untitled Raven themed collage. Inspired by Celtic goddesses – The Morrigan…

Thought and Memory

“Thought and Memory” – labradorite, polymer, copper, silver, silk. Inspired by Odin’s ravens – Huginn & Muninn ( Thought and Memory).

Raven's Token

“Raven’s Token” – polymer, copper, hematite, lapis, pearls, onyx, blue goldstone.

Snake collage

Untitled snake collage. Inspired by the Creatan snake goddess/priestess, the Delphic Oracle, and Eve.

Athena's owl

“Athena’s Owl” – brass, polymer, enamel on copper, gems.

Lunar Hare

“Lunar Hare” – polymer, enamel on copper, stamped copper, labradorite, pearls, iolite, hematite, blue goldstone.

Not every necklace has a collage partner, and I will be exhibiting ceramic shrines as well. Should be a truly mixed media showing. PLease do stop by if you are in the area. I will post pictures of the opening at a later date!

Button Swap Blog Hop

May 12, 201239 Comments

Good Morning! Welcome to the Button Swap Blog Hop! Thanks Cindy for hosting! I have quite a journey to share, with interesting results – so refill your beverage and let me tell you the tale…

I got gorgeous buttons from my partner Sandi Volpe. I knew right away the button she cast was the star; organic shape, interesting design… I sort of see a female partial figure in there! I couldnt get to work until Thursday – yes, 2 days ago – but I knew exactly what I wanted to do…

starting out

The buttton was going to be “set” in Faux bone, creating a frame and a backing structure. Wires running through the shank in the back woud form prongs over the edges of the FB to secure the button.

detail of button

(Do you see the female form? Are those breasts? They also look like owl eyes…)

ink and FB

Way too much color at first – I knew I would sand it back to a minimun, the antique look I desire.

front back

There it is! Button set – front and back views. I inscribed the words “Bandia taobh istigh” on the back, Gaelic for ‘Goddess inside you’. I cant NOT see the female owl faced woman at this point in time. She is there every time I look.

The problem? I dont like it. The button is deep, and currently sits up too high. The copper prongs are too visually busy and distract from the button, and I want it to be all about the button…

Plans for FB button piece

Here is where the FB piece is going. This is another gorgeous antique button from Sandi. Framed and cushioned with leather, it is ‘glued’. (Shh dont tell. I almost NEVER use glue.) The plan here is a bracelet, triple strands – the leather, 2 strands seed beads and the clasp as shown. That is as far as the piece has gone for now…

Back to button #1. (Love the alcohol ink fingernails!) I have deep copper bezels from Nunn Designs, and I have been waiting for the right thing. This may be the right thing.

New plan

On the left: set into epoxy putty. On the right: collaging in a plastic lens for the back, *text and a feather.

Set in epoxy lens for back

Left: painted and distressed epoxy and tentative dangle choices. Right: Similar treatment to epoxy, lens in place.

almost there! Lens in situ

*Caillech-oidhche is one Gaelic name for the owl. It literally translates as ” Crone of the Night” a reference to the Goddess the Cailleach – a crone, or aged wise woman; a Scottish goddess of winter, storms, stones. Since I was seeing a female form and an owl this dual reference sprang to mind. Owls are seen as symbols of wisdom and far-seeing/perception; both attributes we gain as we mature into wise women ourselves.

This is as far as I have traveled. I am sorry to not have a finished piece, but I am sure you can appreciate the trials and tribulations. I am very happy with where this is headed. If I had planned the lens from the beginning I could have set it into the epoxy earlier. Now I will have to set it in and camoflauge the adhesive as a separate step. I had thoughts of collage and resin directly into the back over the epoxy putty but wanted to be more finished for today…

Please take a look at my colleagues – who may have finished pieces for your viewing pleasure! (The list is alphabetical, names do appear twice. ) I loved this challenge – I had a secret stash of buttons I could share with a new freind, and it has definitely inspired me to stop hoarding and start integrating them! Especially my collection from my Grandmother. I think it would please her!

Thank for stopping by, happy travels!

Alice Peterson and Kim Bender

Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove

Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame

Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren

Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen

Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman

Cat Kerr and Heather Powers

Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic

Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm

Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston

Christine Stonefield and Dana James

Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud

Cindy Wimmer and Mimi Gardner

Cynthia Machata and Julia Johnson

Cynthia Riggs and Lori Finney

Dana James and Christine Stonefield

Diana Ptaszynski and Erin Prais-Hintz

Emma Thomas and Rebecca Anderson

Erin Prais-Hintz and Diana Ptaszynski

Erin Siegel and Sharon Borsavage

Heather Powers and Cat Kerr

Holly Westfall and Sally Russick

Hope Smitherman and Brenda Salzano

Jayne Capps and Kim Dworak

Jeannie Dukic and Cece Cornier

Jenna Meyers and Kristi Harrison

Jenna Tomalka and Karen McKillip

Jenny Davies Reazor and Sandi Volpe

Julia Johnson and Cynthia Machata

Kalaya Steede and Kylie Dickman

Karen McKillip and Jenna Tomalka

Karen Mitchell and Renetha Stanziano

Karla Morgen and Mary Govaars

Kay Thomerson and Shannon Chomanczuk

Kim Ballor and Laurel Steven

Kim Bender and Alice Peterson

Kim Dworak and Jayne Capps

Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.

Kristi Harrison and Jenna Meyers

Kylie Dickman and Kalaya Steede

Kym Hunter and Lynda Moseley

Laurel Steven and Kim Ballor

Linda Djokic and Patty Gasparino

Line Labrecque and Teri Baskett

Liz DeLuca and Lorelei Eurto

Lorelei Eurto and Liz DeLuca

Lori Anderson and Niky Sayers

Lori Bowring Michaud and Cilla Watkins

Lori Finney and Cynthia Riggs

Lynda Moseley and Kym Hunter

Marianna Boylan and Tracy Statler

Mary Govaars and Karla Morgen

Mary Harding and Stacie Florer

Maureen Baranov and Tracy Bell

Melissa Martin and Theresa Fosdick

Michelle Hardy and Peggy Johnson

Mimi Gardner and Cindy Wimmer

Nicole Valentine Rimmer and Niki Meiners

Niki Meiners and Nicole Valentine Rimmer

Niky Sayers and Lori Anderson

Pam Farren and Birgitta Lejonklou

* Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)

Patty Gasparino and Linda Djokic

Peggy Johnson and Michelle Hardy

Rebecca Anderson and Emma Thomas

Rebekah Payne and Sue Kennedy

Renetha Stanziano and Karen Mitchell

Rose Binoya and Shanti Johnson

Sally Russick and Holly Westfall

Sandi Volpe and Jenny Davies Reazor

Shannon Chomanczuk and Kay Thomerson

Shanti Johnson and Rose Binoya

Sharon Borsavage and Erin Siegel

Shirley Moore and Veralynne Malone

Stacie Florer and Mary Harding

* Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)

Sue Hamel and Terry Carter

Sue Kennedy and Rebekah Payne

Tania Hagen and Bonnie Coursolle

Tania Spivey and Teresa Gagne

Teresa Gagne and Tania Spivey

Teri Baskett and Line Labrecque

Terry Carter and Sue Hamel

Theresa Fosdick and Melissa Martin

Tracy Bell and Maureen Baranov

Tracy Statler and Marianna Boylan

Veralynne Malone and Shirley Moore

Happy May Day! (News from the studio of Jenny Davies-Reazor)

May 1, 20122 Comments

Looking for the One Crayon Color Blog Hop? Click here!

(My Spring newsletter, complete with images. May seem a bit more formal in tone… But it does have all the scoop regarding where I will be when!)

Maypole

Happy May Day! Welcome Spring!

What a wonderful season when Mother Nature puts on her best floral finery and entices us to spend time with her out of doors! I hope you are enjoying the season, rain and shine, wherever you are. Things have been busy and bountiful and blossoming in the studio as well. I am happy to announce 4 new tile designs, and a new ceramic pendant design. I have been balancing my time between my two studios: spending time glazing and firing in the ceramics world and making mixed media magic happen in various forms!

new tiles clay

new tiles glaze

I created a series of new mixed media collages for a show at Caffe Gelato, a local restaurant. I am pleased with the results – they are a departure from my recent collages. These are smaller, more streamlined. I focused on color and composition and simplified the symbolic content.

Tree of life collage

“Tree of Life” collage. 12″ x 12″ Mixed media on canvas.

I have continued my “Return to Metals” as it seems to echo in my head. While I have been creating jewelry since I was a teen, I concentrated in metals and painting in college. The metals where pushed aside by a love of clay for many years, and now they are returning to the fore. Clay is not going anywhere! But I am enjoying working my collage aesthetic into small intimate wearable pieces.

Pre Raphaelite "portholes"

Pre-Raphaelite inspired window pendants – stamped copper, brass/nickel silver, mica, gems…

And tis the season of shows and festivals as well. Let me entice you with some local and regional offerings. Please visit the linked sites for detailed information, and I hope to see you out and about this Spring!

May 2012 – Caffe Gelato, Newark DE – ongoing exhibit on mixed media collages with Betsy Molina Mortenson

May 4-6th – Spoutwood May Day Faerie Festival, Glen Rock PA – The East Coast’s oldest and most magical Faerie Festival! Set amidst the rolling hills, streams, and forest glens of Spoutwood Farm this weekend festival is a haven for creators of fantasy and folklore inspired art, craft, wearables… And fantastic music! Read a review of the festival at: “Open, Gates of Faerieland”.

June 2 – Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival, Elmer NJ – this day long concert/faire/festival is a wonderful event. Support the arts in south Jersey! Great music and a beautiful setting. See the website for ticket info and this year’s line up. ( Trivia: I taught jewelry making at Appel Farm’s Summer Arts Camp for 2 summers after college.)

June 15-16 – Chester Co. Craft Guild Spring Show, Downingtown, PA – A new show for me! Local artists and artisans working in a variety of mediums, contemporary and traditional crafts.

Jenny Davies-Reazor

artist, teacher

Tag: collage