Opening this Saturday

Join me on Saturday from 4 - 7pm at the SCA&HC Gallery, 137 Spring Street in Newton, NJ for an opening reception previewing the work I created while at my residency in January. I am one of three featured artists exhibiting in conjunction with a members' small works show:

• Kathy Morawski - Equine / Collage Artist

Jolly Joker II by Kathy Morawski

• Jimmy Clark - Potter / Director of Peters Valley Craft Center

Work by Jimmy Clark

Come early, stay late. . . If you're in Newton for the afternoon there's plenty of terrific shopping. After the show stay in Newton for dinner. There are plenty of highly rated restaurants to dine in.

Shop -

• Radiant Essentials - gift boutique
• Maxwell and Molly's Closet - pet boutique
• Charm - home decor, antiques and gifts
• Eaton's Antiques - antique dealer (may not be open due to his move to a larger storefront)
  
• Chocolaterie - European chocolate shoppe
  
• Cheddar Alley - domestic and international cheeses and gourmet food stuff
• Yarn Loft - designer yarn goods and supplies
• Gallery on the Green - exhibiting the art of J. Geoffrey Leckie

Dine - I've eaten at each of these restaurants and recommend all

• JC's Grill House - Certified Angus Beef, Fresh Seafood, Bar
• Andre's- Wine Boutique and Restaurant
  
• Krave - Modern American Cuisine
• Narin Thai -- 11 Main Street (no web site) -- one block from gallery

Parking is pretty easy in Newton --

• 2 - hour free parking on Spring Street until 6pm
• Park on the surrounding streets for a quarter an hour / 2 hours until 6pm
• Park in public parking lots
  

jennie@traillworks.com

http://www.traillworks.com

Web Site Updated

OPENING Saturday, March 1st | 4 - 7pm
I'm a FEATURED ARTIST - SCA&HC Gallery . . .

Go to the Current Events Page on traillworks.com to find out more.

My web site has not been updated for months and most of the site I still cannot update because I am web design deficient. As I've mentioned in the past, I'm working on a site design for my wedding cake portraits, or should I say my designer (Chaves Design) is working on it. So that has become a priority right now and due to my move to a studio space I will not be able to afford to update TraillWorks.com immediately.

But, in the meantime I've updated the events page (an only text page that I can update myself) with three exhibits opening in March. So go to Current Events on my site and find out where you can see all of my new work from my Peters Valley residency.

jennie@traillworks.com
http://www.traillworks.com

Inspections and More Inspections

Part of opening a retail location is inspections and every municipality has them. Before I can officially open to the public, I have to get a certificate of compliance which means I have to fill out three forms, no big deal, write checks for about $50 a piece, a bigger deal, and then have a fire, building and sign inspection.

Ok, so I'll comply; why would I make this more difficult? Hopefully all will go well. Initially I had to get a site plan waiver in order to even hold my business in a storefront on Spring Street due to the zoning laws. They accommodated me with approval in two days. Not too shabby!

I'm still waiting to find out when I will get into my space which is dependent on the current tenant getting a certificate of compliance in his new space. I've been told next Wednesday. We'll see.

In the meantime, I've chosen paint colors from Behr due to the price point of the paint and I'm looking at furniture from Ikea for storage.

Gorm System by Ikea
Inexpensive, versatile and solid wood -
a great storage unit for an artist and a great price for an emerging artist.

Rejuvenate, Winter Garden, Celery Ice, Parmesan by Behr Paint

jennie@traillworks.com
http://www.traillworks.com

Growing Pleasure

TraillWorks is moving . . .


To 135 Spring Street, Newton; currently the home of Eaton's Estate Sales.

I've found a space in record time and will be relocating to my own studio space with a gallery and lesson area some time in March. It was a goal of mine to find a space in 2008, especially after having been spoiled at Peters Valley. I had no idea it would happen so fast.

We considered various options such as buying / renovating a building, renting a storefront, renting some other kind of structure. My urge to move was egged on by reading a book called The Art World Dream: Alternative Strategies for Working Artists by Eric Rudd. His book really got my blood pumping. He talks a lot about the importance of having a legitimate studio space and about how space is limiting; even for a small works artist. It is his belief that artists buy old barns and vacant mills, renovate them into live/work spaces, and rent out extra space to make back income.

While this may be a dream of mine to have a studio in an old mill or lofty barn, buying something wasn't in our current realm of possibilities. So instead I went the less risky route for the time-being of renting a larger space where I will have a "main street" presence and a place people can go without feeling awkward about invading my personal space in my home.

I will keep you "posted", pun intended, on developments of moving in. There's a lot more involved in opening a commercial space than I had realized. I finally hired an attorney.

More this week . . .

jennie@traillworks.com
http://www.traillworks.com

The Greatest Compliment

"Will's Sunbeam Mixer along side work done by a local, patient and very talented woman, " says Russ

Before I started painting as a full-time career I taught art in public schools. I loved it. It was always exhilerating when a student "got" something or when you saw them find an interest in what you were teaching.

So when I left teaching and started my career as an artist, I knew I would still teach because I needed to. Last January a woman called me to purchase some of my paintings. Mary Lou came over to the studio with her daughter Mary; we chatted, they bought the paintings. Then she told me about Will, her younger son. She asked if I would teach him, he's young though and I had advertised I wouldn't take students younger than middle school age. I'm a sucker and I said sure, bring him over and I'll meet him. He was six.

Will's parents Mary and Russ were convinced he had a talent for his age and he is constantly drawing and constructing, more than most kids. I agreed; they brought stacks of drawings that he had done from both memory and observation. Will was and still is more prolific than I.

The long and the short of it is that I've been teaching Will since then and seen him mature and progress in his work. He admires my work and his parents are cooks so I put out the stand mixer one day to draw. We considered the work of Wayne Thiebaud and some abstract experessionists. We talked about the power in colors and the importance of repetition and balance. The resulting drawing is quite phenomenal. So much so that his parents had it framed and flanked it with prints of my appliance portraits. This really is the greatest compliment.

Thank you Mary Lou and Russ!

jennie@traillworks.com
http://www.traillworks.com

What am I blogging about?

In an effort to develop something of interest to write about after sitting home all day in the dark , I thought I would ask you. Is there anything you're dying to know about my art or anything related that I've never touched upon as it relates to my blog about being an emerging artist?

If so, email me with your ideas -- tell me what you like, what you don't like and what you really want to read.

Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have more to share about a potential move.

jennie@traillworks.com
www.TraillWorks.com

Calendars on Sale

February isn't over yet and there are still TEN months left in the year . . .

It's not too late to purchase your 2008 TraillWorks Calendar. The ever popular stunning calendar features the following:

• 12 Months of Paintings from 2007 by Artist, Jennie Traill Schaeffer
• Fully open at 8 1/2" x 11"
• Includes National Holidays & Jewish Holidays
• Great size for carrying as a planner

Regularly $14.95, On Sale now for $10.00

www.TraillWorks.com
jennie@traillworks.com

Home again, Home again

I've been telling myself over the past week, "this is my journey". It's become a mantra that I've been repeating over and over again as I've been acclimating to reality after returning from my residency at Peters Valley. Having had a month to paint, I'm getting frustrated by all the small stuff.

Lee called the month away my "fantasy painting month". In a way it was, but I was able to paint clearly without interruptions . . . wait until you see the work in person.

Since returning home, most of my week has been devoted to much-needed business concerns. Additionally I am anxiously seeking a new studio space. The month away made me realize I can't continue to paint and grow my career in an 80 sq.' studio. This emerging artist needs to emerge from her space.

I am considering a space in Newton and have no news as of yet. It would be a great opportunity to expand my studio space, teach more students and have access to a space where I can build larger canvases, photograph my work, and have a small gallery open to the public. Stay tuned to see what happens.