Changing Directions

 

It is with mixed emotions that I share with you the news of TraillWorks' future. Over the past year, many changes have occurred in my personal life, from getting pregnant to the possibility of relocating our family. After much deliberation, we put our home in Newton for sale two weeks ago, and are now under contract. My husband commutes quite a distance to his job and we've decided to relocate to Maplewood, NJ, to enable a better quality of life for our family. With this decision means my transition from running the retail studio space in Newton, to working in a home studio for awhile once my baby is born in May. 

The past seven years that I have been in business in Newton have been rich with experiences. I have met the most amazing people from very loyal customers, supportive business owners in the community, as well as many talented and special artists, many of whom are now friends. Opening up a retail space and gallery was never my intention or dream, but happened out of the necessity for studio space. What transpired has been truly remarkable. I am very proud of the space and services that I have developed and offer to the community, and will be sad to leave it and all of you. However, I'm very excited about the prospect of spending time with my new baby, more time with Joel and my husband, and getting back to the roots of my business - making my own art!

While this is the end of my involvement in Newton with my studio and gallery, I am embarking on the next step in my artistic career. Who knows where this will lead me, but I know good things are in store. And I do hope to keep in touch with many of you.

During the next few months, I will be informing you of my plans. In the meantime, our current exhibit is ending and what will probably be the final exhibit at TraillWorks, EVOLUTION, will be opening. Lessons are continuing through early April, as well as some workshops. There might be some changes to the schedule as I learn more about the closing date on our home and our moving plans. In the meantime, I have listed the studio and gallery for sale on Craigslist. If you or someone you know is interested in taking over the studio and gallery, I would love to talk to them. I'm looking for a business-minded person with a background in art education and art making. Any serious inquiries can be made via email to jennie@traillworks.com.

Perker Painting

Perker in-progress, Oil on Panel, 16" x 24", © 2009. Jennie Traill Schaeffer

This is my newest percolator, painted. I started this about a week or so ago and it's sitting on my easel waiting to be completed. Without a lot of time to ponder over my work, I set up the percolator and just painted. Using the brush and palette knife it has a lot of texture and movement to the paint. It's good to see this on the computer, on a smaller scale away from the easel, I see areas that need some work. Check back soon for the finished piece.

***Vote for TraillWorks as your Favorite NJ Gallery
Go to www.newjerseylife.com
click on The Reader’s Choice A-List and select Galleries

It's a Mixed Blessing

Wedding Cake Portrait Commission, In-progress, 6" x 6" ceramic tile

I am so grateful that in such a tough economy TraillWorks continues to grow and do well. In the first few months of 2009 I nearly filled all of my available lesson slots, sold a painting and received two Wedding Cake Portrait commissions. All of this while adjusting to life with a four month old. Up until this point, with the help of two wonderful moms (mine and my mother-in-law) and husband, Joel and I have been managing the workload together.

Now as more commissions come in, and my marketing and painting time have decreased I see the need for more help. I'm looking into all sorts of daycare options, from a college helper to actual daycare facilities. The entire prospect makes me feel very torn; sending him to someone else to care for him while I develop my artwork seems almost cruel on one hand.

On the other it's an opportunity for him to develop socially and eventually appreciate that his mom was able to run her own business (I hope). The success of TraillWorks is a mixed blessing for me and my new family, bringing new challenges and opportunities. I'd love any advice from moms who are artists!

***Vote for TraillWorks as your Favorite NJ Gallery
Go to www.newjerseylife.com
click on The Reader’s Choice A-List and select Galleries

Love Art this Weekend

love rocks, mixed media, ©2009 Kathy Morawski

Join me in New Jersey for an artful weekend of love: two exhibitions, a 2nd Saturday, and Sweetheart Specials. 

Friday : 6 - 8pm

23rd International Juried Show Opening Reception

Visual Art Center of New Jersey

Summit

Saturday: 5 - 8pm

Love ROCKS! Opening Reception

TraillWorks

Newton

2nd Saturday / Sweetheart Walk 

Shop, dine and stroll with your lover on Spring Street in Newton

Highlight: JUMBLE CONTEST

Visit area stores to find the letters of a jumbled Valentine phrase. Unscrambled phrases can be entered to win a gift basket featuring coupons, gift certificates and other items from participating businesses. TraillWorks included a $25 gift certificate towards any purchase.

Sweetheart Specials

All artwork by Kathy Morawski at TraillWorks 20% off

Purchase any artwork at TraillWorks and get a free calendar 

(Valentine's Day only)

Commission a Wedding Cake Portrait and receive a set of 10 linen notecards featuring your completed portrait.

(during the month of February)

Project Windows at TraillWorks

You've got to see the holiday windows at five merchants on Spring Street. Granted, all of the merchants on Spring Street have done stunning windows for the holidays, but five stand out. These five were the participants in the 1st Annual Project Windows, a Main Street Newton, Inc. sponsored event.

High school art students around Sussex county were matched up with merchants to design and install holiday windows interpreting the theme "snow figures". My windows I thought were just stunning. Newton high school student, Kim Grier, pulled together many elements of my work creating "applianceflakes" and an interpretive wedding cake.


Though Kim's windows did not win an award, I was impressed with her ingenuity and creativity in designing and installing the windows in less than two weeks. I absolutely love the stylized snowflakes depicting my kitchen appliances and how the wedding cake attracts attention with all of its glittery baubles and beads.


Thank you Kim for all of your hard work! Please stop by to see her windows in person.

Project Windows & Winter Stroll

Announcing Newton's
1st Annual Project Windows
& Main Street Newton's Winter Stroll

Saturday, December 13th
5 - 8pm

Can't get to 5th Avenue to see the windows? Come to Newton.

Project Windows is an annual competition that pairs up artistic teens with area merchants to create holiday windows. Students learned about the design process and goals of window dressing from a local dresser, Kathy Milici. They were required to work within a budget determined by the merchants to create interpretations of the theme, "snow figures". Their creations had to be creative, well- constructed, engage passerbys quickly, show off the stores' goods and lead to sales through the use of strong elements and principles of design.

Stop by TraillWorks on 2nd Saturday to meet its student designer, Newton High School senior, Kim Grier. I am quite impressed with the way she interpreted the theme and followed through on the design in a short amount of time.

Then stay in town to catch a little holiday spirit with a Winter Stroll. Participating merchants will be offering specials, giveaways, and seasonal treats. Santa will be on hand to see who's been naughty or nice.

For details about the events, go to the current events page of www.traillworks.com.

TraillWorks is Celebrating Sweetest Day

Digital Scan courtesy of The Cleveland Public Library.

Started back in 1921 by a Cleveland citizen named Herbert Birch Kingston who worked at a local candy company, Sweetest Day was a holiday meant to honor people who's lives are often forgotten. Today it has become a celebration of both strangers and friends and family that have been sweet to you during the year. This is thought to be a Hallmark holiday, but it really stems from genuinely good intents to recognize others.

The scan above is from a 1922 editorial in the Cleveland Plain Dealer proclaiming Sweetest Day and why you should observe it. Here's an excerpt from the paper " . . . On this day, next Saturday, steal enough time from the turmoil of routine affairs, to bring a bit of good cheer to those you love. A present, perhaps, and more than that add a loving word--a smile--a kiss. . . ."

Give someone you love the sweetest memory from your special day - a Wedding Cake Portrait. TraillWorks is offering 20% off all Wedding Cake Portraits
commissioned NOW through October 21st.

Sweetest Day Festival - Saturday, October 18, 2008

In honor of the Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce's observance of Sweetest Day through its 1st Annual Sweetest Day Festival

Visit Spring Street between 12 - 4pm to celebrate all things sweet:

• baking contests & sales
• sidewalk sales
• Sweet Harvet Collection - food donations for local pantries / shelters

2nd Saturday Recap

Featured Artist, Joanna West, in front of Firefly

Jennie chatting with a client

Visitors to the Autumn Open House and Meet the Artist reception at TraillWorks

Interior Wall of TraillWorks

Spring Street during the Old Mine Road Folklife Festival

Interior Walls of TraillWorks

Last Saturday's 2nd Saturday proved to be another success. The day was full of events on Spring Street. During the day, people came out to take part in the Old Mine Road Folklife Festival. Later in the evening, the Spring Street merchants held an Autumn Open House with scarecrow and pumpkin decorating contests, a gift basket raffle, food, live band, and more. During the evening I held a meet the artist reception for my featured artist, Joanna West. Her illuminated sculptures just dazzle in the gallery. Her work will be up through October 31st if you haven't had a chance to see it.

Another 2nd Saturday

Firefly, 18" x 18" x 9", Found Objects, photo courtesy Joanna West

I know it's been a long time since I've written, but between teaching twelve hours a week, finishing commissions, following up with customers, daily operations, and being pregnant I just haven't gotten to blog. I haven't forgotten about you.

This coming Saturday, October 11th, is historic Newton's 4th Second Saturday event. A full day is planned including the first annual Old Mine Road Folklife Festival starting at 10am and Spring Street's Autumn Open House running from 5 - 8pm. Main Street Newton will transform into a pedestrian marketplace with live music, vendors and a farmers market, as well as Spring Street business participation and local artists work on display.

As part of the day, TraillWorks will host the work of another local artist, Joanna West. Joanna's interest in antiques have brought her to rebirth old objects or junk in new and delightful ways. Illuminations will feature four of Joanna's assembled found object lamps, interspersed around my artwork.

Meet the artist: Joanna West
Where: TraillWorks
When: October 11th
Time: 5 - 8pm

Picture Perfect

Catch today's NJ Herald article on the front page of the local section. Every Monday, the Herald publishes a column called "At Work in Sussex County" where a person is interviewed about their job. Roberta Fugate of the Herald interviewed me a couple of weeks ago, along with Amy Paterson who took photos of me painting and teaching lessons. The article has already brought in some new business - this is priceless press! Thank you NJ Herald!

Meet the Artists this Saturday

TraillWorks Window featuring Tony Lordi's Steam Heat installation, photo courtesy of Tony Lordi.

Join me in welcoming my friend and artist, Tony Lordi, to TraillWorks:

Saturday, September 13th
5 - 8pm

Part of 2nd Saturday's Tour of Art on Spring Street,
a Main Street Newton, Inc. event.

Take the Tour of Art
meet and see the work of 19 artists at participating merchants on Spring Street
click below on the map, copy and paste it into a Word document, print and follow
or pick one up at a participating merchant


Listen to Plum Run
A NJ band that blends bluegrass, folk, country music with a contemporary sound
Playing live and free in front of the Newton Fire Museum
5- 8pm

Tony Lordi's Kitchen Kitsch

I am pleased to announce that my friend and mentor, Tony Lordi, will be exhibiting at TraillWorks with me in a show titled, Kitchen Kitsch. I met Tony three years ago when a mutual friend, Linda Hirsch, gallery director of the Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council introduced us. Tony was starting a gallery, now called Art at the Mill in Lafayette, NJ, and hired me to gallery sit. Soon after I started working for him, he offered to show my work. This has led to a great relationship; Tony has constantly encouraged me and offered suggestions in marketing and artistic pursuits. I'm so lucky to have a friend in Tony and am thrilled that he is going to show his work opposite mine in my gallery. For more info about the show, click the image above for a larger view.

Exhibit Runs - September 6th - 29th
Meet the Artist - Saturday, September 13th | 5 - 8pm



Coincides with the Tour of Art, a Main Street Newton, Inc. event - 19 artists will be exhibiting at participating merchants / galleries on Spring Street September 6th - 13th. To follow the Tour of Art, maps can be picked up at TraillWorks throughout the week and information tables on Second Saturday. The Taste of Newton is being held on Monday, September 8th. Tickets can by purchased by calling the Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce at 973-300-0433. TraillWorks will be open until 10pm that evening for a preview of Tony's work.

Summer Blues in Newton

Jersey Blues, Oil on Panel, 24" x 16", ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

$729 (unframed, cradled panel)

On August 9th, Newton held its second 2nd Saturday event, Summer Blues. It was an absolute success! During the day several new visitors strolled through TraillWorks, admiring the artwork, sampling the fabulous Buttermilk Blue Cheese from Wisconsin, and taking in the sounds of Roadside Louie, a local blues band.


With the help of Cheddar Alley and the Wisconsin Dairy Board (represented by my Uncle Bob) a variety of blue cheeses were available to taste at five different locations on the street.We learned that blue cheese should be sampled last when other cheeses are offered because of the strength of the flavor. Of course, I was unable to try any of the delightful blue cheeses due to my pregnancy, but I was told they were just delicious.

Inside TraillWorks, beyond the blue cheese, I completed several new paintings for the event. All variations of blueberries, the fleeting summer fruit of NJ, are depicted in oil and on tiles.

Blue on Red, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6", ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer
$89 (unframed trivet)

Blue Ensemble, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6", ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer
$89 (unframed trivet)


Scattered Blues, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 8" x 8", ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer
$165 (set of 4 coasters)


Scattered Blues, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 8" x 8", ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer
$89 (unframed trivet)

Big Blue, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6", ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer
$165 (framed tile)

email Jennie or call, 973-383-1307, to order

August 2nd Saturday

Newton's Second 2nd Saturday Event - August 9th Summer Blues Summer Blues promises to be as successful as last month's 2nd Saturday. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 4 - 6pm Strolling Blue Cheese Tastings and Seminars sponsored by Cheddar Alley, at the following participating merchants: TraillWorks Gallery by the Green Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council Gallery Vivian's Boutique Maxwell & Molly's Closet 5 - 8pm Live Blues Band, Roadside Louie playing outside in front of the Newton Fire Museum on Spring Street All Day: TraillWorks - Jersey Blue, an exhibit of fresh paintings featuring Jersey's proverbial summer fruit, the blueberry, alongside works by Jennie utilizing the color blue Gallery by the Green - blue jewelry designed by Hillary Gillinder, alongside the blue paintings of renowned artist Geoffrey Leckie SCA&HC - Color of the Blues Exhibit, featuring artists: Robert L. Heimall, Ed Foley, Susan Scarince-Jones and Ritchie Culver Maxwell & Molly's Closet - Go to Maxwell & Molly's Closet for your Blues Clues Bone! Solve the mystery and win a prize. Vivian's Boutique - Fight those summer blues! More fun than Freud, get your retail therapy at Vivian's. Cheddar Alley - spin the Wheel of Cheese for special offers. Chocolaterie - SUMMER BLUES SPECIAL for all of our loyal customers and their friends: All items with blue berries and blue ribbons receive 10% OFF.

Galleries and Shops are Open Late on 2nd Saturday

Visit www.mainstreetnewton.org or
www.traillworks.com for more information

Sidewalk Sale Specials at TraillWorks

In honor of Newton's Annual Sidewalk Sale Days held Thursday through Saturday, TraillWorks is offering some specials inside the gallery. Email or call TraillWorks at 973-383-1307 to take advantage of these offers. Or better yet, stop by!

These offers will be honored through July 31st.

Sidewalk Sale Specials
25% off:
All Note Cards
All Matted Portfolio Works
(includes giclées, original prints, and drawings)
All Red Dot Paintings

Red Dot Paintings
(take 25% off list price)

St. Mixer with Embellishments
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 4" x 4"
$99 (framed)

St. PastaMaker
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6"
$149 (framed)

Cheese Wheels & Wine Bottles
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6"
$79 (unframed)

Cheese Wheels & Abstract Wine Bottles, Pair of Coasters
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 4" x 4"
$79

Hen & Eggs
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6"
$149 (framed)

Truffles, Pair of Coasters
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 4" x 4"
$79

Rivets, from the Bethlehem Steel Tiles Series, pair of coasters
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 4" x 4"
$79

Roof, from the Bethlehem Steel Tiles Series, pair of coasters
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 4" x 4"
$79

Truss, from the Bethlehem Steel Tiles Series, pair of coasters
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 4" x 4"
$79

Dogwood Arrangement, set of 4 tiles
Ceramic Paint on Tile, 24" x 6"
$299

First Anniversary II, Oil on Panel, 8" x 8"
$395 (framed)

Wedding Day II, Oil on Panel, 8" x 8"
$395 (framed)

Wedding Day I, Oil on Panel, 8" x 8"
$395 (framed)

First Anniversary I, Oil on Panel, 8" x 8"
$395 (framed)

St. Blender, Oil on Panel, 12" x 16"
$729 (framed)

St. Mixer, Oil on Panel, 12" x 16"
$729 (framed)

Almandine and Stainless Dish Washer, Oil on Mounted Canvas Paper, 16" x 20"
$829 (framed)

Stoneware Cooker of Comfort Food, Oil on Panel, 10" x 8"
$549 (framed)

Plastic, Stainless Trimmed Mixer by Hand, Oil on Panel, 8" x 10"
$549 (framed)

Plastic, Encased Grinder of Coffee Beans, Oil on Panel, 8" x 10"
$549 (framed)

Classy, Chrome and Glass Blender of Fluids, Oil on Panel, 8" x 10"

$549 (framed)