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!

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

To teach or not to Teach . . .

Artwork by Laurel, Graphite on Paper

Artwork by Laurel, Pastel and Cut Paper Collage

Artwork by Andre, Graphite and Pastel on Paper

Artwork by Andre, Colored Pencil on Board

Before becoming a professional artist I was a full-time public art school teacher who after two years decided that wasn't the life I wanted for myself. Though I loved the act of teaching and working with individual students, I wasn't painting and became jealous watching the students make work while I wasn't. After two years, and talking with my then fiance, we decided together I should make a try at becoming a full-time artist.

Well, 2 1/2 years later, I consider myself a full-time artist but I'm still teaching. Yes, I'm selling my work but not yet at a rate to contribute financially to our household solely on sales of art. I started teaching privately a year and a half ago and what started as maybe teaching just a couple of students has become a part-time job, about 15% of my work week. Now I have six students, with one coming for four hours each Friday for the month of August.

I love working with these students who are all very motivated, talented people eager to learn. It's also been a nice way for me to be able to start paying Lee and myself in terms of income. Some people say that by teaching, artists aren't confident in their selves to really be a self-supported artist. Well, my professors warned me of this when I left art school. Unfortunately, few artists start out selling their work at rates to make a living. It takes time, as with any business, to become established and known. So, I believe teaching is worth it for an emerging and established artist, but on my terms.

Go to LessonWorks for more information about lessons with Jennie.