Breadside Tables are Here!

Guest artist, Steve Butler's "Breadside Tables" are now at TraillWorks. Though not yet organized for the official exhibit, they are on view. "Breadside Tables" are Steve's unique reuse of kitchen kitsch. A collector of bread boxes, Steve combines them with feet from vintage ottomans of the same era to create a really neat piece of retro furniture. These would make excellent bedside tables or side tables with the right mid century modern furniture.

The exhibit starts Monday and runs through September 29th. An opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, September 12th, from 5 - 8pm, coinciding with Newton's Tour of Art on 2nd Saturday.

You can read more about Steve's process and interest in bread boxes on his blog, Steve Butler-Furniture Maker.

2nd Saturday Summer Blues

Whether music, food, or color, there's so much to do with Blue on 2nd Saturday in Newton. Enjoy Summer Blues with . . .

Music - FREE from 5 - 8pm
Glenn Zervas, The Rum Boogie Blues Band AND Queens Blvd.
8pm on Peter Biedermann playing electronic inspired music at Now Now Gallery

Detail of Topography I ©2009 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

Art -
The Topography of Blue at TraillWorks
new works featuring a vintage blue apron by me

Food -
Blue Cheese Tasting Tent on Spring Street by Cheddar Alley - FREE
Blue Plate Specials at JC's Grillhouse
$35 Three Course Meal at Andre's Restaurant

Blue Sales -
Now Now Gallery
Feels Like Home
Prima Donna's Consignments
Craft Creators

Education -
Readings from the Paulinskill Poetry Project at SCA&HC Gallery, 4 - 6pm
Lecture on the "Influence of Blue" at Inner Designs, 11am & 4pm

For more information and links to each merchant, visit www.mainstreetnewton.org.

Topography of Blue

Topography I, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6", © 2009 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

To tie into our annual Summer Blues 2nd Saturday in August, I'm focusing on some paintings dealing with blue. I've been reading Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay, which is a fascinating study of how colors came to be as well as a little of the symbolism around color. Blue being one of my favorite colors, I've read about the origin of ultramarine from lapis lazuli, mostly mined in Afghanistan. The name ultramarine, comes from the Italian, oltramarino, meaning "from beyond the seas." It's a misnomer that the color name is synonymous with the ocean, but rather with the idea that it was traded from the East, over the ocean, to the West.

Lapis lazuli originates with the Sumerians in Ur, and was used by the Egyptians in both art and makeup. Michelangelo is known to have used the pigment and according to Finlay, one of his paintings, The Entombment, is blank in the right bottom corner. Supposedly a space for the Virgin, Finlay says Michelangelo would have painted her blue as was customary at the time, but because of the expense of ultramarine, probably never received the pigment.

The paintings I'm working on use my husband's grandmother's blue taffeta striped apron as the impetus for a study of the "topography of blue" which in retrospect might be the "topography of a blue apron." Above is an example of one recently completed. The finished paintings will be on display for Saturday, August 8th.

Michelangelo | The Entombment | NG790 Shared via AddThis

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.

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

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