Commission is done. Now it's time to party!

Hi! It's been a while. Sorry about that...I have been trying to put all of my effort into finishing up my Tinker commission....And now......It's complete!  What a relief!

Piece #9 features furniture that the home owner, Robert Tinker made himself.  This beautiful table and chair set is all made of root-wood, that was masterfully jigsawed together. This was a tough one to do....Lots of little nooks and crannies to render.

The last piece features a chair I found in the upstairs hallway, that overlooks the study.  The amount of care and craftsmanship put into this house is amazing to me....I mean, even this seldom seen hallway has a beautifully carved fireplace!

I will be delivering the works up to Tinker this weekend so that they can be installed for the opening on April 13th. I'll be there with bells on! Hope to see you there too.

Here are the details:

Opening Reception
Friday, April 13, 2012, from 5-9pm

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum

411 Kent Street, Rockford IL 61102

All 10 pieces will be on display inside the Tinker house.
Prints and greeting cards featuring my new Tinker works will be available for sale.
The works will also be on display on Saturday, from 3-9 pm in the Tinker Visitor Center.

The opening is in conjunction with Rockford's Spring Artscene, so make a night of it and see art all over town. http://www.springartscene.com/

To get a sneak peek of all 10 of my new works, visit my new website:
http://jenniferjohansson.com/

Ta-Ta for now! 

Tinker Swiss Cottage Commission - 2 More to Go!

Happy weekend friends! I hope that you were able to make the most of the amazing early spring weather. Matt and I just got home from a beautiful hike in Shawnee National Forest.

Since my last blog, I've completed 2 more pieces for my Tinker Swiss Cottage commission.  It was fun to get to use a new color (green) in this last one, which I've entitled "Sitting in the Sun." It's quite St. Patrick's Day festive, isn't it?  I remember the day I took this photo at Tinker, and I loved the way the sun streamed in from the windows and lit this little vignette.

"Window Seat" comes from the same room as my last work.  Wouldn't you just love to sit here for a spell with a good book?

All 10 of my pieces will be on display in the Tinker house on during the first day of Spring Artscene, Friday April 13th, from 5-9 pm. (And I'll be there too!) The works will be displayed in the rooms that they depict so you'll be able to compare the art to it's subject.  I'm excited to see how each piece stands up to the actual space. You will also be able to view the works during the Saturday Artscene hours (3-9) but they will be on display in the Tinker Visitor Center.

Time to get back to work.  Ta-Ta for now!

Matt's at Artscene!

This weekend, Matt (my husband-to-be) has his very first solo art show!  Featuring 9 new pieces,  "Suburban Still-Life" opens Friday, October 1st at JR Kortman Gallery.

This weekend Matt and I took all the work over to Kortman's and helped gallery director Doc Slafkosky hang the show.  Matt's hard work over the last few months has paid off, as the art looks fabulous in the space.

Now, this is not your grandmother's art show. Some of the pieces are provocative and in your face but not vulgar or graphic. If you can handle "Victor", whom Matt is posing next to, you can handle the rest of the show.

The opening of this show corresponds with the city wide Fall Artscene event. There will be art on display and for purchase at 41 venues around town.  This is a totally free event!

As many of you know, Matt and I met at Artscene last year, when we were both exhibiting art at WallBlank Gallery. We're hoping to have as much fun this year as we did last!

All of the Artscene venues will be open on Friday, October 1st from 5-9 pm and on Saturday, October 2nd from 3-9 pm. If you can't make it out this weekend, "Suburban Still Life" will be on display during regular Kortman's store hours (M-Sat 10-6) until November 15th.

Kortman's is located in downtown Rockford at 107 N Main St, just across the street from Octane.

Hope to see you there!

Coming Down From my Art High

This weekend was the Artscene show at Wallblank. I had a great time showing in the beautiful industrial space. I sold some work, made some good contacts and most importantly got to connect with real live artists and the art community! After such a fabulous weekend of art, its been a struggle to get back into my "real" life these past few days.

Though I work in the art field every day as a teacher, interacting with other adult artists is so important and so needed by me. This is one aspect of high school and college art that I miss. I like having others around who can edit my work, give feedback, and bounce ideas off of.

I became fast friends with the seven artists that I exhibited with and we came up with the idea of forming an art club. We'd get together to make art, talk about art, critique each others work, and just be art "geeky" together. I'm really hoping this works out. It would be nice to be around others who speak my "language".

As I come down from my art "high", I'm sad that I don't have another art show lined up for the near future. Local folks, would you be interested in putting together a holiday show?

Happy Tuesday.

Sneak Peak of the Wallblank Show!

Tease for Cover Your Walls — Fall Art Scene at the BrewHouse from Pablo Korona on Vimeo.

So looking forward to Artscene at Wallblank! Pablo Korona, a fellow Boylan grad shot this video.

Artscene This Weekend

I'm thrilled to be participating in Artscene this weekend at Wallblank Gallery. I will be showing with seven other artists in a beautiful gallery space at the the old Brewhouse on Prairie Street. We will be exhibiting and selling fine art prints and originals. With two other shows going on in the Brewhouse at the same time, you can see 30 artists in one place! Should be fun.

(Photo by Brian Milo)

The show runs Friday, October 2nd from 5-9 PM and Saturday, October 3rd from 3-9 pm. There are 45 venues around Rockford showing art over the weekend. Make a night or a weekend of it!

For more information, visit the Fall Artscene website.

Hope to see you there.

A Little Bit Disappointed

A few months back I applied to the Renegade Craft Fair, that will be held in Chicago in September. I haven't ever done a show of this size, where I'd have to put together my own booth, but thought this could be a good opportunity for me. I've been making work all summer in the hopes that I got in.

Today I found out that I was not chosen. Bummer. On the positive side, I get the hefty $300.00 booth fee back that I had shelled out.

I'm disappointed that I don't have a show lined up for the fall now. I have a lot of work that needs to be seen and sold!!!! I am hoping to do Artscene somewhere this fall. (Artscene is a twice yearly event in Rockford, where businesses and galleries all over town host art exhibitions.) If anyone knows of any places looking for exhibitors for Artscene, please let me know!

I'm also looking to do a holiday show somewhere, and I would appreciate your suggestions. I'd be willing to do a good holiday market in the Rockford, Chicago, or Madison areas.

Until then, I'm concentrating on Etsy and I guess I have to start thinking about school since its now August! I'll leave you with this currently unnamed piece. (Suggestions appreciated.) This little piece measures 5" x 5" and was completed on mustard colored paper. It will be for sale in my Etsy shop just as soon as I come up with a name.

Cheers.