Motherhood, Making Art and Mischief...

My art has been exploring Motherhood exponentially and I am determined to normalize integrating into my work. I also like to think about those who don’t identify as mothers, that they have had mothers, good or bad, present or absent, there is always some story and an influence still with us. As serious as that all sounds, motherhood has also offered a viewpoint and philosophy of not hanging on too hard to things and ideas. Things change, and rapidly sometimes. A favorite food of a child can suddenly one day become irrelevant to the dinner table the next day. Likes and dislikes, names, toys, can come and go frequently. Enjoy the moments. Make it light.

The playfulness and irony can add to the experience. It does in my Artwork. I love using random pieces, found objects, mixed with imagery that becomes a juxtaposition, and/or becomes an intersection of ideas. Sparking the viewer to think about what they are seeing. Making a play on words, on visuals. Drawing you in with beauty and then receiving the punch of the message.

A bit tricksy, mischievous, playful. I’m hoping to usher you in a direction to an ‘aha moment’, big or small. Watch for some new works coming to https://www.themamatemple.org/work/thealtar in July at https://www.thebunkerslo.com/

Also stay tuned about my new project with https://shawnaleestudios.com/ - a carefully curated magazine designed for women over 40! The creativity is over the moon and our ideas are flowing! More soon!

Art titled ‘Women and Children First’, Mixed Media, Fabric, Linen, Acrylic. Approx size 20” x 24”

In most situations of conflict, women and children are the recipients of much of the damage. Climate Change, War, Violence both domestic and global.

Check out more of my art here: https://www.jenniferrandall.com/camisole-de-force

My art cubby, full of oddities.

Continuing... Finding SOULstice in the Solstice

Lesson of The Persimmon:

Sleek and beautiful. ‘Patience. Patience. Patience.’ She chants like a mantra to the universe. Waiting for the bitter tang of this hard fruit to wane, slowly becoming the ripe, sweetest pudding. It’s the becoming that resonates with me. Being patient as things change below the surface of my being and our collective being. Often I can’t see it or possibly even have a sense of knowing what is ripening. But everyday, I give the slightest of squeeze to see how it’s coming along.

It is worth the wait.

As I rush through the December Holidays and the incoming excitement of the New Year, turning the page, the promise of dreamt futures, I have often lost the beauty of standing by. Beauty in watching and waiting. The subtlety of it all can easily be wasted if one is looking for bigger, prettier things to latch on to. I have made a point lately to pay attention of how I respond to the ‘lesser’ things and activities. I can glean more insight into myself through the quieter activities.

Small containers of joy for me lately: writing letters, creative play with found objects and collaging, winter walks in fallen leaves, a lovers smile, daytime reading, solo dance parties after sitting too long, appreciating the rain, all the bird activity at the feeders lately, vacation dreaming on the internet, working on this old house, writing… oh and persimmons.

In what ways do you watch yourself change, seasons turn, beauty unfold?

Below is a little video poem set to images of mine. It’s prehistoric, rough around the edges and ends abruptly. Enjoy the vagrant, drifting aspects of it all.

Anis Mojgani, Poet Laureate of Oregon.

I believe ‘god’ is everywhere. I mean have you seen the Hubble Space Telescope photos?

It is all so intricately connected to ourselves it’s remarkable. I have such an emotional response to these photos. If the world could look at these with awe and attachment, would we forget the wars, power struggles and success ladders, and general meanness among us?

What is OUT THERE is WITHIN US.

As we use stars throughout winter, as symbols and decorations, let us remember our own internal stardust.

“And maybe it's the time of year

Yes, and maybe it's the time of man

And I don't know who I am

But life is for learning

We are stardust, we are golden

We are billion-year-old carbon

And we got to get ourselves

Back to the garden”

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

The Veil Nebula is one of the most spectacular supernova remnants in the sky, extending 110 light-years across and covering an area of sky six times larger than the full moon.

Check out available ART books on my website, take a peek!

Art Books

Second Saturn Return

So to say it again, here I am at 60.

As I travel through my years, I definitely notice changes within as well as any outward changes.

Each ‘chapter’ of my life has contained challenges and beauty. I often ask, what is it I can glean from this situation? I also ask, what can I leave here and move on from… because that often feels as important.

rupi kaur: timeless

they convinced me

i only had a few good years left

before i was replaced by a girl younger than me

as though men yield power with age

but women grow into irrelevance

they can keep their lies

for i have just gotten started

i feel as though i just left the womb

my twenties are the warm-up

for what i'm really about to do

wait till you see me in my thirties

now that will be a proper introduction

to the nasty, wild, woman in me,

how can i leave before the party's started

rehearsals begin at forty

i ripen with age

i do not come with an expiration date

and now

for the main event

curtains up at fifty

let's begin the show

Rupi Kaur reading her poem Timeless

I guess I feel like the curtain is always rising. There is an opportunity all the time to show a new joy, a new pursuit, a reinvention of self, or resurrection of of a buried idea or dynamic in my life. I hope you feel the same way, because I would like to see all of you too!

if you are not signed up for my email newsletter, I encourage you to do so! There is much more I put in my monthly news letters that you will enjoy! If you have any trouble signing up please email me directly.

https://www.jenniferrandall.com/

Sublime September

The time on The Playa was epic! Although the antique buggy didn’t make it this time, we have hopes of taking to a local parade, a Regional Burn and then to Burning Man next year! The journey back from being at Burning man earlier this month has led to some powerful reflections after I returned home. Thinking about connections and how to integrate what I love about Burning Man and the gifting community brought some ideas to fruition this month.

An ‘in person’ Art Lounge with local people is on my list. Wherever I am, I will be trying to circle with people in a way that promotes our connection with each other and an inspiration for us, individually and as part of our society. I had the opportunity to have a grand session last weekend with two other women. We met up and collaged our way through a few hours, chatting and laughing. We had plenty of nourishing snacks and drinks. We all had an enjoyable time creating art. Through the experience some of the creation process was being questioned - some hadn’t done collage before or for a really long time! Being critical of ourselves is such an easy place to drop into.

We often look through a lens of that it all has to be ‘good’. Under some random scrutiny that we have inside us. Austin Kleon writes ““Good” can be a stifling word, a word that makes you hesitate and stare at a blank page and second-guess yourself and throw stuff in the trash. What’s important is to get your hands moving and let the images come. Whether it’s good or bad is beside the point. Just make something.”

Just make something. Keep the flow. It does not all have to be a masterpiece. I have learned so much in a back handed way, like learning from what does NOT work. Many lessons come out of those situations with art. I honestly think you just gotta keep making things. Good, bad or ugly and awkward. It’s all part of the process.

Shayna Klee… sublime and just plain cute.

Here’s my ‘bad art’ collage from the Art Lounge with friends last weekend. I have since then cut this ‘masterpiece’ up and am making other art of of the pieces!

Yeah it’s always a lil’ bit Hallows Eve-ish around here.

Until next time beautiful Humans! Enjoy this shoulder season, whether it be bare or draped in thick sweaters.

Jennifer

August Folly

Arsy Varsy means ‘head over heels’! And that’s how we feel right now as we get ready for The Playa!

Gizmo making metal wheels for our buggy

Our Antique 1800’s Dr’s Buggy is transforming into a pedal powered carriage to ride us around the playa at Burning Man. The Gizmologist is shown here on a quick break in his laboratory. This project is so difficult but so fun! Stay tuned for more photos once it is done.

For those not familiar with the Burning Man event, it takes place in the Nevadan Desert, with 70,000 people for a weeks worth of Artful Experiences.

Below is their mission statement, a beautiful thing don’t you think?

Burning Man: Our Mission

Burning Man Project’s mission is to produce the annual event known as Burning Man and to guide, nurture and protect the more permanent community created by its culture. Our intention is to generate society that connects each individual to his or her creative powers, to participation in community, to the larger realm of civic life, and to the even greater world of nature that exists beyond society.

We believe that the experience of Burning Man can produce positive spiritual change in the world. To this end, it is equally important that we communicate with one another, with the citizens of Black Rock City and with the community of Burning Man wherever it may arise. Burning Man is radically inclusive, and its meaning is potentially accessible to anyone.

The touchstone of value in our culture will always be immediacy: experience before theory, moral relationships before politics, survival before services, roles before jobs, embodied support before sponsorship. Finally, in order to accomplish these ends, Burning Man must endure as a self-supporting enterprise that is capable of sustaining the lives of those who dedicate themselves to its work. From this devotion spring those duties that we owe to one another.

Bang! Bang!

My new series Bang! Bang! has been developing in my mind over the past several years. A dynamic I refer to is the Wild West, and the chaotic violent reminiscence it brings up. As Americans and across the world we seem to have a nostalgia, a glorification of such times where (mostly) men wore guns at their hip and took shit from no one. To expose this glorification of toughness and aggression with a different eye is part of my process with this new work. I am using an old west style gun, and adding the comical flag that was frequently used in cartoons and children’s toys. These nostalgic images blend together with the fierceness of the message in the work.

As a country we can’t deny our violent history and present.

We murdered and rampaged existing communities .Our police system was based on the dynamic that slaves were property and they be returned to their owners. This very ideology is the bases on which our departments are made. We are still in the wave of the gun being a outward reach of our anger and fear.

My new works are made from gun replicas with a flag I paint by hand, bearing words or an image. This will be a limited edition series. I plan to have about 20 different variations of these works.

The image shown is titled ‘WTF’, Mixed Media Sculpture, Jennifer Randall 2021

Collage Painting Tutorial

I made a video for anyone to follow along in creating a Photo Collage Painting. I have made many of these over the years for fun, and have sold quite a few and given many away as gifts.

You can find the link on my pages and here below.

https://www.jenniferrandall.com/collage-tutorial-video

I'm Home, Like You.

I’m home, like you, finding ways to break up my day and add meaningful and satisfying dynamics to life.

I am approaching these weeks and months ahead at a day at a time. Each day I add art and exercise, and care when preparing foods.

Nothing is rushed.

I want my very soul to slow down to ‘nature’s time’. This, I hope, will see me through.

Liberty, What A Gas! Drawing by Jennifer Randall

What A Gas Photographic Series

I was drawn to the image of a gas mask in response to thinking about the state of our environment and how much harm, intended or unintended, we can create.

The gas mask became a baseline for various issues I wanted to address and explore artistically.

Climate Change. War. Anthropocene.

The mask carries a weight and solemnness.

I began to explore a not so imaginary world where the gas mask became commonplace. How would we respond to a cumbersome yet essential accessory? Would we care anymore than we do now about what we would be protecting ourselves from? And how would we stand out from one another, in some sort of original way?

During a studio visit , my good friend and amazing photographer, Shawnalee Anderton voiced the idea of photographing me wearing the masks I had created. This idea resonated with my direction and we set a date. Her skill and creativity pulled the shots together to what you see here.

Open Studio Celebration

Another amazing event this year.

It is always so much work getting ready for an Open Studio Event. It is a special time for the public to come in and see your space which is usually a very private space!

I was diligent in getting my studio floors painted and the studio arranged how I had wanted it for a long time. This was great excuse to do ALL the things!

I had quite a bit of new art to share. Just finishing up pieces for my What A Gas! Series. I worked with actual gas masks to create work that focused on war, apocalyptic imagery and climate change. Some had a dark sense of humor to them, some turned out quite beautiful despite their nature as a gas mask!

I also had a variety of silkscreened/collage art available as well.

My Camisole de Force Series was also on display with new pieces.

A lot of new people came through and familiar faces from last year! Comments, conversation, laughter and tears… What a day!

What A Gas!

While traveling I have been working on smaller art pieces.

The desire to create while away from the studio is strong, and I am eager to continue making Art. Learning how to simplify or modify my work so it travels and packs easily is a challenge.

Current events and learning about things has shapes my work all the time. I was recently drawn to the image and shape of a gas mask. The horrors of war and its lingering physical and emotional effects on everyone involved strikes me even greater after the unforgivable actions at the United States/Mexico borders.

The broader scope of the series will explore climate change and environmental issues.

Creating A Shape of it's Own

My new piece in the Camisole de Force Series has a bit of ‘life of it’s own’.

I had the initial idea of using some vintage hair pieces. I bought a huge amount of vintage/junk/clothes/linens that included some odd artifacts and containers of ‘things’. One container held round black hair pieces originating from Japan. I have held on to these for years thinking eventually I would use them for something.

I decided to use them on a straightjacket. I was unsure of what the meaning was behind sewing them to the jacket, but the imagery drew me in and I followed.

It may be a take on dedication/slavery to hair and looks. Or it may end up being a deeper piece about the fact that people market their hair for money. In mass amounts. How much did someone receive for selling 9” of their hair? There is an up side to not being so attached to ones looks or hair, but also the selling of hair creates a repetitive cycle based on consumerism.

I am finding this piece so to be such an interesting journey.

Domesticity

“Ideas about mothers have swung historically with the roles of women. When women were needed to work the fields or shops, experts claimed that children didn't need them much. Mothers, who might be too soft and sentimental, could even be bad for children's character development. But when men left home during the Industrial Revolution to work elsewhere, women were "needed" at home. The cult of domesticity and motherhood became a virtue that kept women in their place.”
Sandra Scarr

‘Domesticity’
Camisole de Force 

Vintage Crochet, and
Hand Embroidered 

By Jennifer Randall 

‘House chores’ and childcare are often not a choice by women. 
Systemic societal dynamics keep women and men in roles they are frequently not suited for. Throughout history, women’s responsibilities have been decided for them. They become a constraint when choices are not readily available. 
I was not in a household where both parents had a sharing role in anything, from child rearing to decision making. 
As pretty as the home can seem and as lovely as children grow up to be, the understanding and consent of domesticity is essential.

The reoccurring thoughts of what domesticity means and how to navigate the gender specific role this implies throughout history is the subject matter of the newest camisole de Force piece. There was some struggle with how to represent such a vast and bottomless well of a subject. How could I portray all the feelings I have about this subject into one art piece? Since I can't, I decided to keep the simplicity aspect of this one. Let the material and simple words again carry this theme.

I chose vintage crocheted doilies and pieces that I had been saving for 'something'. Sewing them together from the straight jacket pattern and creating that as a base. The foundation of constraint is tied in with a gender based 'hobby' or busy work. The embroidered words were deliberated on and chosen as a representation of what is expected from a woman in a domestic setting. These roles or norms haven't changed too much over the centuries. 

I was asked the question in response to the posting of this piece, 'What about the women who like that lifestyle? Will you represent them too?' 

I appreciated this question from my friend. 

My Response: "Understanding historical and societal implications and constraints is what this series is all about. 
Consent and choice is important to recognize. Historically women around the world have not had a choice in their roles. 
This is what I am representing. It’s what strikes me as an inequality throughout time. 
If someone wants to represent a different view that’s fine! People do represent this dynamic all the time. Advertisers, the workplace, financial repression. 
I’m showing another side. 
I love my kids and I adored raising them. I love nesting. 
I think many men do too, but they were not able to due to society stereotypes.

Also, how do we pull apart the layers of who we are, from the decades upon decades of layers of set gender roles? 
It’s difficult."

Camisole de Force Series - The Process

My process begins with a lot of thinking. I'm thinking about how I want to approach my next piece, and what I want it to say, both visually and metaphorically. I write down idea after idea. I cross out many directions and often start over. I make small sketches, and replay the vision in my mind over and over of how the piece will turn out. 

I constantly ask myself, 'How can this be expressed BETTER?' 'Is there another approach that isn't quite obvious right now, that would push the artistic side of this project?'. 

Sometimes it falls into place so naturally. Sometimes the thoughts take drastic turns and throw me off balance, but in the end I have worked out so many details. Following each idea down a side path is helpful, even if I abandon it there. It all helps sort things out. 

I research by reading a lot online, and in books, about the subject I am using in my art. This can be time consuming but it all is an integral part of making the pieces stronger. 

Next comes the hands on making the art. Many pieces require me to learn a new technique, or incorporate things I am not familiar with. there definitely is some trial and error and compromises at this point. Finding how to work the materials to complete the idea is a task,

It's all a process! Fast or slow. Time is often irrelevant. It takes the time it takes.