Jenica McKenzie :: artist interview

jenica hard at work
Today's interview is with Jenica McKenzie - a member of the Vision of Squam Show and participant in the 2008 SAW -(and was in my painting class!). She answers some questions and sent along some lovely photos of her inspiration and her own artwork too! Her work can be found in our shop and her etsy shop as well as her own website!

What was your first memory of art making?

unfortunately my earliest memory of art making was in a first grade class, i was reprimanded for playing with clay when i was supposed to be working on something else. i've used this memory to remind me that children should be allowed to play and explore!

What are your favorite materials and medium?

i am a self admitted paper whore, i love to touch and smell it! i have collected boxes worth of different types, weights, colors, and textures. this in combination with my mediums of choice-- acrylic paint and elmers glue-- create bliss unmeasured for my heart.

Who are and what are your greatest inspirations?

my children are my greatest inspirations and consequently some of my favorite artists. they move freely with their art never feeling like they don't measure up, never afraid to get messy and create something beautiful, never allowing someone else's expectations to hold them down. i'm inspired by their mantra: it's ok to get messy! and as i move forward with my art they burst with pride for me and it in turn inspires them to create something new. perfect synergy. i am inspired by artists that allow their whole soul to be shown, thus i'm a sucker for dancers as well.

What's playing in rotation in your studio?

my playlist for creating art is sure to include: the bird and the bee, incubus, ingrid michaelson, radiohead, muse, beck, cake, ben harper, adele, and priscilla ahn.

What does a good art day look like to you?

i'm an extreme extrovert, so a good art making day is in the company of others. this is why i created RAW: Random Art Workshops, to connect and inspire artists. i love the idea of encouraging one another towards success and learning techniques from each other. but i also need to create art in the quiet night time moments of solitude; crank some music and let the paint flow.

Finally, best advice you have been given that you would like to pass on?

greatest advice i've ever been given? to realize that we as humans are made to create, it's part of our nature. so don't dismiss it, don't push it aside, just go with the flow and get messy!

Thanks so much  Jenica for your beautiful insight!

People continue to inspire me ...

Over the past 15 years of teaching art, I have had so many people inspire me while they were students at my classes, workshops and retreats. I have to share with you today one of the most recent pearls which dropped into my inbox this week. Jenica was at Squam Art Workshops in my painting class ... she ended up being in that spot at the end of the class, which wasn't where she wished to be. That place where the painting hasn't had enough time with it's maker, it's in it's "ugh" phase, or to coin a phrase from dear adult student Amy "it's hideous!" stage. We took a few minutes to further critique what she did and didn't like from the painting and after a few suggestions she was able to figure out where to go on from.

Yesterday she sent me the cute photo you see above. She took a plein air class, came up with two paintings she was happy with and found that one of them was going to be included in a traveling exhibition! To say the least, she is happy and I am thrilled she is painting seriously.

Just a little affirmation. We need Affirmations in our life daily. More on some of the special Affirmations in the gallery - later today

Squam Art Workshops

my printmaking class students, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Squam Art Workshops is over, but will be felt in our minds and hearts for a long time. I spent four days with some amazing artists/instructors and met some people I have wanted to meet for a few years now.

My classes were filled with enthusiastic wonderful students - all who amazed me with their willingness to jump in with both feet and abandon the fear which so many adults harbor towards the arts. I will admit - I failed miserably at photo journaling this event as I was so immersed in the process of being there! But, if you click through the above photo, you will see my poor attempts at snapping a few shots of different aspects of the time spent at Squam.
There is no way I could recount every aspect of this experience - right here in my home state of New Hampshire - but I can tell you I was overjoyed to meet the likes of Lizzy, Amanda, Melanie, Penelope, Christine, Jen Gray, and Andrea Scher as well as Judy Wise, Mati, Kelly Rae, and all of my students. Speaking of students - one of my printmaking students took some beautiful shots - so hop on over to Andrews blog for more beauty of Squam.
Thank you to Elizabeth for the vision, execution and happiness which she infused into this wonderful experience!

Affirmations tour

front window, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Happy Monday all! Above is one of the four zinnia panels left in the exhibition at artstreamstudios which opened last Friday. Click through the photo or here to see the entire tour. Everything is almost online for sale, so go peek... a few more pieces will be added this week - so if you see something in Flickr which you wish to purchase-but not in the shop - just email us at info@artstreamstudios.com
Only one more day until Squam Art Workshops - so posting here will be brief this week.
Enjoy!

rainbow tomatoes

rainbow tomatoes, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

A quick pop in to say happy Monday. Here is a spectacular shot from daughter Grace before she hopped off to college on Sunday. Of course we had to go replace her hard drive on her mac book on the way ... thank goodness for local Apple stores. It gave up the go the night before we were to leave, but they popped another one in and she was 100% by the day's end. Phew.

I will be posting as much as I can over the next two weeks, with some great new works coming into the gallery, new links and lots of fun photos from our trip too.
Just a lot on our plates right now! Squam Arts Workshop is coming up on the 10th and I have a few details to wrap up with our next exhibition too! Did you miss what we have been showing all summer? I hope not! Take a peek over here at the shop to see what we have left of "Pigmentary Portraits"... it's beautiful!
My mother has been ill as well, so perhaps there will be less posts than normal until mid month. Who knows!?
Be good everyone and keep your sunny side up!

design*sponge

design sponge 2/29/08, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.
A huge thanks to Grace for posting about Abby Glassenbergs' work included our upcoming exhibition "Stories and Tales" over at design*sponge yesterday!

Grace will also be joining us next fall over at Squam Lake for the exciting Squam Art Workshops. Check out the links to SAW and more about Stories and Tales.
I am totally down for the count today with the cold/flu so will just watch the snow fall (yes, again) from my bedside window.