It Has Been Crazy!

Crazy weird, challenging, busy, intense....so I have gone M.I.A. for awhile...sorry about that! My dad had heart surgery out of the blue and he is doing really well on the recovery side of things now, but it seemed to throw everything else of track.  Isn't it amazing when your head is consumed by something, the time it takes to get it back?  The universe seemed to recognize that and cut me some slack on other things. So this week has been all about getting back on track and finding my mojo again.  I even got some much needed lair-organization started! My next few posts will be catching up on some of the cool projects I got to work on over the last couple of months.

Here is the first one that I did for the Norlien Foundation. What an amazing group of people working in an incredibly beautiful space. They needed some portraits added to their website to show the growth in staff they have had. They wanted me to match the format and overall look of their previous shots while bringing my own flavour to improve upon them. An interesting and challenging request that went very well.  Here are the new shots and check out their site to not only see the wonderful work that the foundation does, but also how the shots worked in with their existing portraits.

xo

Jen

Starlight

 

A whisper in the moonlight. A glimpse in to the future or a breath of the past.

A notion of time passing.

This is Starlight.

24x36

Find her on Etsy!

 

 

 

She has my heart - I hope she finds yours.

xo

Jen

I am still a photographer!

And hopefully always will be.  In my soul, that's what I do.  I see light, both in the world and in people.  And I feel this desire to capture it.  I get immense satisfaction from going through those images and seeing the eyes connect. And even more satisfaction when my clients react the same way.  When I know that I have captures a moment for them that takes their breath away, makes them laugh. Or cry.Those are the moments that I live for.

So I had my own aha moment when a long time client asked me the other day if I had pulled away from photography, because I was doing so many paintings. That so surprised me because that isn't even on my radar. Painting is a side "art" to what I do in my career. It feeds a different part of me than photography does, but is still so intertwined in my heart.  When I am working on a painting, I am still seeing light - visualizing where it comes from, and then translating that to the canvas. More often than not, I am working vintage textures on to the page, incorporating old photos and telling a story. And the coolest part about all of this, is that people are responding to this work as well! I get to have the coolest job ever - creating images for people with my camera, paintbrush, computer and soul. I love that my days are so varied and that the projects are so interesting. I have worked on some SUPER cool framing ideas and have created custom prints for commercial clients.  I have brought old, damaged photos back to life and I have created memorial projects for loved ones who have passed.

My creativity goes far beyond the typical studio photographer.  I bring YEARS of seeing and experiencing life to the final work. So yes - I am still a photographer...and artist...and creative. I hope you will enjoy all the many different types of work that I will continue to post on here! Your feedback brings me so much satisfaction and I am so very appreciative of all the support I receive!

Here are a few shots that I created for long time friends and clients. I love the freckles and sunshine and colour in these. Thanks Susan and Jack for letting me be a part of your family's world!

 

 

 

 

 

xo

Jen

Sapphire

She started as a simple sketch...a journal page. 

Perhaps a design under a transfer.

Play with some watercolour...wait - 

that's working...more colour...more paint...

Copics and ink and water soluble oil pastels...the layers grow. 

Luminescent eyes that shine with inner light. 

More Copics...more refinement.

I present Sapphire.

She is how I regained my sanity a bit today.

xo

Jen

"Pinkie" fund raiser for Breast Cancer

I am so excited about this! I have 8x10 prints of my lovely "Pinkie" print available for a mere $25. These would be a super sweet gift for the little valentine in your life. And to make it better, a full 50% of the sale will go to support breast cancer. This is personal for me (as it is for too many people). I have had MANY people in my life affected by breast cancer and recently lost an old friend. Pinkie can be purchased in person at Gravity Kidz on 130th ave or by emailing me. It is also available on my Etsy site for those out of town! She is only available this way until Valentines Day, so get her now!

I heart Pinkie!!

xo   Jen

Emma and Evan

I'm catching up on some long overdue blog posts with images from the summer and fall...I know...lame...but I get so far behind in the fall and there are so many great shoots...anyway, it gives me blog material for those chilly days, so bear with me!

I love love love shooting Emma and Evan - they each bring such a cool energy to the session and I love watching them grow. Here's a few faves from the summer!

 

 

 

 xo
Jen

New Self Portrait

I needed a new portrait for the CRAVE Calgary guide coming out in November. So I thought I would try taking a self portrait.  And I am actually happy with it! I very much sympathize with my clients who don't care to be photographed. But it is one of those things - the more you do it, the more you get used to seeing yourself as others do.  And perhaps you let go of a few of your own hang-ups. Be more gentle with yourself. Retouching my own photo showed me how it feels when I show someone else how beautiful they are.  I feel good about this shot.  And that is a rarity in my world! Here is one of the final versions.

Missing You

This new piece came out of missing Carter as she went to spend some time at Grandma's.  It helped me to connect to her energy, just by spending time with the pictures.  It never ceases to amaze me how pictures connect us to loved ones.  I can hear her giggle and see her inherent goofiness, and it makes me smile.

Clown

 Ahhhhhh!!!!! And the angels sing.  I have been battling with this painting almost since I started the drawing on it.  I needed to step out and try one that wasn't just a pretty girl. Once I did the actual first painting on it, I nearly tossed it. Until a friend said, are you nuts?  Try something else with it! There's no point in just getting rid of it. So I pushed it and added more layers and glitter (which was almost a tragic mistake).  And then I was pretty happy with it.  So, this morning I thought...it needs wax.  I played with my new batik pen and then melted a layer of lovely lovely beeswax over the top. Gave it a polish...and that's when I heard the singing.  I LOVE IT!!!! It's hard to see the details in the scan, but trust me.  It has such a lovely presence! You can see it on my Etsy site here.

 

Paris Girl

I finally had a chance to finish the painting I have been working on for a few weeks and I LOVE LOVE LOVE how she came out.  The colours are so vibrant and there is a lot going on in this piece.  The edges are finished with vintage english and french book and dictionary papers. So much fun. Check it out on Etsy at:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/67373515/paris-girl-original-mixed-medial?ref=pr_shop

First Portrait

Mommy - will you show me how to draw girls like you do?

Ok - here, I'll draw and then you draw, ok?

Mommy - I don't want to be a dentist anymore.  I want to be an artist like you.

(And then I melted in a pool of goo - kids are amazing, aren't they?)

Here is Carter's first official portrait - she's 5 1/2...I think it's pretty incredible!

Door

I started playing with this shot because I had a dream of a painting last night.  But as usual, I got lost in the process and came up with this instead.  To me, it looks like an illustration from a book.(Click on it to see it larger!) But I personally don't tend to equate wiriting with my images.  The visual is too strong for me and I can't see past it.  So for all you writers out there (or wanna-be writers!)...tell me a story!  I would LOVE to see what you come up with! Any genre, any feel. The most intriguing will get a custom print with this image and your story or tale, artfully put together.

Cali

I love the intensity of little Cali's look. It's like she can look right through you. I created this as a companion piece to a painting that I did for her older sister.

Clare

I had the pleasure of working with Clare again for her headshots. She owns The Hometown Acting Studio in Medicine Hat and I am always blown away by the calibre of her actors that I have worked with. Clare is such an open and fun person to photograph - it is always a blast!

New Headshots

I had a fantastic session with Lindsay last week and created some awesome shots that will hopefully help her get lots of work! Thanks Lindsay - I had fun rockin' out with you!

Dropped out of the blogosphere for a while...

...but I'm back! The Christmas season always kicks my butt a bit and I just realized how long it has been since I have connected on here. I have been doing lots of work and playing with some really cool new stuff - I just haven't been sharing. So I'm going to try and catch up over the next bit with some long over-due blogs.

I had a busy Christmas break and was fortunate enough to get a chance to work with Stefanie Rose-Airey; an incomparable singer who will be taking the world by storm. I was also fortunate enough to do some work for Chris Kerson (an immensely talented actor). There is no bigger compliment to me that an actor would come from New York to work with me for his headshots when there are SOOOOO many amazing photographers in the big apple. Thanks for all your support and know that it is returned one hundred fold. Here are a few shots from their respective sessions.

Break a leg with the upcoming role Chris!

CJ, Tik and Cricket

'Twas the month before Christmas and all through my house, not a portrait was hung and I felt like a louse. My child is 4 and the dogs nigh on 8. If I don't hang one now, it may be too late. Away to my camera I flew like a flash. Ripped off the lens shade and hooked up my flash. My little ones were nestled all close to each other, jostling for position like sisters and brother. When what to my wondering eye did appear? But a heart wrenching portrait of those I hold dear.

Whew!

Some new play...

It's the case of the showmaker's kids go shoe-less. But in this case, I have display images all up in my client area. But do I have any shots of Carter around our house? Few and far between. All my energy goes in to creating art for my clients and at the end of the day I get blocked on what I want in my own home. Part of the problem is that, when I can do anything - where do I start? So I bit the bullet and started. I have created 4-20x30 pieces for my living room. Now that I have done all the work on them, I think one of them will have to go in a different area because the colour is so different from the rest. But I will make that decision when I get them up and replace it if I need to. Here they are. And when I get them up in the space and finalized, I will post a shot of that!

CJ and Miffi

CJ had to say a tearful goodbye to Miffi this week, so I thought I would commemorate their short relationship with this painting of the two of them. It's hard to see the detail in this small shot, but trust me - it's quite luscious in person!

Who is CJ?

This is CJ at 3 1/2 - almost 4. These are all the things that define her and make up her personality. (Or did 6 months ago!) It's amazing that even in the 6 months since I created this, how many things have changed on this list. I'm so glad to have this reminder of her.