Restoration

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For years I have honed my skills in Photoshop.  I've done some restoration work, but never really posted it or did anything with it.  And yet, every time I work on a piece, it fills my heart with joy for a number of reasons. I think about the memories that are connected to that image by the person who made it.  For the people in it.  And for todays viewers who are taken back in time by it.  Pictures tell the stories of our lives past and present.  And in some ways, help to shape our future as well by connecting us to what is important. I love that I can bring back a part of that history.  Make it current.  Digitize it and make it accessible.  What about creating a gorgeous coffee table book with the pictures from your past?  (I'm working on one for myself right now...) There are so many ways to remember where we came from. What our legacy is and will be.  This is the root of all that I do in photography and photo restoration is a lovely part of that. Check out the new gallery on ChipperfieldPhotography.com  ...not much in there yet, but keep checking back as there is much more to go in there!

Back to School

Back to school is one of my favourite times.  It always feels like New Years to me...the true start of the new year. Everything feels like a fresh start and there is a certain energy in the air. As a student my favourite thing was to go shopping for school supplies. Woolco would have these huge bins of pens and paper and pencil crayons out.  The sheer multitude of stuff made me heady with delight! I loved the pencil cases and binders.  And the second I got home, I would dump the bags of stuff on to my bed and organize absolutely everything. 

Then there was the nervous anticipation for the actual first day.  What should I wear?  A new outfit for sure...nothing too fancy, but something cool. Something that made me feel special. That new outfit feeling fades after the first week, but it was part of the fresh start.

Carter started Grade Two this week.  And at a brand new school on the other side of town.  She has been looking forward to this since we found out she would be attending in May.  But it still didn't come without a touch of apprehension for all of us...change is exhilarating and scary! She can't wait to go back...I love her courage and excitement.

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These shots are from her first two days - New Student Orientation and the actual first day.

xoxo baby girl!

Utterance

"Utterance"           24"x38"

This was an incredible journey to create a commissioned piece for a new client. And oh, what joy to work on this! Jean already knew that she liked my previous piece "Was it Yesterday", but wanted something large to fill a niche wall in her house. When we sat down to go through some ideas, I took notes about all the different things she likes, has experienced, has loved and done. And then I played in layers of goodness with text flowing over the canvas between bursts of spray paint. And "Utterance" was born.  It is always hard to let pieces go, but in this case, there was great joy in it as I knew she was off to be loved.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 xo

Jen

"She Saw Her Past"

I just released a new painting to the world.  It can be viewed and purchased on my Etsy site.  Or just enjoyed here! As a side note....I think it's interesting that I keep wanting to call it "She Saw Her Future"...maybe there's more to her story than I thought...

I love the vintage photos and bits of an old film.

 

 

 

xo

Jen

Symbols

D - "I need to find a new painting for my bathroom. Since I painted it Jalapeno, the old one doesn't go."
Me - "Ok - what are you thinking?"
D - "Oh, something with black in it."
Me - "I'll make you one...."  Forgetting that I have been purely in photography mode for the last month and haven't even picked up a brush.  Tsk tsk tsk.  Turns out that it was just the kick start that I needed.  Here is the piece that evolved over the next 10 hours - so different than what I had originally set out to create.  And I completely love it. That is one of the things that I never get over - the process of creation for me is so organic.  I can't pre-plan something because my process evolves through flow.  And when I sit in that flow and really listen to my muse, wonderful things transpire.  There are so many personal (to him) elements in this that came as sparks of light in the process.  Trust.  Flow.  Joy.

 

 

xoxo

jen

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