Jen Worden - Mixed Media Artist

Jen January 14th, 2008

100 Artists Show at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, Salem Oregon starting February 5, 2008.

This year we received the above box, an 8 x 8" square about 2" deep. Our theme is "What’s Inside" with the added suggestion of asking a 3 -12 year old some questions and including their answers inside. And even though it is a box, we were encouraged to use the outside as our primary focus. I’ve been SO ensconced in assemblage this past fall into Christmas time that the very idea of NOT using all that lovely inner depth was very difficult. I mulled and pondered while continuing my other tasks. I ended up doing a mind map to figure out all the potential meanings of "What’s Inside". There were LOTS!

But that box depth kept nagging and nagging until I realized that I could really use it to my advantage. I’ve often thought of myself as that proverbial duck - calm cool collected on the top all the while paddling like mad underneath - and decided to translate that very idea. So I created a collage/assemblage inside the box, using imagery to enforce all my mind map points - strength and body parts and heart - both as an organ and as a concept - emotions, anger and all those other wonderful things that we keep bottled up inside, my very nature - all these things were represented, glued down and sloshed with an overcoat of Quin Crimson/Quin Burnt Orange combo.  I then added my "Head Heart Hands" assemblage over top.I knew the interior would only be visible from very small holes in the front and so added a little Superman over to the side, because well, we should all embody the spirit of a Super Hero don’t you think?!? This would end up inspiring the final title.

Then I got to work on the outside - the calm cool collected part. I cut my 3 peek-a-boo holes, gesso’d inside’n'out and then added a layer of molding paste that I texturized using sequin waste, plastic grid, palette knife and sundry other items. Let it dry then began the task of adding layers and layers of applied/wiped off fluid acrylics. It looked fine but it needed a little "something else" - I rustled through my image stash and knew as soon as I saw it, THIS was the photo. This image has been in my stash for the better part of 3 years. I love it. From an old stock photo catalogue I saved it from the trash bin knowing SOME day I’d have the perfect project. This was the one. It’s monochromatic of a tow-headed boy opening a door. There’s a sense of anticipation and even trepidation shown in the boy’s shoulder blades. I made an image transfer of it and added it to the front.

At some point I decided I wanted the interior lit so added the LED light set I had kicking around knowing that the plastic portholes would give some indication of what was inside but only just a glimpse. So like Real Life! The fun part was incorporating the battery pack as part of the assemblage. It’s those fun little details that I love about the whole assemblage process. I glued the front and back together and layered molding paste over the joints to seal the piece shut. Only you and I know what exactly is inside. Viewers will get the barest glimpse. I’d been toying with titles, then it came to me. With tongue firmly in cheek, please say hello to: "There’s a little Superman inside all of us."

 Visit the Zeek Gallery  starting February 5, 2008 to bid on this and other pieces in support  of  Poyama, a non-profit organization providing psychiatric day-treatment for children 3-12 years old.

• Assemblage , Shows
• Comments(4)

Jen January 8th, 2008

Well. Yes I have looked at the calendar and yes, I am aware it is January the 8th. But dammit. It sure FELT like Spring. I mean, it COULD happen. Right?

So today I finally FINALLY made it out to the studio to get to work on this project - 100 Artists Show at Zeek Gallery. The theme this year is "What’s Inside" and we all received this box from Mary Lou and gang. It’s about 2" deep and 8×8" square. I’ve been mulling over ideas in my head and had a "EUREKA" moment the other night. I find that assemblage takes so much more brain power and time than mixed media. I can get into a groove with molding paste and paint, paper, gel medium and canvas moving toward the end result while I’m working. Not so assemblage. I pretty much have to envision the finished product before I even start which means hours and hours of mulling and pondering and looking like I’m not doing anything. Then Voila! The vision comes. And I can get to work. I’m now steaming ahead with this piece in hopes that it will be completed by the end of the week. Guess I’ll just squeak by the deadline. *phew*

In other news, people are starting to post their New Year’s Post Cards. But there’s still time to get YOUR’s done!

• Assemblage , Shows
• Comments(1)

Jen November 16th, 2007

 *phew* … some art pieces do NOT want to be born, creating havoc and problems and aggrevation through its entire journey out into the world. This was one of those pieces.

A bit of history, on a yahoo assemblage list I belong to, one of the members posted her contribution to the Global Shoe Project created by Stella Meades, a Canadian ceramic artist who in 1996 created 1001 ceramic shoes for an installation entitled "footnote", a

…visual illustration of numbers and facts that are difficult to comprehend intellectually.

Earlier this year Stella began to think about how the present war would affect the children:

…my thoughts turned to questions of what war-affected children might need in order to begin to heal.  At this time I had close to 900 shoes.  Rather than make this a solitary project, I decided to invite other people to help. I sent interested people a shoe and asked them to make something to hold, cover, or contain it that would symbolize an alleviation of the loss or damage the shoe represented.

I contacted Stella asking if she had any extra shoes, I would love to participate in the project. She generously obliged and my finished contribution - winging its way back west - is pictured above.

I knew I wanted to create a house for the "shoe" and even though it was obviously a child’s shoe, I needed a more obvious face to identify with. I had a broken china doll that would work perfectly - blank eyes so the viewer can fill in the blank and of course, a statement on how nations are turning a blind eye to the families and children affected as the war continues on. I also knew that whatever the house would end up being, I wanted it to be patched, not perfect, just like Real Life.

I used molding paste to glue the face into the shoe as well as fill in any gaps, first gessoed then painted with blackened bronze metal paint which I also applied to the entire shoe both for consistency as well as thinking about bronzed baby shoes and all those associated emotions - love, childhood, proud parents, home, family etc. I found the perfect wood box to fit the shoe/child and scouted around trying to find the right embellishment as the box was very plain. In a box of frames I found just the right dentil work I was after but it was made of plastic. Herein begins the aggrevating part!

I had to cut the frame in order to fit it to the box - a few cuts of the mitre saw? no problem! - but in using the saw the plastic chipped quite badly. Still. No worries, I thought, nothing a bit of filler can’t fix. Heh. Hindsight, right? Not quite so easily as it turns out. I spent the better part of a week, painting then gluing, nailing then gluing, touching then gluing this frickin’ frame. I did however learn some valuable lessons:

1. The best glue for plastic?  5 minute epoxy.
2. Always reinforce corners on frames that will be taking unknown abuse.
3. Always glue AND nail those reinforced corners.
4. Use the right product for the right job. ie. NOT wood filler for plastic. duh!
5. Think things through before blindly carrying on. 5 minutes of forethought reduces HOURS of frustration and idle drying time.

Having said all of that, I still thoroughly like the rough/patchiness of the frame. It suits the theme and my intent I think.

The brass "house" piece gave me equal aggrevation mainly because of the frame and it’s lack of sturdiness. But again, I do like how it turned out. The "world" charm imparts a more global viewpoint and again the timeworn metal shows that the reality and the ideal are so far apart, that any advancement is hard won.

I’m glad I was able to participate in Stella’s project , the shoes are  being shown in various locations in Manitoba and British Columbia. As the shoes are sold others replace them. Unfortunately, too similar to the children of war.

• Assemblage , Collaborations , Shows
• Comments(2)

Jen September 27th, 2007

This will be shown in the Members’ Show at the Lunenburg Art Gallery starting October 2 through October 31. Angel of Death is the second in my "Angel of…" series (the first was Angel of Mercy) and I have plans to do at least 6 more and then, hopefully, show them all together. This one is unique in that it is actually a light as well, illuminating Bruegel’s "Triumph of Death" . Rather fitting given the subject matter, I thought. The bottom "hell" features some lovely skulls from my bone guy along with various and sundry teeth, bones and a hand. Of course.

I’m not sure Lunenburg is ready for this. So just in case, I’ve also done one of my "scenics".

Titled "End of Summer" - mixed media on artist wrapped canvas 16 x 20". An original photo of one of our sunflowers, molding paste, image transfer, acrylics.

• Assemblage , Mixed Media , Shows
• Comments(2)

Jen September 24th, 2007

Gorey DeTales moves to Colorado and The Artists’ Nook for the month of October. Very fitting time for this to be shown, I think and wish I could make the opening. I think I’d dress like Urban! (and hey! look my piece is featured on this card!) Also coming up is the Members’ Show for the Lunenburg Art Gallery. I have 2 pieces in the works that I hope to have finished. One, a "scenic" featuring a homegrown sunflower and the second in my "Angels of…" series, the Angel of Death. I think I’ve shown the latter piece in progress but it is really evolving into something wonderful. My daughter’s boyfriend said it was the coolest thing he’s ever seen. High praise from a 15 year old indeed. Photos to come!

• Shows
• Comments(1)