Whimsical garden torchby
Jen
of JENUINE JEMS
The enchanting, whimsical garden torch shown above would bring a bit of magic to any garden! It is just one of Jen's delightful creations. When you pay a visit to Jen's shop on Etsy, JENUINE JEMS, you will see that this artist gives a magical touch to all of her creations, which range from sun catchers, painted glass, paintings and more. Be sure to pay a visit to JENUINE JEMS after learning a bit more about Jen as she tells us in her own words what her creativity means to her.
What led you to start creating your art/craft?
To be honest, I really have no idea! I can remember taking a drawing class back in middle school and then I don’t think I did much artistically for a while after that. After graduating college, I started playing around with beads and jewelry making and it has just kind of evolved into all of these other things. Mostly I try new projects just to see if I can do it at first and then I end up falling in love with the process and getting lost in it for a while.
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
As you can tell by my shop, I still haven’t decided, nor do I care to really! I really only hope to learn to work with more mediums! I always like to try new things. So many things interest me! Sometimes I go in waves. For a long time it was just the beads and jewelry, at the moment I’m loving different wirework and acrylic painting! Who knows what’s coming next week! LOL!
What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
Honestly, at the moment, it’s the quiet time I’ve set aside for myself. I know that may seem selfish… I am a stay at home Mom to two wonderful people and the days are hectic sometimes! I look forward to my quiet times in my art room alone with my music, my jems and my thoughts. Although I must say that as they are growing, they join me there often and I love watching their creativity grow along with mine. I also love that feeling of someone seeing something I’ve made and watching them smile and get interested in how it came to be.
If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
This makes me smile! I guess a tomato perhaps… They come in different colors and I like color. One is never quite sure if it’s a veggie or a fruit, much like I never know what I may create next. It’s all a fun mystery! Plus, I just love them and my creations!
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
I would really love to try more serious metal and wirework...with the torches and all of that good stuff! I have a jig and some hammers, but that only takes me so far!
What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
I’m looking for smiles. I just want someone to look at something I’ve made or that anyone has, for that matter and think, “look at that, I’d love to have that in my home, or wear that, or give that to… because it makes me smile”! I also think it’s important to see that it’s just fun to try new things and that you don’t necessarily have to be trained to create anything. That to me is the beauty of it all. If you can picture something, try it and by all means ask for help, but don’t think you can’t.
What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
I’m so new to all of this real creating, but if I had to, it would be to keep at it as long as you smile while doing it! It’s funny, for so long I just made all of these things and they just sat in my little art room. Turns out, they all had places they were meant to live, eventually. And I have hope for the others in there too!
Cherry tulips acrylic on canvas painting
by JEN
Jen, thanks for a delightful, upbeat "peek" into what makes you tick as an artist. We'll all be looking forward to seeing where else your "creativity" takes you!
If you'd like to see more of Jen's creations, and learn a bit more about her, be sure to visit her links below.
