Today is about starting from square one, AFTER you’ve done all of the things you were supposed to do to get the life you wanted. It’s also about jellyfish alien creatures. Yes, Rhode Island based collage artist Jenny Brown in my guest today. She wrote a really heartfelt story on Facebook the other day, and I just had to get the inside scoop. You can listen under that flowering jellyfish, or you can subscribe on iTunes.
Let’s begin with a few of her recent pieces that I’m currently obsessing over:
I would happily swim with these elegant creatures. Look at those thin beautiful lines, those perfectly cut bits ‘n pieces. LOVE.
And now, stepping back in time. A dark time. These were the large, very black, incredibly dense (and sad) pieces that Jenny transitioned to during her MFA:
So different than her now very effervescent work. But, she pushed through and found the light again. Here are the first few pieces as Jenny began finding her way back to her “creatures”:
Ah, that’s more like it. Although those charcoal pieces were beautiful in their own right, these are just Jenny… and she knew it.
I asked about the kind of paper she uses for her lovely colorful backgrounds, which seems like a perfect excuse for me to show a few more of my favorite “Jenny Brown” collages:
Yep, love them all… So. Much. Color! I’m totally going to give pink card stock a shot. Beautiful.
Ok, so I found these WIP shots on Jenny’s gorgeous Instagram feed. Clearly, she’s a woman after my own heart:
Gasp! Seriously, I need my scissors RIGHT NOW. Look at that cut-image covered table! Call me a collage nerd if you must, but my heart is racing.
What else makes my heart race? Sugar! The only thing I regret about this episode was not asking Jenny about her deep passion for donuts. All of these sweet gems are also from her Instagram feed. I want ALL OF THEM:
Unicorn donut! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
And finally… Jenny, her cat Max, and Jenny’s perfect (apparently high maintenance) red lipstick:
Perfection. Max must’ve been too tired to put lipstick on for this shot. Thank you so much to Jenny for sharing her story of full-circles, loops, and starting over… so inspiring. Thanks to Saatchi Art for supporting another episode, and thanks to YOU for listening! There will be more art for your ear next weekend.
Other links:
- Bennington College
- Amy Sillman
- School of Visual Arts, NY
- RISD (Rhode Island School of Design)
- Jessica Brilli Episode
- Sidney Pink Episode
- Anthony Zinonos Episode
- The Philadelphia Story (Jenny’s fave movie from high school)
- Kirstin Lamb Episode
- Jenny on Instagram
- BUY Jenny’s work
ps. Oops, I forgot to mention this! The sign-up page for the course I’ll be part of in VENICE is ready! Yes, two weeks this August during the Venice Biennale!?! I’ll be teaching a few classes and workshops from August 7 – 20th via the European Cultural Center’s Academy, alongside several other instructors, curators, etc. Tours of galleries, meeting with curators, art making, passes to the biennale, AND gelato? There are only 20 spots for the weeks I’m going to be there, so if you were thinking about it, pop over there asap. Hope to see you in Italy… ciao!
Jenny is amazing! I’m so glad you interviewed her! I’m lucky enough to live close to her. She brings donuts with her when she visits, she is just amazing. I’m so glad she is on the Jealous Curator podcast!!! YAY!
Danielle, we have got to get you to RI. It will happen. XO 🙂
agreed! i want to eat donuts with you and jenny!
I love Jennys recent work but I also like the dark charcoal work too.
really beautiful work. love the interview also. 🙂
Another wonderful episode, and I love Jenny’s work. Danielle, I’ll add to the chorus of people asking you to please not do away with the Podcast. I cannot tell you how much inspiration and reassurance listening to these interviews has given me. Jenny’s interview is a perfect example!
thank you so much for this inspirational interview. it absolutely made my sunday morning!
Ahh this is crazy that you have her this week! I only just read about Jenny this week myself and fell in love with her art and her story and my first thought was I MUST email Danielle Krysa to see if she can get her on the podcast as I knew you’d love her to! So thank you to both of you. You’re both shining lights in the art world, reaching out to the rest of us who are either already ‘out there’ or still hiding behind our to-do lists and art school hangovers!
Another fantastic episode, Jennys work is so elegant and beautiful, thank you for sharing this story, and how lucky to have studied with Amy Sillman!
Wow! Such beautiful, memorable art, including the dark charcoal pieces! I thoroughly enjoyed your conversation with Jenny and related to so much of it. Thanks to both of you for sharing your stories, insights, experiences and advice.
I have listened to every one of your podcasts. Some of them twice. I love them! Change the format if that’s what you need to do but please don’t stop making them. Thank you for all the hard work and inspiration!
This episode made me cry, and I loved listening to Jenny talk about her work and her struggle. Her openness and vulnerability in sharing the hard parts of her journey means so much. I feel like I’ve started from scratch so many times, and hearing from someone like her is very inspiring. I can’t explain how huge Art for Your Ear has been for me since the beginning, but this is one of my favourite episodes ever. Thank you both so much.
thank YOU, amanda xo <3
Dear Danielle,
Hello! My name is Cassidy Kean, I am 23 and a recent college graduate with a degree from a small liberal arts school in Southern California in Arts Administration with an emphasis in Exhibition design. I have been an avid reader of your site for about four years now! I love your work, thank you. I am writing to you today because I came upon a status of yours on facebook a little over a month ago saying that you are going to be holding a few classes through the European Cultural Center in Venice! I read your post, clicked the links and found myself instantly applying to an Art Administration Internship that they have there. After a month of applying and communicating with the directors, I was accepted just last week! I want to thank you for sharing the link and being such an inspiring voice and presence in the art community. So Thank YOU! If you have some time to write back I would be grateful, I have many questions for you! Before I jump right into the internship I wanted to see what your experience has been like in working with the staff so far since they may be my future co-workers. Thank you again, and I hope to hear from you soon. Have an amazing week!
wow!!! that is so exciting! congratulations cassidy! feel free to send me an email at contact@thejealouscurator.com 🙂
What a wonderful interview!!
Jenny was a true delight to listen to and really seems to be an extremely likable being on the planet and in her jellyfish world. Thank you both for your words of wisdom regarding the artist’s world!
isn’t she lovely? just as lovely as those flower-covered jellies! : )
Ahhhh!!!! This is so exciting! I LOVE Jenny’s work and I love her as a human and I love your site and podcast so much. This is a beautiful revelation to find! (And I can’t believe I somehow missed hearing about it when the episode came out!)