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A New Year

January 15, 2015 by Jes

I have started, and deleted this blog post three times already.

This year has already had so many ups and downs, it hardly seems like a new year anymore! But it is, and like every other year, standing at the top of it, I do think back on how many things have changed, how I have changed, and look forward to the shiny new year to come.

What do I wish for this year?

For more peace and goodness in this world.

To survive my job and the challenges it brings.

To learn what I really love, try new things, and know it is ok if I don’t love/choose to do/enjoy all the same things the other people I enjoy being with do. I know that seems simple, but it was a big revelation for me last week.

There are a few people who have already made a huge difference in my little world this year, more than I can ever tell them.

My goal: to live with more gratitude, not that I was living without it or unable to express it before, I am just feeling today like there can never be too much. The more, the better.

This year, John and I ended and started 2014 and 2015 in one of our favorite countries, visiting some amazing and very generous friends. I am very lucky! There will be photos and posts about that trip very soon.

In fact, one other thing I realized already this year, is that I like this little blog, and even though I have made many resolutions to post more, I believe I actually will this time.

I’m still here…

November 4, 2014 by Jes

The new work schedule has definitely been an adjustment…an adjustment that has taken up a lot more brain space than I would like some days. But it is November, and one of my favorite seasons is just around the corner, and somehow things seem to be settling in a little more each day. I have finally gotten back to creating, and working on my little book project that has gotten shoved aside for the last two months.

There are so many events coming up between my photography and the pottery my dad and I work on together! Check my ‘Announcement‘ page. I have kept that as up to date as possible with everything new coming up.

Yesterday I hung artwork up in Karin Jacobson’s studio for Art Attack, coming up this weekend! I am so excited! It will be a long weekend, but I am looking forward to being there!

I have kept up with my #100DaysOfHappiness that you might remember me starting in September. I am loving that little project! I haven’t been posting updates for it – I am feeling quite strongly that some things just need to stay in my journal, and a few of those updates fit that. But I might share a few more a long the way.

This post has been all over the map, especially for the first update in quite a while! Hopefully this space will be a little less neglected going forward…

I’m off to my studio before I have to head to work. Until next time!

Oh, and here is one of my newest pieces…this and two other new compilations are up at Karin’s studio!

Day 11

October 7, 2014 by Jes

#100DaysOfHappiness

Little updates

August 13, 2014 by Jes

It has been a little quiet around my blog since I finished the last major run of printing on my book. It has been nice to have just a short break.

Of course I have been working on other little things after the printing was complete on my book. I am in a great workshop at MCBA, learning about photopolymer photograveur from Paulette Meyers Rich – an amazing artist and person. The class is full of great, creative people, and I am so excited to learn more about this medium and technique. I would really like to create more of my work in this way. And considering that my new job will allow me some extra funds to pay for the supplies needed for this medium, I’m certain I will continue with it in some form.

Yes, I said that. I have a new job. I start in just under 1 week as one of the studio managers at Anoka Ramsey Community College. It will be great!

Of course this means a lot of changes in my life in the upcoming years…as if there haven’t been many changes already. I think the hardest so far is having to step back from all the free-lance jobs I usually take on without really thinking. Time will be much more precious now.

And of course I will still be trying to finish this little book! I spent a lot of time at MCBA yesterday, and managed to get the pages organized, sorted, and the edges trimmed.

I still plan on working on this book as often as I can. Though my progress on it will slow down considerably. The work I completed yesterday was amazing to finish. Those steps were the last that needed to be completed at MCBA, and represent one more massive step complete in this book’s process. The rest I can complete on my own, wherever I need to be.

Today is the first Wednesday this summer that I haven’t been volunteering at the library. First up today is working on pottery with my dad. There is also a photo job scheduled later today, other little errands, and some work on weekend plans. But the sun is out, and I think today will be a good day.

Boxes to make and miles to paddle

August 26, 2013 by Jes

I believe this week will be my last “non-crazy schedule” week for a while. Next week will start a new epic adventure. Tuesday, September 3rd I will be starting a part-time internship at the Hennepin County Public Library in their preservation department at the main branch in downtown Minneapolis. I’m so excited! I will being doing many jobs, some of which will include helping to repair old bindings and make new enclosure boxes to protect aging materials. So, like any nerdy over-achiever, I have been practicing my box making skills.
It is really nice to have my new studio space set up so I can make things!

The boxes that are made at the library are a style of clam shell box. I’m not exactly sure what their specifications will be, but I have made clam shell boxes before.

This one I made over a year ago in a class taught by Jana Pullman.

I found instructions from a workshop I took from Jodi Williams last winter and started figuring out what I needed to make a mini box.

Mini boxes are great, since the pieces are never too big, and you can usually use scraps from other projects to make them!

This past Saturday I decided John and I needed a break from yard works and house work. We took our kayaks down to Long Lake and had a lovely quiet afternoon paddling around. Somedays you need to just be somewhere quiet. Having a day like this helped a lot.

Updates

May 6, 2013 by Jes

The month of May somehow snuck up on me!

There are a lot of festivals coming up that Jes Lee Studios and Dad and Kiddo Pottery will be sharing a booth at. Please check out my announcements page for all the details on those!

If you are on my email list, you have most likely already received an email about these. If you aren’t on my list and would like to be, let me know!

That is all for now. I promise to blog more soon!

Season changes and artwork challenges

March 31, 2013 by Jes

It has been a bit quiet around here again.

That is due mostly to the fact that I have been very busy printing book pages, and planning artwork for my show.

After a few long days of printing on the etching presses at MCBA, I am two print runs away from being finished with one book.

I also took a class to learn photo-polymer-graveur! This is something I have been wanting to learn about for some time. It is just one in a series of old photography printing techniques that has been adapted a bit to modern technologies.

It was amazing! I’m really excited to work with this process more.

The seasons are shifting, and suddenly there seems to be more photo jobs than time. I’m not complaining though! Each job is fun and full of amazing people and opportunities! However, I will admit to wishing there was a fairy around at times to help with the work load…but who hasn’t done that once in awhile?! ;)

Mostly I have just been my moody, contemplative little self lately, contemplating how I fit into the grand scheme of the artwork I’m working on and how I could manage to cram a few extra hours into each day. Upcoming deadlines, projects, and that another birthday is sneaking up on me…around 12 weeks away as my mom recently reminded me…maybe I’ll skip that one this year!

In the morning it will be April, and just like always I look at the new month and think positive thoughts. Tomorrow marks National Poetry Month and for the first time I am going to attempt at participating! While I have written quite a bit for my project, I need a better writing practice, and I am continuing to search for what that means to me. Perhaps a poem a day will be it. I am not planning on blogging what I write each day, but maybe I will. You never know. Right now I am more obsessed with what notebook/sketchbook/iPhone/Android/laptop/pens/pencils/handwriting style I will use for this writing…this could be why my writing practice is not very well structured…I’m too focused on what toys to write with! Ha!

For now, I am off to get a bit of sleep before a full day of work tomorrow. Happy Spring!

Finally!

March 16, 2013 by Jes

It is late, but I finally finished the box for my class! The box has compartments that pull out on each side. Closed, it shows one photo. Open, it shows three photos. The photos were taken with Impossible Project Black Frame PX600 Silver Shade instant film. I’m not positive, but I think this took me around 20 hours to finish…

Only one job today

February 22, 2013 by Jes

Super woman

January 28, 2013 by Jes

Well here we are at Monday.

This weekend I felt a bit like I was playing at being Super Woman or something. I accomplished a lot, and had quite a bit of fun, but I am dragging today!

To start with, Thursday last week I photographed two gallery shows, and brought home more items from MCBA to photograph in my light box. I love my photo job at MCBA! Though I admit, this week the photos I have to process are stacking up on my computer! On the plus side, I am really enjoying my new camera, and am quite close to selling my old camera equipment.

Friday, I worked a double shift at my day job, ran a few errands in between, then headed back to MCBA to photograph an event. John and I met up with a couple of friends after that. I crashed when we got home.

Saturday we were up early to clean for a showing at our condo, then off to learn how to play Mahjong with a couple John knew from a previous job. We had a ton of fun, and I am now obsessed with the game and determined to teach more friends to play!

Saturday night I buckled down and finally got a draft written for a residency application that is due by the end of this week. John was very sweet and read it over for me. I will be working on the final edits tonight, and turning it in tomorrow. I am excited and so very nervous all at the same time!

Sunday was a long working-the-day-job day, but we did close a bit early due to the snow. Did I mention there was snow??!!

(I was playing around with camera apps on my phone while I was at work yesterday. The snow was so pretty!!)

It was nice to be home a bit early. We stayed up way too late watching Downton Abbey and The West Wing. I did get a lot of book page layouts done while we were doing that, and I am now ready to print the rest of the book pages for this series. This will help immensely this week – I have an appointment to see the eye doctor on Thursday morning, and I know I won’t be able to focus on any fine-detail photo work for awhile after that…but I can print!

Of course the thought of going to the eye doctor brings up all sorts of things for me to worry about such as wondering how much my prescription sunglasses will cost this time, and my increasing self-consciousness about wearing glasses and all sorts of things like that, but hey! One day at a time here.

Today is Monday, there is work to be done, and an application to finish, a blanket of fresh snow on the ground, and no time to worry about things I can’t change today!