Jes Lee

projects

Suddenly the world changes

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It has been awhile since I have written a blog post here, though I have started at least a dozen in my head. Most of those have covered why I haven’t been writing here, including needing time with Mr. FN, needing time to create some new artwork (which I have been doing), and being sick…which has really knocked me out a few days over the last couple of weeks. All of those bits are really truly valid.

Then NASA goes and does something awesome, like landing a new rover on Mars, and I find myself laying in bed with Mr. FN watching the live stream of this happening on an iPhone and everything suddenly seems so surreal. Like the future is suddenly here, and has some small chance of being brighter and more peaceful than many of us (myself for sure) thought it would be.

And suddenly those excuses for not writing a blog post just don’t seem as interesting. That isn’t a bad thing.

Watching history happen is amazing.

I can’t top that with anything today, and I have decided I am not going to try. There will be other days for discussing upcoming events, and what I am working on. Today, I am just going to bask in the coolness of being part of the generation that saw NASA continue their work and land a robot on Mars.

I will leave you with a few links though:

MCBA’s new class schedule is up! (When the print version comes out, ask me how many of the photos are mine! I’ll be happy to tell you! Ha!) I’m working on figuring out how many classes I can realistically take this fall!

The month of July for my 30 Project is almost complete and uploaded! I am waiting to finish off one more roll of film and make prints to finish the last few journal pages. August will be updated soon….as soon as I go buy more photo corners!

More updates on books, boxes, and blogs coming soon.

I know a lot of people who laugh at how Mark Wheat says “be peaceful” at the end of his broadcasts. Honestly, I love that he says that, and that is on my mind a lot today. If we can be peaceful to one another, and work together, think of all the awesome things we can accomplish! Congratulations NASA. I’m so proud that you are around and still part of my generation. Maybe someday we can discuss all of the Hasselblad’s that are left on the moon…

~Peace~

 

Poison (365 project, day 104)

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Poison

April 2

Poison – this is the poison mushroom from the Super Mario Bros. games for those of you who don’t recognize it. (Though I can’t imagine any of you not knowing that!)

Poison

This brings me up to date with posts for my 365 project as well. I haven’t taken a photo yet for today, but it is coming.

Things have been a whirl wind lately. I haven’t been posting much because I was in the middle of transitioning my website over to a WordPress site…what you see here. Ta-da! There are still a few more things to tweak, but I am really happy with how it has turned out! Of course, it took me a bit longer than expected, but has been worth it.

This past weekend was full. I think that is the best way I can describe it.

We have been in the process of putting our condo on the market in the hopes that we can sell it soon, and find a house! Of course there was a lot of work for us to do: planting flowers in the pots on the deck, lots of cleaning, packing important things away, moving furniture to make the space look as large as possible, cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning. Even after working all weekend on it, there was still a bit more to do on Monday. The hardest part is over now, along with most of the work. Now we wait.

Saturday also was the end of my solo show at Anoka Ramsey Community College. That was very bittersweet for me. The awesome lab assistants at ARCC took my work down and packed it up for me. I didn’t have to do any of the work, which was so nice! I loaded two boxes of frames into my car and was done. I can now organize that work and get it ready for the next show. But, it is sad to know that show is over. It meant so much to me to have my artwork hanging up at the college that started this journey for me. It was a huge honor to have it on their walls, and it was a little sad to take it down.

On to the next thing! Yesterday my dad and I ran a bisque fire in the kiln, and spent a bit of time checking our work on the paint job on my car. (That is where the photo of the day came from.) Today my day will be full of putting framing wire on artwork for the next show, emptying the kiln, getting pottery ready for glazing and continuing to print pages for more books.

I’m grateful to have a Co-op meeting at MCBA this evening. I feel like I need a bit of time to be with other artists instead of working so much on my own like I have recently.

I am also grateful that the upcoming weekend is a holiday weekend, and will be very uneventful. I am looking forward to some much-needed downtime, and maybe a photo walk with one of my cameras.

Until next time,

~Peace~

And just like that it was the end of August

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It seems like whenever I see a project deadline on the horizon, it seems so far off. And then suddenly, said deadline will be running me over with a very large, very loud truck.

So far, I have made all of my deadlines! There are about 5 (that I can count without looking at a calendar) that are coming up between now and October. I will make them! I’m well on my way!

In the mean time, a small update:

I have artwork up at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts in the Pretend the World show. Six framed prints, and two videos of mine are on display. The opening reception is Saturday, August 20th, 5-8pm. Stop by if you can! It is a great show! I will blog more about it soon. 

I will have artwork up at the Dunn Brothers in Edina off of 66th and York Street for the month of September. I just went there today to see the space, and it is a very cute Dunn Brothers! You should definitely check it out if you are in the neighborhood.

Sunday, September 11th, Jes Lee Photos and Dad and Kiddo Pottery will be sharing a booth at Art @ Rice Creek with my creative friend Yameena! It is a great art festival, and free! You should come visit!

Saturday, September 17th, Jes Lee Photos and Dad and Kiddo Pottery will have a booth at the Bloomington Heritage Days festival! This is our first year at this one, so please stop by and say hi! It is hard being the new kid in the neighborhood!

I mentioned before that I was working on some new artwork. Here is one of the pieces in progress:

Where are you going?

I am also working on a book – I have an image, a poem, and a binding and I am working on putting all of those things together. This is one of my upcoming deadlines. I thought I had made more progress on it today, when I realized that out of 12 page signatures I had glued 10 together either out of order or upside down. That was a sign that I needed to quit for the night. Of course, I didn’t quit there, I took it apart and re-glued it the right way, and it is now setting under a weight drying.

As an artist, there are many times when you work yourself until you melt into a puddle of tiredness. Between working a paying job, and working at making your art almost every waking moment you aren’t working, it isn’t always easy. Having an immune deficiency tends to make those puddle days come faster than you expect, and definitely faster than they seem to come for others. I’m getting close to that point, but I’m not quite there yet. Maybe only waist deep in puddle. Tomorrow will definitely be a two cup of coffee kind of day!

Until next time,
~Peace~