Weathering the Weather on Eglinton Ave West

Working outside on a busy street comes with its challenges. The weather is obviously a big factor and my weather app is constantly being checked. I actually like it when it rains first thing in the morning… it’s easy to make a call! Yup we’re working inside. Yesterday I stayed in all day - we could have worked outside! Ugh… there was a weather warning all day that never materialized!

With each passing day it looks more and more like the work will be moving indoors for the winter season. Thinset and grout don’t like cold wet weather. We are hoping to get a couple more planters done but its very hard to know. I’ll miss the hustle bustle of the busy street. We appreciate the kind words shared by passerbyers and the locals popping by to give words of encouragement. I’ve come to appreciate the personality of this very diverse neighbourhood. Here’s hoping we get a few more warm days that will allow us to complete a few more planters before we shutdown for winter. I’ve added a few pictures of our progress. It’s not the best photography but you get the idea.

Putting The Pieces Back Together →

The Leslie Grove Gallery’s New Show is Opening on Thursday October 6th - The Ontario Mosaic Artist’s Executives have worked tirelessly to get this show put together. They have done an amazing job. If you are interested in seeing some incredible pieces of unique art, make a point of stopping by over the next month. Don’t wait too long though as many of the pieces sold last year. (For the best selection - shop early) I have one piece that will be on display. I also have a section in the mosaic quilt that is up for auction. It’s a great cause so please consider bidding on it. It will look great hanging up in your home. To learn more and bid - click the link https://go.rallyup.com/slf-auction/Campaign/Details

OMA & Leslie Grove Gallery

Mended Flower

A Mosaic Quilt

Jenny May

A MESSY MESS

So… I’ve committed to writing a weekly blog…

Not sure what that will look like but I have ideas about sharing my everyday experiences as an aspiring mosaic artist. To talk about whatever strikes my fancy. Mostly about what I’m thinking about doing and the process …everything mosaic… Before I can really get into the mosaic art and the work I want to do… I have to get my house in order… literally …

I moved my studio home from B13 August 31st and our house is still in a state of disarray. Most of the mess is confined to our garage and the basement. I’ve been working on cleaning out the spare room and am almost there (except for the closet… which deserves a blog post of it’s own). I’m truly in awe of how much “stuff” I accumulated at the studio! I’m fortunate to have a huge basement that is almost completely dedicated to Jenny May Mosaics. My goal over the coming weeks is to get things cleaned up and organized down there so I have a creative space to work in.

The task seems so monumental I don’t know where to start…. BUT you have to start somewhere so this is my plan.

1. Invite a few good friends to come over and help me! Asking for help is something I’m terrible at! The reality is with help I’ll get things done quicker. DONE … a few close friends are coming over Friday.

2. PURGE - PURGE - PURGE!!! I tend to hang on to things because you never know when I might need them for a project. I have to be brutal and get rid of stuff that has been around long enough for me to know it won’t ever get used.

3. Make my trips count - Don’t go down or come up empty handed! Ha ha… I’ve been doing this since the end of August but really started to stick to it last week and amazingly it’s working.

4. Take progress pictures - I did this when I moved down to B13 and it took several months before I had things even close to where I wanted them. The retail / gallery space was just about perfect by the time I decided to move everything home … lol. Just reminding myself - it takes time to get things done … the photos help show the changes as I go and in turn helps me know things are moving in the right direction - albeit slowly.

As I’m sure you can tell by this post - the home studio and gallery is a work in progress and will evolve over the coming months. I’ll keep things updated here on my blog and also on facebook and instagram. Stay tuned for #creativespace #studio #everythingmosaic

The images below sure do say about 3 thousand words. Is it a mess? I call it art.

About last weekend(s)...

On the road again…

So it’s Thursday evening and I want to share what I experienced over the past two weekends. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness…. it was a truly wonderful experience on so many levels.

Back in early 2019, I applied to be a guest artist in the Bancroft & Area Autumn Studio Tour and was thrilled to be accepted. Having never been part of a studio tour I was provided with advice from organizers and set out to prepare for the show. Time has a way of marching on and before I knew it September arrived. I packed up my car on Friday September 20th and headed north. I was really, really, nervous… and had a few moments leading up to my departure thinking of reasons why I should pull a no show! Four and a half hours in the car and my trusty google maps got me safely to my destination….

I walked into Nancy & Doug McKinnon’s beautiful home and was amazed at the place… perfectly situated on a lake and very homey and welcoming. Nancy is an abstract landscape painter and her work is gorgeous - her studio is on the lower level of her home with a walk out to the lake. Her work is bold and colourful - there were several pieces that I really felt drawn to …and I will have an original in my home at some point. Anyway, I spent the next few hours setting up the pieces I brought and secretly worried that I would be a flop! UGH - it’s hard to put yourself out there! Once everything was arranged I left Nancy’s - she gave me a big hug and I was soooo thankful for her at that moment she’ll never know! I got back in my car and programmed the google maps to my next destination - about 30 to 40 minutes away. I stayed with Michelle Bruce a talented jewellery designer and her friend Karen Gray a potter. These two are amazing women and their work is gorgeous… I did make a few purchases - I couldn’t resist. It felt very strange being completely out of my comfort zone, I literally didn’t know a soul. .. and they didn’t know me! Thank heavens for their kindness and generosity. I have to say everything went really well and we have become fast friends.

So here I am… I have two weekends as a guest artist in the Bancroft & Area Autumn Studio Tour where I got to showcase my work and connect with attendees and other artists from all across Ontario. Being a guest at Nancy McKinnon’s Rockwood Art Studio which is located on Baptiste Lake was a great location for a few reasons. One, the majestic views and beautiful surroundings provided the perfect setting for a creative and inspiring experience. Two, Nancy is a well known and respected artist in the area and has a large following. We had hundreds of visitors over the 2 weekends and it was surprising to me because it felt so quiet… no traffic to speak of … so where did everybody come from?? When I asked people I learned we had visitors from all over Ontario… and lots of locals too.

I experienced so many positive moments it’s hard to know where to start….. The thing I really loved was talking to visitors about my passion. Mosaic art… I was asked countless questions and I did my best to answer everyone of them. Over the many conversations I had - I met so many wonderful creative souls! Some fellow artists, others curious or interested in how I came to mosaic and what keeps me motivated and inspired. I heard lots and lots of great stories! I realized that many people participate in the tour to draw inspiration from the various artists they visit. To me…. this is a fabulous thing… me… Jenny May being an inspiration!! How cool is that!

I could go on and on… but I’ll write more on the tour once I’ve had more time to reflect on my experiences. One very important lesson I learned is don’t let your fear rule you… it’s okay to be afraid, but remember when you step outside of your comfort zone, this is when you actually grow and learn about yourself. I’m very proud of myself… I learned a lot! There are some things I’ll do differently and other things I’ll get better at… like social media! Hopefully, I’ll be fortunate enough to be invited back for the 2020 tour!

Also feel free to take a look at the article I was featured on below!

http://www.bancroftthisweek.com/?p=10057

Thanks for reading my blog… Stay tuned for next week’s … I’ll be talking about what’s next for Jenny May and #everything mosaic. Checkout the workshop I’m running October 26 & 27th, 2019 at The Hive London (the last weekend of October) I’ll be covering all the basics of making your very own mosaic masterpiece.

“Life opens up opportunities to you, and you either take them or you stay afraid of taking them.” – Jim Carrey

FLASHBACK FRIDAY #FBF

Happy Friday the 13th!

An unpublished post found in my drafts … very interesting as this was written on the Eve of me opening up my studio in the heart of London’s Old East Village at B13 The Baker’s Dozen…

“I wish I could say this past year has been an amazing one - full of new Jenny May creations .... but it hasn't been that kind of year.  The universe had other things in mind and between my new job my new grand baby and my health I haven't had the time or energy to do anything except exist.  It's amazing what a health scare can do to propel you into action!!!  I learned a long long time ago that nothing will happen if you don't "actually" do it.  Thinking about it, researching, talking, listening... all super important things to do - making a plan.... but ultimately the only way it gets done is by just acting on whatever needs doing. “ - JMM April 28, 2018

And now I begin a new chapter … taking my mosaic art practice to new heights and it begins with a new location and direction and of course “a plan” … stay tuned for Jenny May Mosaic’s exciting news.
#everythingmosaic - check it out on my gram. @jennymaymosaic

BIG NEWS IN THE ART WORLD

YES IT’S TRUE - I made this announcement with tongue in cheek !! BUT it is BIG NEWS for me!!!

I ‘m writing today about the evolution of a creative and art loving woman who is ready to step out of the shadows and show some of her work!! “ME”…..

Stay tuned for the details but here’s what I know so far. I will be the featured artist at B13 - 613 Dundas St, London, ON Canada! in July 2019 and will be holding an Opening on B13’s First Friday Night Market - An Art Gala Extravaganza on July 5, 2019. I CAN say there will be an amazing young Jazz Musician performing AND I will have my award winning “Bejewelled Pear”on display along with a few new additions. I’ve also invited a few of my talented artist friend’s to show their work …to be announced!! And of course the amazing B13 Resident Artists and Artisan’s will be showing their work. So get all glammed up and come out and smooze. What could be better? MARK it down on your calendar…. and see you there. Jenny xoxox

NEWS TO REPORT - Life has Changed

Since my last post:

1. My mother, Ruth Claire Berry passed away (Feb 28, 1933 - April 2, 2017)

2. I lost my job.

3. I got a new job.

4. My daughter moved out and we are now officially empty nesters

5. I became a Grandmother - My son and his wife gave birth to a beautiful, healthy little girl.

To me, change is an occurance in my life that has forced me to stop, reflect and listen to my inner voice. 

It's also a catelist to renewed creativity. It can be amazing, life altering, difficult, challenging, surprising, scarey and tramatic. You may need time to recover from it! One thing is for certain... what ever has happened, whether by your own decision or some force outside of your control, it will pass!  As my Mother use to say " Time stops for no one... it marches on". 

The best kind of change can be something you choose.  For example I've decided I'm going to lose weight and from this decision I hope to reap the many benefits - like better health, more energy, and look better.

Sometimes when we are forced to change by a decision someone else makes - even if you know it's the absolute best for you - it hurts your heart and makes you feel sad.  I left my job in May and although it has worked out fabulously it was an incredibly stressfull time.  My new and amazing day job is wonderful! I love the place and the people and know I'm exactly where I need to be. I trust in the universe that this is my path. I know that once things calm down... I'll have the time and space to begin creating again. I haven't been in my studio for several weeks and I feel the NEED to create filtering through me.  I believe I'm about to enter into a highly creative time in my life. 

The trick is to carve some time into my day to open up the door to create.  This blog is my way to measure that creative force within me and if I'm truly listening and making time.

My next post will be about "the plan". Stay Tuned!!!

MOSAIC MAGIC

I believe in magic! Do you?

I find the concept of creativity intriguing.  When I am not creating I am thinking about creating... sometimes the thinking takes me away from the act and I wonder  if there is something holding me back...

Elizabeth Gilbert's New York Times Bestseller, BIG MAGIC Creative Living Beyond Fear was an enlightening read for me and really did change my way of thinking and living... I read her book about two years ago and it was  "magic for me". This book jumped off the shelf at Indigo and made an instant impression on me. Its what I needed to read - right at the perfect time in my life, I was open to hear the message and I'm better for it in many ways. Since then I've reinvented myself and adjusted my attitudes. I feel less fear about dying before I can finish my lifes work... create the masterpiece or getting too old and not having time to enjoy my art... I thought I needed to stop work at my paying job and jump into my life of creativity headlong!.. I was a chicken and didn't believe in myself enough to trust ... if I make it "they will buy it"

When I went home and curled up in bed to read my new book - I felt sure I would learn what Big Magic is and how to let go of this paralyzing fear and quit my job and get working on my creative life and art. As I read I discovered hidden in the pages  a message just for me... " stop fretting and worrying about what may happen". The future is now and I've heard this and read this countless times before - learn to live in the moment for today. Something clicked and living in the moment meant - being creative and trusting in that every day.  Right away I started to work in my studio in the evenings and on weekends. I was challenging myself to create something... and stop makeing excuses. I'm too tired I need material, I need to clean up or make dinner or whatever...

I often remind myself of something a teacher once said in a workshop I attended.  Her name is Sharra Frank an amazing artist and teacher,  she said, paraphrasing here:  " whenever she had an idea that she decided to run with and she worked really really hard on it - she found she was paid back in spades but sometimes not in ways she expected. https://sharrafrank.com/  .  In a nutshell, work hard and you'll be rewarded... for me - this usually means working long hours with no pats on the back or encouragement... and yes I have been rewarded, sometimes financially but usually in other ways and always significantly.