jennie kohl austin

So, since my birthday a couple of weeks ago, my daughter Maggie also had her 14th birthday.  I can’t believe she’s already 14!  Anyway, I made a bunch of cloth bags for her friends as party favors…the bags were a hit, and so was the party!

Today is my 35th birthday, and I chose to take the day off from my regular job and work in my studio.  I haven’t really worked IN the studio much this year, but used it mostly as a storage space for all my STUFF.  But since my house is starting to get a little overrun with art supplies, I decided today would be a good day to clean up a bit at home and then go and clean up at the studio. My plan is to spend more time up there, and only bring home artwork for specific tasks.  I have kids and so I can’t just spend all my time being creative – I have tons of responsibility – but I think this will be a good balance.  I took some pictures to share while I was up there, it’s not very decorated yet but it’s still pretty cool.
From the entrance:

The sewing area:

The cutting area:

For painting, stamping and other messy work:

A divider area, mostly storage:

I’ve had a couple of slow weeks, or should I say weeks that were busy with non-artistic endeavors.  I have been planning a couple of new projects that I plan to share as they come together.  This piece is inspired by the following painting:

What does this painting have to do with Seashells?  Well, this oil painting was done by my Grandmother, MariAn Hatten Ellis, who passed away in 1997.  This beautiful work of art now belongs to me and although nobody knew it at the time it was painted, is of one of my great loves - fabric.  I have not yet hung the painting, because when I selected a space for it, I felt like there was something missing.  After some soul-searching I decided that since my Grandmother was such a significant influence on me artistically, that I would like to hang it with a piece of my artwork of a subject matter that I think she would love – seashells. 

Here’s a little taste of what is to come, more photos will follow:

Here’s some additional photos of the painting for your enjoyment:

Post #1!

Let me begin by introducing myself.  I’m Jennie, I’m an artist, and this is my blog.  If you want to know a little bit more about me, you can read my artist bio.  If you want to know a lot more about me, well then, hang around and keep reading, I expect over the next few hundred blog entries to come you’ll get to know more about me than you’ll want to know.  In fact, I’m hoping I’ll get to know more about me, too. 

As it currently says up there at the top of the page, I’m a fiber artist.  If you don’t know what that means you’ll have to stick around and see.  2006 has been tremendously challenging, albeit a stellar year for me artistically.  A year ago I could not say with confidence, “I’m an artist.”  Now, I think I’m ready to share not only my continued growth, but my past projects.  Please forgive me for some of those.  Some of them are not art.  But they were necessary to get where I am today…on the right path to being a real artist. 

So anyway, welcome to my blog.