Subterfuge Studios Project: Episode 1: Jen Raven

Subterfuge Studios Project is a new blog series aimed at providing a glimpse into the studios and spirits of an eclectic mix of local artists. Whether they be painters, writers, musicians, performers, designers, or crafters, each artist featured in SSP has agreed to share his or her personal space with you, the reader. All bio and interview questions are answered in the artist's own words. 


First up, a peek into the space and mind of the quirky, indomitable Jen Raven.

Name/moniker: 

Jennifer Powers (aka) Jen Raven 

Medium: 

I can be overly enthusiastic about a wide range of mediums.  Acrylic gesso and acrylic paints are what I enjoy most.  I'm also a big fan of heavy gel mediums, watercolors, photoshop, spraypaint, pencil, crayon, sharpie, clay, faux furs, feathers, foams, wigs, papers of all kinds and paper mache, paperboards, fixatives, varnishes, threads, yarns, trims, plastics, metals, polyfill, found objects, wires in every gauge, fabrics of all kinds, notions of all kinds, tapes of all kinds, and glues of all kinds.  I could keep going and going with this list.  And I love tools and machines as much as I love materials.

Studio name: 

My nick-name for the studio is 'Willow Run' after a WWII manufacturing plant in Michigan, which was built by Ford Motor Company for the mass production of B-24 Liberator military aircraft.  Willow Run got off to a slow start, at first, and had the press joking, "Will-It-Run?"  But then they got the bugs worked out, and production picked up to an astonishing degree ... the amazing production capacity of this plant (640 B-24s per month!) helped the Allies win the war.  

  

Neighborhood:

We live in Bakersfield's Southwest.  My studio is a converted space in our home.  

Studio dimensions:

Studio space measures ten feet by fifteen feet; we took the doors off the closet to make the room bigger.  

Favorite feature: 

For as long as I can remember, I've dreamed of having a dedicated work space that was all mine, with enough room to accommodate supplies and materials, while still also having enough space to handle several projects-in-progress at once. I finally have that space.  I still turn into an emo kid and get choked up when I walk through the door, every single time.  I can't believe my good fortune.  This studio has good light, lots of shelf space, three separate flat work spaces, and enough room to accommodate three standing easels at one time.  I'm home.

More info at: 

www.jenraven.com  

1. Favorite candy and why?  

Pink coconut bonbons from See's.  (The Tiperary bonbons are very good, too.)  I like these bonbons because they are like everything good about frosting, but concentrated.  I love frosting.  Love.  Frosting.  Keep the cake and just give me the frosting.

2. Do you have a collection, and if so, what do you collect?

I do have a collection:  I collect art pieces with wings.  Right now the favorites in my collection are two winged pieces by brilliant local talent Susan Roussel.  (Susan will be part of a small group exhibit, 'Fright Sights' opening First Friday, October 7 at The Foundry, 1602 20th Street, beginning at five pm.  Admission is free!)

  

3. Local musician/artist/writer etc. who deserves more attention:

The work of local Painter (and currently, Volunteer Gallery Director, Gallery Manager, Curator and Teacher) Jesus Fidel absolutely needs more attention.  We are damn lucky Jesus Fidel chooses to give so generously of his time and talent to building Bakersfield's Art Community.  If you don't know Jesus yet, spend some time at The Empty Space Gallery and get to know him.  He's an amazing painter,  and one hell of a nice guy.

4. Inspirations?

Human relationships --that is, our relationships with our selves, with each other, with our world -- make up the bulk of my subject matter.  One way or another all of my work revisits this theme.  My inspirations are drawn from literature, theatre, history, and of course, personal experience.  I am deeply moved, and I have a strong desire to communicate these feelings to others.  

5. Personal soapbox:

My pet charity here in town is the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault.  Please join me in supporting this excellent group of people in helping to make our community safer for everyone.  They can be found on Facebook, and also at www.kernalliance.org  

(My philosophy or things I find important would take up pages and pages and pages and I'd never get done.  I'm just too worked up about too many damned things, lol).

[Ed. note: To check out more from Jen Raven, stop by downtown's First Friday event, October 7, 2011, from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.]

Longevity pay.

Recently, I reached an employment milestone: 10 years with the County of Kern. For my loyalty, I received a nice tote, a certificate (see photo below), and an extra little love on my pay check. This last item was something that I had heard of but had never experienced. Something called longevity pay.

To be honest, I had mixed feelings about this financial blessing. Much as I, like anyone in this economy, could use a few extra bucks each pay period, I had this sinking feeling that I had reached a dead end--an uncomfortably comfortable habituality--from which I would never escape.

In order to process my thoughts, I wrote a short, depressing poem:

Longevity pay (what it means):

Stable, solid, old.

Settled, no longer looking, no more hope of change--

nor of striving to reach goals.

Arriving at plateaus; no longer choosing.

Becoming one of them.

Defeat.

Smacking of bland death or middle age--whichever comes first--

Walking in tasteless, stale, sensible shoes.

Cheery, eh? It's certainly not as maudlin a prospect as all that, but I do feel I've missed certain "windows" which may never open again. However, I have embraced the new dollar amount I get to count on each check, and though I have mixed feelings about being a permanently permanent fixture with the County, I am proud of the fact that I've stuck with an employer this long--and that, in these times, that employer has allowed me to stick!

And, guess what? Last time I checked, I'm still breathing. Some opportunities are, quite definitely, gone forever. But future possibilities of art, new experiences, and life and love are all before me. I don't think I need to finish my autobiography just yet.

Dust and nostalgia.

What the heck are these?

Most years Bakersfield skips the season of spring and jumps right into summer.  But unpredictable temperatures in the last couple of months have allowed us natives to pretend we live at the beach--minus the ocean view. It is starting to warm up now, but while we were experiencing cooler weather I was inspired to do a bit of spring cleaning.

Found my red Keds!

The back bedroom closet had become a solid wall of dust and nostalgia that needed to be sifted. I took on the task while I had a week off from work, but quickly realized how much time was going to be needed for a project of this size. Boxes still packed from my last move yielded happy rediscoveries, and gobs of memories, packed away for the last twenty-five years of my life, were also found. Here was my old, green stationery box filled with school ID cards and long-ago classmates' phone numbers; letters and postcards from friends and ancient crushes; music trophies from my nerdy junior high years; and about one hundred stuffed animals whose faithful hugs I had nearly forgotten. I also found check stubs from every job I've ever held, poems and journals I'd written in my angsty 20s, and the scrapbook I made for my senior year of high school. What a thoroughly exhausting trip down memory lane!

While the closet is still not fully organized, reliving some of the old days has uncluttered my mind, at least a little. As I creep ever more quickly toward my 40th birthday, it was a good time to reflect on how far I've come, how blessed I am, and how much I'm looking forward to what the next decades bring! Done any spring cleaning lately? What's the best thing you've rediscovered?

Rediscovered Sarah Coventry bracelet which I remember wearing in the 80s!!

Love forever, Mom

A friend of mine pointed out that is has been five weeks since I last wrote. Bad blogger! It wouldn't be right to let May slip away without so much as one post, so tonight, I take you back one month...to Daniel's 18th birthday.

What 18-year-old wants to spend his entire birthday with his mom? Not any I know, yet there we were--Daniel, his girlfriend, Savanna, Phillip, and myself--having breakfast at Denny's (his choice); walking around downtown; watching Sixth Sense with his dad, his grandparents, and some of his friends; smiling over cake and ice cream; hanging out at the pizza parlor in the evening.

And somewhere in there, this magical moment happened:

When Daniel was a little boy, I would read him the children's book Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, just about every day. What a joy it was then, that on his birthday, we should stumble upon a tiny, used bookstore in the downtown area, which happened to have a copy of this delightful little tome. Right there, in the dimly-lit, stuffy, back room of this quiet book shop, he read to me the words that once I could only read to him: "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my Mommy you'll be."

For a mom who was feeling no small amount of consternation over my baby boy growing up, I think Daniel did a gracious job of easing me into becoming the mother of an adult. In a couple of days he graduates from high school; in the fall he starts classes at Bakersfield College. Even though one day he'll leave the nest, for the time being, he still resides under my roof. He's even agreed to co-produce a blog with his dear, old mom (coming soon!). Thank you, Daniel. I know whatever the future brings, "as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

Find of the day

At the risk of turning this blog into my vintage vice report, I'd like to continue the momentum of my new-found passion for photographing and sharing my retro treasures. Here's my find of the day:

A shiny, patent-leather, long strap purse with a decidedly yester-feel. My poor orange, patent-leather purse, which I use nearly every day, is looking like it could use a break. But this "new" treasure may be able to fill in for a bit! Both purses were found at one of my top 5 all-time favorite used goods stores, the The Five and Dime Antique Mall (more commonly known as "Woolworth's"), for under $10.

Eureka Street launch

So, how've you been? I've been better--school is dragging along and dragging me down. I have been in need of a new project to throw some excitement into my day dreams, and this weekend the inspiration arrived! As I mentioned previously, I have a bit of a fetish for vintage stuff. Yesterday I bought a few more things and realized: my collection is getting a little out of control! What to do? Well, yeah.. shoot it!

Eureka Street by LissaFudge is birthed. I hope you enjoy perusing my thrift store bargains and get inspired to do some hunting for your own previously owned treasures!

Poof!

Exactly a month since she *poof* disappeared... And just like that.. she was back. At least for tonight.

First my requisite apologies for leaving without warning: school work plus lack of sleep was leaving me with very little energy, so I made the decision that something had to give--at least temporarily. Unfortunately, that thing was my beloved daily blogging. But even if it's weekly or monthly, I'll still be popping in to drop off a few pics.

Tonight is a pair of pairs--of legs that is--featured in our cozy living room. These are a couple of iPhone pics, edited with PS Express, of me and Phillip relaxing in our humble abode after a long work week.

I'm a big fan of yesteryear's style--as you may have guessed--I like to call my personal spin on it "Retro-clectic". Just to whet your appetite.. I'm working on some interior decorating updates to our 1940s rental home, and I'll be sharing my favorite vintage finds, thrift decor, and repurposed furniture on the blog soon. Stay tuned!

Adios weekend.. I hardly knew ya..

Goodbye weekend... until we meet again. The last couple of days I spent much of the time asleep, and it felt great! But all that sleeping didn't allow much time for shooting. So tonight it's an iPhone pick: late afternoon sun hitting Rabbobank Arena across from the Kern County Admin Building. Now, back to sleep--see you Monday!

Contrast.

Compare and contrast the two photos above. Similar? Different? For various reasons, these struck me as counterparts to each other and that is why they are being posted tonight. What do you like about these photos? What do you dislike? For me, the texture, composition, lighting, and contrast all work. But I wonder if this is a particular set of factors that I enjoy and which others may not? As I develop as a photographer (no pun intended!) I hope to be able to objectively critique my work and understand my particular vision. For me, straightforward, distinct landscapes and architectural elements are favorites that seem to crop up (again!) over and over. It will be interesting to see, in the near future, if many other photos resemble these two. If you're a shooter, I'd love to hear your input; tell me about your favorite shooting elements, and what you think makes a good photo.

Finally Friday.

Sadly, I missed out on First Friday tonight. Instead, I stayed home with my Nutrition assignment and a slight belly ache. But that's the life for this woman who has been up until after midnight every day this week and who is incredibly excited about sleeping in tomorrow! Who knows? After some decent rest I may even be up to the task of creating some new pictures for tomorrow's post. Check back and see! For now, I leave you with something a little unusual.

The photo above was taken back in 2008, when I had just acquired my first DSLR. I believe I was driving and shooting, as I am apt to do, when I snapped this photo toward the base of the Grapevine (Hwy 99 at I5, headed south). Yes, I know the quality is horrible, but the composition is something I would love to capture again. So even though I cringe at how "noisy" and amateurish it looks, there is something of value in this work. This is me, learning from myself, and encouraging those developing their craft to enjoy their work, their growth, and their creativity--not every photo is perfect, but if you love it, it is worth sharing!

Do you know these people?

Pardon me, but do I know you?

Strike a Pose Guy, Fresno, CA
by Terry Telford, LissaFudge Photography

I sure don't know any of the people in tonight's photos, and yet each of them posed for me pretty willingly. Some I didn't have to ask--they volunteered for the photo--a shooters dream! Apparently, complete strangers enjoy having their picture taken... which is puzzling... If these unknowns are so cooperative, why can't I get my dad to stay still and say, "Cheese," for me?

Don't go to Tucson, San Diego, CA
by Terry Telford, LissaFudge Photography

FLICS makes Friends, Bakersfield, CA
by Terry Telford, LissaFudge Photography

Photo play.

Today was a day for play. Inspired by some goth-influenced photos (more on why will be revealed in a later post), I found myself revisiting the photo shown above. (See original post here.) I wanted to process it differently--with more of a spooky vibe--and that great, creepy tree was perfect for what I had in mind.

Another reason for play: An interestingly marked apple. I seem to be creating a collection of iPhone apple photos (hmmm...) taken at work.

What a wonderful food for art--and snacking!

This last one is for my friend Paul. I call it "AppleNoise."

AppleNoise

The lion roars in: March

March already! Two months down of continual blogging! To be honest, I wasn't at all sure I would make it this long, but this post-a-day thing has actually become a favorite part of my day. Tonight I bring you more photos from the hunt: this time from a day trip to Posey, CA. Along the way, certain scenes begged to be captured. I was happy to oblige; evidence of man against the backdrop of nature is my favorite kind of landscape photo-making. 

Sneak Peek: Masks & Mannequins

Masks & Mannequins is a back-burner series I have been working on for the better part of a year. In the future I am hoping to put together a slideshow set to music composed by my son. Tonight I'm sharing just a small part of the work towards that end: some iPhone shots which I took at an antique and consignment store in downtown Bakersfield. While I love the emotion (or lack of) which these photos convey, I regret that I didn't have my "real" camera with me on this occasion.

Home sweet home.

There is plenty of room and plenty of love
filling this 1940 fixer-upper! 

Somehow the subject of homes came up as Phillip and I were talking today. Although we can get caught up in complaining about our rental property, we actually love the space and treat it as if it is our own. So many others have been forced to downgrade their living quarters and we have been blessed--so far--to be able to afford our quiet little home. This post is just to give thanks and remember that there are a great many others who are not as fortunate. We will continue to pray that this economy turns around and that many will be able to get back on their feet again soon.

Good Sky Day

[Bloggist's note: Foiled by technology again, last night's post is being retro-uploaded today, 2/27/11]

Homework, housework, and hobby work occupied most of my time today, but I still managed to take a short drive and capture some of the beauty of this Saturday. Shooting from the car is always a challenge--aside from the dangers of driving and snapping--but I didn't feel like getting out of my jammies, so the best I could do was (sometimes) roll down a window. Even though the weather report had many of us hopeful for a glimpse of snow, at least in Bakersfield, our only chance was to spy it from the distant mountain peaks. Still, it was a good sky day, and that makes for good pictures.