To me the new year always feels like a fresh start, but moving into this year feels different. As a teacher, I’ve been told to remain apolitical, yet supportive of my student’s options. The purpose of this being for young people to form their own opinions on the world. Yet at this point in time I’m having more and more trouble concealing my own opinions. Trump’s re-election was a huge blow to many of us. I no longer feel safe hiking alone. I no longer feel safe simply being who I am. And these feelings lead me to think how unsafe other people are feeling, people who are much more marginalized and less privileged than I have been. It’s beyond scary.
This past semester, I began to feel that my creative productivity was arbitrary. Like my art practice was insignificant, inconsequential, and wasn’t making an impact. When I found myself ruminating on those thoughts, I reminded myself that painting makes me feel free, and happy, and that is validation enough to keep on creating.
Though I still don’t feel that I can individually make a global impact, at my last art booth I decided to donate the proceeds to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. This was a small but personally significant decision, because I am publicizing my support for war victims in Gaza. Support that is, appallingly, controversial at this moment in time. So, I can’t send you a warm and fuzzy message to rein in the New Year, because that would be inauthentic. But I do want to send you an update of how I'm feeling as a person, which inherently affects me, and I think most of us, as artists.
My art practice itself remains in my local experience, far from the front lines. Lately I’ve found delight in translating scenes of quirky store windows and shop displays. The two I’ve painted so far are ‘Antique, Mid-Century, Vintage’, and ‘I Found the Lights’, both gouache on watercolor paper. I just got back to the Bay Area from a trip to Western Massachusetts, and I shot some great new reference material from a vintage store in a retired textile mill. I’ve also been continuing to incorporate figures and portrait paintings into my practice. I am still painting in oil, though I only completed 6 oil paintings of the 150 pieces finished in 2024.
Finally, I’ve added a new section of limited edition giclee prints to my website, which you can check out here! Giclee prints are a great alternative option to original artwork, as they can last 150-200 years.
I hope that you find empowerment, peace, and joy in these next coming months. Check out my upcoming art demos and shows below. Thanks for reading!
Jenna Hobbs Art Happenings:
Flora in Focus, January 11th-March 8th 2025, reception February 1st, 1-3pm
Harrington Gallery in Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton CA
Group Show of Flower Inspired Artwork
Gouache Painting Demo, Monday, February 3rd, 26th, 2025
‘The Villages’ Art Club in San Jose
Demo on geometric abstract/depiction blended painting in gouache
Gouache Painting Demo, Saturday, March 1st, 2025, 1-2:30pm
FREE Demo at Firehouse Arts Center
Demo on geometric abstract/depiction blended painting of flowers in gouache
Lust for Rust, February 18th-March 8th, 2025
Atlantic Gallery, Manhattan
Juried show of rust inspired artwork, ‘Rusting on the Range’ featured in online show
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