Monday, August 8, 2011

Yoga Love

There's a great yoga studio that's opened quite recently, and if you're in Orange, you're in luck! It's called The Yoga Mat, and it's run by Courtney and Natalie with a keen eye on the local community. I took my first class with Courtney yesterday, and OMG did she kick my ass. Achey as I felt afterwards, I also felt lighter in spirit, a miracle based on the difficult week I'd just had. (Jury duty, family illness, etc...)
Not only does The Yoga Mat have a great studio, they also have a small shop that features the work of local artists, and I'm thrilled to say that my necklaces are currently residing there! Like I said, Courtney and Natalie are focused on tapping into the local community and aim to have a local featured Artist of the Month. They've worked hard to ensure that they're promoting sustanability, with most of their displays coming from secondhand shops and friend's garages.


Handmade Necklaces by Jennifer Geisert
Check out some of the goodies you'll find on my necklace tree:

Lotus Blossom convertible necklace

Butterfly & Gold Flower photo necklace

Brown & Olive Green reversible fabric necklace

Brown & Olive Green reversible fabric necklace
As an aside, I left Orange for London 10 years ago today. I remember being on the airplane, so tired but unable to sleep. Every time I would doze off someone would wake me up for something. When we finally landed and got to the flat we were renting, my parents and I went for a walk to look at the Thames. It was raining and humid, and I hated the greyness of the city, then old gum on the sidewalks, and the brown waters of the river. I thought the buildings were ugly and the sight of the moss growing on the statues made me feel physically ill. Of course, those first impressions changed completely and I think London is one of the most beautiful and intriguing places in the world. I'm sad that there's been rioting there this weekend, and even sadder knowing that lovely friends of mine are living so close to it that they were unexpectedly caught up in it on their way home from a night out. I'm sad that my husband's family live so close that they heard sirens all through the night. I know that this will pass, and I know that there are people stepping off airplanes right now ready to embark on a new adventure, the same way I was 10 years ago.

Heart in Finsbury Park

Thursday, August 4, 2011

For the Love of Peculiar

Ever since my first high school photography class, I've had a fascination with pictures and what they mean. As a (semi) practicing artist today, I'm interested in making things look like something they're not, or making something out of several things that are kind of unexpected. It's probably why I'm drawn to TTV photography, because it means I can take a modern picture and make it look like it's not modern.


The Collection, copyright Jennifer Geisert

Another thing I've had an interest in is collecting vintage photographs. These are memories that no one remembers anymore, taken completely out of context. The faces and period dress make me wonder what was happening in the frame, and who the people were. 


My Grandfather, Italy

I've always wondered what would happen if we assigned new memories to these photographs, what sort of meaning we could give them. The possibilities are absolutely endless. So when I was in the bookstore the other day and found Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, I was intrigued. When I flipped through and found the text peppered with strange, haunting photographs, I was hooked.

Written by Ransom Riggs
The author, Ransom Riggs, has taken this collection of found images and made them into a fantastical story. Some of the images are a little creepy and make me think of Diane Arbus (one of my favorites), and some of the images are fairly pedestrian but have taken on a creepy feeling because of the text. It's an interesting book, and as an "art project," I loved it. Not so much for the plot, more for the concept. However, I think that the next time I read it I'll get more into the story itself and less into the whole "It's a book with vintage creepy photography, this guy is the best!" Can't wait to see what else he's going to do.
Anyway, I've been inspired to add to my collection of vintage pics. Here are some of my finds:





So many posibilities...the artist in me is excited!