Who knew that photography could feel terrifyingly revealing?

I have a secret.

It's been a long time since I've had the urge to go out with my camera. A long time. Sure, this blog is full of pictures, but those are taken with my phone and somehow don't count in my mind as pursuing photography. I've felt a fair amount of guilt over this lack of interest in taking pictures the way I used to. I've taken my camera out with me because I felt I ought to - after all, I saved up to buy a DSLR, I spent 4 years at college (overseas, no less) to make my photography dreams a reality, I've spent time and money entering exhibitions or putting my own together, printing images, framing, and now...that love has just been...gone.

I've wondered, too many times to count, if I ever had any talent to begin with, or if the decent pictures I've done have been just beginners luck. (Really, who among us hasn't had those kinds of thoughts?) I guess I've just been in a rut with no idea how to get out. What inspired me during college (weekend journeys to the English countryside) is no longer possible (geographically speaking), and I don't have the luxury of just being able to take off on a trip (work and responsibilities really put a kink in that one). So I guess I've been searching for new inspiration.

At long last, I felt the call yesterday to grab my camera and just go. I forced all those little voices saying "not good enough" into a corner and resolved to ignore them. My whole entire goal for today was go get up early and head out to Peters Canyon with my camera and tripod and walk and walk and take pictures - not even a lot of pictures, just a handful. If most of them are awful, who cares, just take them anyway, and hopefully there will be ONE that is sort of okay. ONE that I can be happy with.

I came back with 4 that I like. I don't know if they're any good or not, but it's a start. And it seems like maybe a new style might be trying to emerge, perhaps influenced by all those pictures snapped with my camera these last couple of years.

Ladybug

Stream

Twig

Bridge

Maybe, if you're an artist or seeking your creative path, some of this rings true with you. Maybe not. This is all just terrifying revealing.

By the way, a two-hour walk looking at trees, leaves and streams can definitely cure what ails you! 

Catching the Craft Show Bug

If you think all's been quite on the Western Front recently, you'd be correct. That's because last Sunday I participated in a great local show called Patchwork! It was my first experience vending at a craft show (but so much more than a craft show!) and I had a great time!

In the morning, fueled by adrenaline and coffee

My little table, filled with 100 - yes, 100! - pieces of handmade jewelry

NEW collage necklaces - these were so much fun to make! Coming soon to Sweetpea Studios

Just look at all those umbrellas!

Long Beach, seen through my super dirty car windshield as we were driving away at the end of a looooong day

James and Carly were fantastic helpers! Even though James was sick, he still spent the day in Long Beach with me, helping to set up and take down my booth and being a great moral support. Carly did an awesome job as a cheerleader - together, she and James had a system of bagging items that went so smoothly I barely even saw it happen! Friends came out to support the show, and I was so happy to see some friendly, familiar faces among the crowd. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

With nearly 200 vendors there, I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm really pleased I got up the courage to even apply in the first place. Everyone was so friendly, and it was a day to just let go and enjoy the process. I'd definitely apply again - could I have caught the craft show bug?

If you missed the Long Beach Patchwork, there's still one more left! #PatchworkShow Santa Ana will take place Sunday, June 15th at 2nd and Sycamore. I won't be vending there, but I plan on attending! It's a great community of crafters and creative individuals that should definitely be sought out. See you on the 15th!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Let's catch up and talk about Sweetpea Studios ...

There have been some changes in how I'm working, as well as a whole bunch of new ideas that are being brought forth - I'm so excited I can barely think straight! (What I'm really meant to be doing is getting our apartment ready for a visit from a good friend and her newly walking baby. Bear in mind that we are two people who don't have children and really don't have any friends that live in the same country with children and therefore very little experience with this sort of thing. But we love Eleanor, and we love Eden, and we're thrilled she's coming to stay!)

Necklace Packaging

Earring Packaging

Ready to give as a gift!

I've re-done some of my packaging and also the packaging photos. The old photos had to go. Blech. Now comes the task of updating all of my nearly 100 Etsy listings. What a process!

Heart Shaped Flower Vines adjustable ring - acrylic on origami paper

Petite Amour collage necklace

There are new products, too! New necklaces and rings that feature miniature acrylic paintings and paper collages. What I love about doing the paintings is that I don't feel like I have to be a stellar painter - the images always look like what they're supposed to be, which amazes me every time I do one.

Included in the new products is a line of customizable heirloom jewelry - they're only just starting to appear in Sweetpea Studios, so we'll talk more about that later. They're already at Chemers Gallery, with pictures and information to follow. So stay tuned!

And, just like wearing the same hairstyle year after year, sometimes a girl just has to change things up with a re-vamp.

Remember this Etsy banner?

Now it looks like this:

It looks a little more consistent with this blog and the direction I'm going in. I was sad to take down my old banner, though, because the sweet pea drawing was one that James did at my request. (Plus it took me ages on Photoshop to get it the way I wanted...) But...change is good.

Another project I've been working on is a jewelry collaboration with ceramic artist, Lisa Mertins. She creates whimsical pendants made out of porcelain, and I create some of those acrylic paintings I mentioned. Together we make up Lisa & Jenn - you can find our jewelry at Chemers Gallery in Tustin. Here's a small sampling:

Available at Chemers Gallery

Also available at Chemers Gallery

Lisa is a lovely person who is just so creative. She's always coming up with funky ceramic vessels and birdhouses, and oh yeah, she does printmaking and also illustrates children's books - so stinkin' talented!

hello.sweetpea.jenn@gmail.com

And the mailing list! I'm offering a mailing list!! (If you'd like to sign up, please email me at hello.sweetpea.jenn@gmail.com with the subject / message "I'm in!") I'd like to send out a monthly email with shop updates, new products, and a suggestion or two of an art exhibition or museum to visit. Unless it's something super-douper important/exciting, I won't deviate from the once-a-month email In fact, it will probably end up being less than monthly, because, you know, life. So come on, let's keep in touch! 

So, what do you think? Don't be shy - come find me on Etsy, Facebook, or email and share let's be friends!

Look What I Found at the Orange County Fair!

The Road Through Bodie, photograph by Jennifer Geisert - that's me!

I entered the Orange County Fair again this year, and I won a second place for my photograph "The Road Through Bodie"! Yeeeeaaahhh!!!!

Bodie is a really amazing ghost town in northern California that's now a state park kept in "arrested decay." I first visited it when I was about 13 or 14, and the landscape has always stayed with me. When I started using the TTV photography technique, I thought it would be perfectly suited to capture images of Bodie, and I had the opportunity to do just that last October. (My family is great for putting up with my photo-obsessiveness!) What I love about the viewfinder images is that current images are made to look old - there's just something about the twist of perception that I'm really drawn to.

So, if you're in Orange County, check out the visual arts section at the OC Fair! There are some really fabulous photographs, and you might just find something you can't live without. And, if you get the chance, visit Bodie and see how great it is for yourself!

Come See This Show!

Opens this Saturday! Don't miss it!

I have a slightly shameless plug to make: come to this show on Saturday night to support some really talented local artists!! And, come to this show on Saturday to support ME, because it's a show I and my co-workers have spent lots of hours working on for the last couple of months, AND I also happen to be one of the artists included in it!!

Over 130 pieces of art were submitted and our juror, Mary Aslin, accepted close to 80 for exhibition. (She did not know that I had submitted something, she was un-biased.) We now have the gigantic task of arranging and hanging the show before Saturday. Wish us luck.

Here's what you need to know...

Viewpoints Orange County All Media

at Chemers Gallery

17300 17th St, Ste. G, Tustin CA

Opening Reception April 27, 5:30 - 8:00p

Show continues through May 11

See you Saturday!

Artwork, aka Please Don't Steal My Car

I'm usually really bad at letting people know that I have artwork on view while the show is still going on, but hey, I'm slightly better than normal this evening. SO! If you're in southern California, go see the Orange County Fair and find my artwork! It's on until August 12th, so you still have a little time to check this out:



The Writer



Lighter Than Air - I won an honorable mention!

 The photograph is in the Non-Traditional Color prints section, and the fabric collage is in the Professional Graphics (??) section. (I give two "??" because the thought of me doing anything graphics related is somewhat rediculous.) Lighter Than Air was at the Scenes of Tustin exhibition at Chemers Gallery earlier in the year. You'd think I really knew how to quilt, wouldn't you?

In other news, I kitted my car out with a MasterLock (same thing as The Club, except not bright red). My neighbor's car got broken into last night, and since the only thing of value in my car is my car itself, I'd rather it not be stollen, thank you very much. I'll probably forget I've gotten one, get in my car tomorrow to go to work, and go "OMG, what the hell?? Oh yeah..." Seriously though....please don't steal my car.