Domestic Transformer

So, Small Cool didn't pick my apartment, but it was fun to apply to something. (Seriously, what on earth would I do with a $2000 design shopping spree!?)

But, I've been really inspired by all the small, cool spaces, and I just saw this, and just had to share it with you guys. I guess I'll give up my dream of being the land lady of a 4 story row house full of artists...

Gary Chang's 330 square foot apartment. 24 rooms. Genius.

Done with Doubts and Dithering

It's been rainy and cold, so I haven't gone to buy my herbs yet. But, I did make dinner with Celia last week, so I saved the unused scallions and parsley: the scallions (above) are growing quite nicely in one of the two extra bed-risers I got from Ikea last year (since my bed uses 6). The parsley (below) is sprouting well in water.
My grandmother's violets are doing really well, just in time for their return in a week or so! She'll be thrilled with all the pretty white flowers!
Guys, I've got to admit something. The universe has been sort of handing things to me lately. I haven't had enough hands to accept it all, and I am really grateful, but I am beginning to wonder what it will want in return... Are you curious yet?

Mostly in terms of income. I was unemployed for a whole month, and it got to be a bit scary but mostly boring and unproductive. But since then I've been working at the Mutter, and still volunteering at Basho, while continuing to apply to anything that catches my eye. I am doing really well on my ghost tour training, and should be giving tours in just over a month! The Census called me last week, and I have my paid training next week. Urban Outfitters called me for a group interview that I accepted, but have been postponing on account of all the other things going on: I have to call and ask them to put my on the back burner for a few months, if they can. The Mutter might be needing me a little more often soon, when Nick leaves for his Pre-Med post-bac program in North Carolina, but I still haven't been told anything officially yet.

Most recently, today, my phone rang and it was Gert, downstairs. She asked if I wanted a job as a hostess at a Cafe, and if I wanted to make some money this week doing face painting at the UPenn Children's Festival. Of course I reluctantly said no the first, and yes to the second! We went to meet her friend Simone, who owns Hinge Cafe in Port Richmond, which is about a half hour walk, or a short bus ride. She needs a hostess for the weekends and helpers for face painting this week only. I am helping her out tomorrow and Thursday, but am busy other than that! Maybe later in the summer she'll be in need of some help, and then I might be more available, but maybe not. When we got back, I thanked Gert for the gig and the ride, and she casually mentioned that Simone has artists show work there from time to time. Gert is my favorite person today, if only she would get her act together building our tumbling composter!

I don't know how I'm going to have time to do all these things AND use my studio. All I know is, I get a lot more done when I am running on adrenaline, coffee, and chocolate, than a good night's sleep.

Mom is coming for dinner tonight, although she couldn't get her hands on a promised used Air Conditioning unit. Good thing I really won't need it for a few more weeks. I guess she'll just have to come visit again. Too bad, I really hate free dinner and mom's company!

Fantastic Planet

Maybe this Jade plant is good luck already! Or maybe I made my own luck by adopting him, because some pretty rad stuff has been dropping by to say hey for a few months now.

Yesterday as I was painting in Ian's apartment (lucky, I was being productive!), I got a call from the Census, offering me the job as an enumerator, beginning in May with 4 days of paid training! (Lucky, I scored a 95% and then assumed they didn't call for a month because I only speak English, but they were just being lazy I guess).

And best of all, some friends from Baltimore are into putting on plays as an art form, and so they are doing a rendition of Fantastic Planet. I thought I wouldn't be able to see it, since they were performing it in Baltimore, but they are on tour for a few days and played at the OX, which is really close to my house. I brought Andrew and Andre, and I think they liked it. And then my friend John and some other guys came back to my place ...ok, Ian's place to crash for the night. It was so awesome to see Mike and John and even the faces I barely recognized. It was a pretty good night.

And I noticed a few days ago, one of my (too many) avocado seeds is sprouting beautifully. And I bought some parsley for dinner with Celia, and threw the extra in water: they are beginning to root! And in celebration of Earth Day, I finally planted some seeds in some peat pots. I planted mustard and pole beans and some sweet pea. This really is one fantastic planet!

Jade

I had almost forgotten about these two photos.

Ian packing and Adam cleaning. It took exactly one week for Ian to quit his job and move to Pittsburgh. Fast!He gave me this jade plant. He's not doing so well. But I think Ian could learn a thing or two about succulents, because this guy was drowning. So, he's in new dryer soil, and I took all his dead and dying limbs away.He looks better already!
And in the process of cleaning him up, some little guys fell off. Let's see if they grow!

Small Spaces, Wide World

This morning, I helped Ian bring the rest of his stuff out to his car. He moved to Pittsburgh today. He'll be back in May to get one more carload, and he officially pays rent until July. But its strange to have been here less than a year and to have met Noel and Ian, watched Noel leave and be replaced by Ally, watched Ally leave, and finally say goodbye to Ian. Gert and I have decided to personally advertise and choose who gets to live here. The apartment beneath Ian's will be opening up over the summer as well. So, anyone looking for an awesome place to reside, here it is!

Speaking of residences, Apartment Therapy is hosting their 6th annual Small, Cool Spaces contest. Obviously I qualify because I live in a small space (well under the 400 square foot mark, their smallest category: Teeny Tiny), but I also live in an awesome space. I took some new photos and had to pick the best 5, and I am hoping they post my entry, but since they might not, here were my entries (I even cleaned up a bit for the photo shoot!):



Pretty damn cool, if you ask me.

Cool enough to work at Urban Outfitters? I had applied back in November, and received a call for a group interview this week. Talk about prompt. I decided to postpone the interview on account of I don't know what will be happening at the Mütter, since I have heard some rumors of a coworker quitting soon. But its a nice thought, to work 7 days a week and have a sweet discount on awesome clothes... Too bad I just paid my deposit on a studio space, since I can use Ian's for a few months yet. But I need to devote time to making art, and I am still convinced that I'll do better making art around other art-makers.

Although I have been writing a lot lately.

And here's something just a little controversial, to start the week off right.

Shame and Glee over Food Stamps

Basho shift this morning. Had totally intended to stay and print, but I had forgotten my film here. Oh well, Andrew is coming over for dinner. And he just sent me this fantastic article about the shame and glee of 20-something year old college grads on food stamps, purchasing organic and exotic foods and living the high life. Its the best article I've read in a while.

Pixel World Domination

by Patrick Jean

Blooms

Little Megan sent me a lovely drawing! Although, I think it was mostly for Hans.

Last night was Passover Seder at Celia's! ...What do you mean we were 3 weeks late? (Because Celia had seder with her parents in Ohio, and then the water in their house was busted, things had to be postponed a bit). But I took the Regional Rail and Celia picked me up and it was all sorts of lovely. Three of the 6 of us hadn't been to a Seder before, so it was a really nice combination of people.

Without a car I have successfully done laundry, and gone to Celia's: the two things I was most worried about! And if Ian doesn't know he's helping me move into the studio on May 1st, he's in for a big surprise!

Speaking of which, I paid my deposit and first month's rent for the studio today. Took some photos, but it's a 10x11 foot space with nothing too exciting to photograph yet. I get to keep the bookcase!
This foyer is just outside the studios, I have a feeling I'll be painting here a lot.
Flowers!
The tree behind my apartment is finally doing something!
Hans has been using his harness! He meows like a dog when he wants to go out, and I let him out for a few minutes until I get bored. He's not very good about coming back in. We're going to have to work on that.

Onion!
Nannie's plant is about to bloom!
This thing is nuts.

Ghost training tonight (oops, I should leave now!) and then birthday party in West Philly! The crazy thing having friends who don't have M-F 9-5 jobs, means we can throw parties any day of the week and still get a decent turnout. Right on!

Of New Sales and Leases

In the past week I have fallen in lust with one studio, in love with another, sold a painting, and hosted some Canadian friends of a friend of mine.


Leslie, the same girl from this blog, posted in one of my previous posts, as well as a member of Puppetyranny, a group part of Puppet Uprisings, also previously posted: Leslie, a girl I went to MICA with, and also a girl renting out studio spaces in her warehouse apartment at the Berks Warehouse. AKA, the home of my new studio. I move in on the first of May. The studio is smaller than the first one I had looked at, and doesn't have any direct windows. Its slightly further away. But, there is a kitchen, living room, roof gardens with herbs and veggies and exotic plants. Most importantly, there are just tons of awesome people. I suppose it came down to the fact that I am certain to meet more people at the Berks Warehouse than at the Viking Mill, which as far as I could tell, is mostly comprised of artist professionals, who maybe intimidate me a little.

And that's the story of my studio.

Everything else is history.

Except for this blog (recently published into a book) which I think is the most fantastic thing ever.

And, thanks to whoever out there is searching for me on Google! I believe that I am the second non-sponsored "Jen Brown" on Google, and rising! Search my name and see for yourself!

Springtime in Fishtown

I woke up to rain, but now it is sunny and the birds are chirping and the windows are open!


So the House Plant is a Coleus! And I am glad I know his name now (thanks Amelia!) because I awoke today to there only being two little guys on the windowsill, and three little pots. HANS! Yes, Hans had eaten the weakest one. But then I looked at the mommy Coleus, and decided that she needed a trim again, so we are starting from scratch, and why not?

I had my second audition thing with the Ghost Tours and it was much better than last week. Do not ask me about last week!

The Census never called me. And I thought a 95% was goddamn impressive! But Grisha says that they would be much more likely to call me if I knew another language. But, I am not giving up hope, and maybe I'll even call them eventually. But right now I am focusing my energy on finding a studio. It is tricky business, let me tell you!

But these shoes are fantastic, are they not?

I bought them when I went shopping with Erika a few weeks ago. Perhaps the first pair of shoes ever that didn't need to be broken in, and also, honestly my first pair of sandals since middle school.

In other news, I enjoyed First Friday with Celia, Elizabeth, their friend Jessie, and Andrew too! We mostly stayed at ExtraExtra Gallery, across the street. I had been invited by Leslie Rogers, a fellow MICAn who I only recently realized I know. It turns out that the performances were mostly MICA students, and since I wasn't close with any of them, I haven't seen any of their recent work, but it was wonderful to see what they have been up to. All the performances we saw were thought provoking, humorous, and well done. Don't take my word for it, they were the star of this post of The Art Blog on Fishtown's First Friday on Frankford Ave! You can even watch a bit of Leslie performing!

Hans loves the windows open. I even let him out on the roof yesterday with his harness and leash! If only there were more he could explore without the danger of fleas and other icky critters.

They are jackhammering outside my building again. I guess that's what you get for living in the newest cool part of town!