off to a good start.

I think an introductory post is in order. 

Hi.  I'm Jen.  I'm about to turn 23 and am pretty happy with the direction life is taking me.  I graduated last May with a Studio Arts degree and was lucky enough to find myself employed as soon as the ink on my diploma dried.  I absolutely love where I work and get along wonderfully with the people I am surrounded with on a daily basis. 

For the past 5 years I've had a mini dog-sitting business that got going when I tapped into my professors' dog community.  I am a huge animal lover so getting paid to play with someone's dog (cat, snake, rat, ferret, horse, etc) is probably the best job ever.  Getting involved in dog-sitting and watching my friend Rachael Hetzel foster the adorable Dolly has spurred me to start fostering my own dogs.  My favorite breed is the all too misunderstood pit-bull.  My first foster was a beefy 4 year old pit name Chico.  He has recently been adopted by a dog-sitting client of mine and from what I can tell he is super happy and being spoiled rotten!  Most recently I have been put in charge of the most adorable brother/sister duo, Oliver and Allie.  They take up quite a bit of my time but I'm very proud of the progression they've made in their training!  I'm hoping they get adopted by a friends, or maybe friends of friends. 

Allie with her rawhide.

Most recently I've gotten a second job as a secretary/personal assistant at a local gallery and teaching institute.  Yet another job I love and that is full of wonderful people to work with!  Things have strangely been coming together recently.  I've been going through a bit of dead period when it comes to art making.  I basically haven't made crap since my thesis show last May and its been pretty depressing.  But recently I've finally gotten the 'making' bug back and have begun to collect materials.  And just as I'm starting to convert my tiny living room into a studio a good friend of mine calls and asks if I want a space in her beautiful studio.  Hell yes!  And then a couple days later when my sewing machine starts going on the fritz another friend offers to let me borrow an absolutely gorgeous mint condition Elna machine! 

The Rochester artist community continues to amaze me.  Up until a month ago I had completely made up my mind to leave this city and go onto other things... but everything that has been happening is making me think more and more about sticking around for a bit longer and seeing how things progress.  We'll see what happens!