Meet Jennifer Glass | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Glass and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking has played a major role in my life and career.  Risk for me is based on fear.  Fear that I really don’t know very much; aren’t good enough, am too different and won’t fit in or may even possibly fail.  I look back at my introverted, insecure self on my first day on the kindergarten playground.   Surrounded by 50 others, we’re all nervously seeking our own tribe.   Distracted, I reach down and excitedly pick up a rock – “wow what a cool rock”.   Forty nine kids wander off uninterested but there’s that one who’s still standing there admiring that rock.  That’s my tribe and my direction forward.   I’ve learned it’s not my job to find people who don’t like me, my interests or my work, but to find the ones who do.  One rock at a time.  As an adult I spent so much time spinning in circles listening to every single opinion and trying to be everything to everyone that I ultimately burned out with mediocre work that no one, including myself was happy with.  I had to go back to my roots and cast a small net for my art because my work isn’t going to appeal to everyone.   It’s taken years to learn that I don’t want it to because that’s what makes it mediocre and uninteresting.  I may attract less than 1% but that 1% is symbiotic.  That’s where I find my magic.  My recipe is the sum of my experiences and the story I want tell.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Growing up as a child  I spent the majority of time exploring wildlife and folia through the dappled sunlit murky waters and tangled vines of my small southern coastal surroundings.  Embracing my upbringing and tropical surroundings has shaped how I view the world, who I am and my art.   This has been the single biggest payoff for me both personally and professionally.   Allowing the process of embracing what I love and what’s familiar guide me naturally rather than trying to force myself to appeal to everyone else.

I had to learn creative humility.  I am the sum of my life story, the sum of my island experiences, and the sum of what I love rather than what loves me.   It’s become the roadmap, recipe and flavor threaded in all my work and life.  Getting out of my own way by embracing rather than fighting everything that felt familiar was a long painful lesson for me to grasp.

Persistence has never been an issue for me. I’m very driven and trudge through Jackson Pollack style when i’m focused.   However, I have had to learn that my mistakes aren’t road blocks or dead ends but stair steps to new perspectives around the mountain.  That’s been a major lesson for me to allow myself to ‘fall seven times, stand up eight’.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Absolutely. This is where I return to my “cool rock” analogy.   My story and work is somewhat of a journey through ‘planet Jennifer’ which gained life on this little estuary where i was born and raised.   So, the first day I’d do an all day canoe trip exploring deep into the swampy heart of everglades, enjoying the mystical patterns of the light streaming through the cypress trees which allows glimpses of local wildlife.   Dinner would have to be at Pineda Inn which is local seafood fish camp dive on the water.   Feeling the breeze and calm of the water I’d enjoy conch fritters and fish tacos while chatting with friends and  locals while listening to a local band.  The second day would be an all day boat ride along the river marsh exploring the wildlife and into the where it disappears into the ocean.  The perfect ending would be docking and grabbing dinner from a local food truck while chatting with the locals on the river or beach; while watching the latest rocket launch illuminating the sky and feeling the ground rumble beneath our feet.  I can close my eyes taking it all in and smell the orange blossoms and the breezy healing salt air.    Repeat….

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom and dad have always embraced and been supportive of my creative endeavors. Hearing their “you can do anything you put your mind to” voices has helped me push through.

Website: www.jenniferglassstudio.com

Instagram: @jenniferglassstudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenglassstudio/