Caravan Gals, Won'tcha Come Out Tonight?

Can I get a compass?  They say it’s all about the journey, but shouldn’t you have some sort of idea where you’re going?  When I first started writing this blog I don’t think I had a really clear idea of what I was doing.  Or maybe I did.  I think this blog was meant to track the journey of my Capstone project, and then the blog sort of morphed into a webpage for Jen’s art.  Don’t get me wrong, both things are good, but shouldn’t I just pick one theme and stick with it?  Do I have to pick just one theme and stick with it?

When I first proposed this project to my prof, she told me to pay attention to my inner dialogue.  All I can say is that that’s a whole lot of conversations to keep track of.  First of all, I’m nearing the end of my schooling and I have no idea what I’m going to do with my education.  I suppose I should finally get myself one of those things you often hear people talking about – what are they called?  Oh yeah, a career. 

So what is a career?  Well, Dictionary.com’s definition is “an occupation or profession, esp. one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework”.  I’ve always thought that a career is a professional job that a person not only enjoys, but is good at too.  I feel like I’ve spent most of my life working towards a career, but I just haven’t figured out what my calling is. 

When I say most of my life, I’m really not exaggerating.  In 1976 the United Nations held an international conference on Human Settlements in Vancouver.  My aunt worked for the UN and I thought that working there would be the ultimate.  To that end, I made my parents enrol me in French Immersion because I planned on becoming a translator for the UN...that is until I learned that most translators there are kinda crazy because their jobs are VERY stressful. 

Despite no longer wanting to be a translator, I stuck with my studies in French, and went on to study public relations...and then it was conflict resolution...and then there was my foray into alternative healing.  Yup, I’m certified in EFT, NLP, and Hypnosis (look deep into my eyes).  What else?  Oh yeah, there’s the whole greeting card business, which was followed by my entering university. 

So here I am, nearing the end of university, just a breath away from turning 40, and still no clear direction on my career path.  I’m managing Jen’s art career and I’m very aware of the magnitude of the responsibility.  I’ve never done this before and now I’m looking after things like marketing and contracts – which reminds me, gotta dust off my law text and brush up on contract law. 

So back to this whole blog thing.  It reminds of when Jennifer and I were in our early 20’s and we’d go on road trips together.  We dubbed ourselves “The Caravan Gals” and were of the opinion that we could do anything because we were “Caravan Gals”.  We travelled well together and one of the best things about our trips was that we’d never really have a plan.  Each time we’d reach an intersection, we’d ask each other if we should go right, left, or straight ahead. 

Our maps were used not to figure out where we wanted to go, but to figure out where we were.  On our journeys we had a myriad of experiences that included feeding a homeless person, sending an officer on a police chase after an armed person, Shakespeare, and sleeping in the redwoods. 

So do I really have to have a clear direction for this blog?  Maybe not.  After all, I’m a Caravan Gal.

You Know You Want It

Whoosh!  That's how life feels these days.  That's why I think it's really important to keep in mind the profound statement made by one of the great minds of the 80's.  Of course, I'm referring to none other than Ferris Bueller.  This very wise man once said "Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."

So what has happened?  As you know, less than 2 weeks ago this blog was started, and on Facebook we launched the group Vespaziani Artworks.  To say the least, the response has been absolutely phenominal.  To date, we have 121 members who belong to the group, and sales for Jennifer's art are brisker than ever.  If there's a particular piece you've got your eye on, I suggest you buy it now because it'll be gone if you wait too long.

One of the interesting things that we've noticed is that people get so attached to Jennifer's art that they've taken to developing stories around her different paintings.  To that end, we recently launched the "Every Picture Tells a Story Challenge" on Facebook.  Anybody can participate and all you have to do is write a story based on on one of Jennifer's pieces of art and post it under the corresponding artwork heading on the Discussions page on Facebook before the deadline on April 11, 2010.  The winner will recieve a much coveted original piece of artwork created by Jennifer.

I'm nearing the end of this semester and homework demands have kicked into high-gear.  Papers to write, presentations to give, the list goes on and on.  Because of that, I'm afraid to tell you, my dear readers, that my postings may be a bit spotty between now and Easter. 

Fear not though my friends, because all is not lost.  Jennifer and I have been working hard on this blog and on the Facebook page, Vespaziani Artworks, to make them even better.  For those of you who don't have a Facebook account, we've added a tab called Artworks where you see some of Jennifer's work. 

In the meantime, we look forward to reading your submissions.

Dive Right In

It's official; the group "Vespaziani Artworks" has finally been launched on Facebook.  I hereby invite all of you readers to join the group and check out Jennifer's creations.  Yes, I'm going on the assumption that there are THOUSAND of you readers out there.

I must admit that I'm both surprised and delighted at just how quickly this all came together.  Jennifer and I first met for coffee on February 12th and look how far we've come in such a short period of time!

I also recommend that you act immediately if you see any pieces that you'd like to buy as her artwork is flying off of the walls at the Pelican Rouge.  Case in point, just as Jennifer was finishing hanging "Love is in the Air", a gentlemen told her that she had better find another picture to hang as he was buying that one.  Oh yeah, I believe he ended up buying multiple pictures!!!

If you're in the White Rock area, I highly recommend you taking a mosey over to the Pelican Rouge to see her work in person as the photos really don't do justice to the pieces.  For those of you already familiar with Jennifer's work, stay tuned as I believe she'll have a few more pieces available in the next week or two.

On a final note, I want to pass on a message from the artist, Jennifer Vespaziani.  A lot of artists have a lot to say when it comes to their work.  Jennifer feels that her piece "Silence" best embodies her work and her message.  Her wish is that you feel what she gives you through the art.  "Don't hear what I have to say; feel what I have to give."

It's been a long day, not to mention long week so I think I'm off to Bedfordshire for the evening.  G'night!

Making a Splash

Okay so here's the scoop...Jennifer Vespaziani is a woman that I've been friends with since we were sweet young thangs back in high school. Ahem, since high school.

We've taken very different paths in life and so consequently over the years we've drifted in and out of each others' lives. A good example of the different paths we've taken is that she was married in a blown out cave in the Himilayas, by an 85 year old Holy Man. My last vacation was spent celebrating my birthday in Las Vegas with my Mom (she may be in her 70's but she's a lot of fun to travel with).

I spend my time pushing paper, both at work and at school. Jennifer spends her time with her husband Matt, their daughter Kaya, and a little chihuahua called Zorro. In and amongst the day-to-day runnings of a household, Jennifer has managed to carve out a magical world of her own. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, she's a very talented artist who has been quietly honing her craft. She began posting her creations on Facebook, garnering more and more praise from friends and family until one day her sister pushed her into taking the next step; displaying her art for sale. That was late in 2009 and artwork has been selling like hotcakes with clients from across the country.

I have fallen in love with Jennifer's art and we recently met for coffee at the Pelican Rouge in White Rock to catch up on old times and what's going on in our lives. Very quickly into our meeting we discovered this was more than just a cuppa; this was a meeting with a purpose - I needed a subject for my Capstone project and Jennifer needed someone to manage her blossoming art career. Can you say worlds colliding?

I hereby invite you to join us on our journey as we learn all about getting a new artist off the ground and making her a success.

If you're on Facebook, we'll soon be launching a page called Vespaziani Artworks. On this page will be a portfolio of Jennifer's work thus far, along with descriptions, dimensions, prices, and info on where you can buy her masterpieces. I'll let you know when we've launched the page.