ARTamental

How I virtually met @jenXer: I picked up this flyer somewhere. 

Please excuse the blurry camera phone pic, but the flyer reads:

Woman: “My throat is killing me! I could go for something hot and alcoholic”

Man: “How is dating a musician going to help your throat?“

Ha! Her Twitter was listed in the contact info section, and I followed her immediately!

Aside from being a loyal Twitter follower, I checked out her art and became a fan all over again. She’s down to earth. She creates art that is relateable and not pretentious in any way. She laughs at herself, and her art has a sense of humor. Jen is one of few artists that gives her audience a glimpse into her everyday life (both business and personal) via Twitter and her website, which helps me to better understand her work. OK, so she’s cool and I like her art, but that’s not what won her a feature on Artamental! 

The creative process. It has to be the single most misunderstood psychological phenomenon. Where does inspiration come from? How do very intangible (and typically very random) thoughts interact with one another and grow themselves into art? Those are questions that I’m not sure any of us could fully answer without summoning up mystical and religious beliefs, but one thing we are able to do very easily is observe the process and watch ideas come to life and just enjoy the ride. Now that’s what I call a good time! 

Jennifer Mathis provides a platform for her fans to do just that. She lets us take a sneak peak into her creative process, which so many artists and musicians alike refuse to do. For most creatives, it almost carries a stigma that’s the equivalent of seeing a bride-to-be in her wedding dress before the big day; before her hair is perfect, make-up flawless, and she’s shed those last 10lbs.

Artists also often find themselves nestled comfortably very deep inside themselves as they explore who they are, to ultimately be reflected in the work. The result? Well Erykah Badu said it best: “Now remember I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my sh!t!” Criticism can be an artists worst nightmare, especially as it relates to an unfinished piece.

Jen, on the other hand, throws caution to the wind and invites us all in to watch her stumble around her mistakes and successes. Take a look at “The Vinyl Doll Project”. Good stuff.

  

"Inspiration"

"Zombification=Not so good. Trying something else now."

Zombification Stage I #BlowUpHouston

"If the object of the game is 'give the doll a purple crotch,' I win."

She wore a... "Three guesses what song was in hy head the whole time I worked on the hat…"

Artist: Jennifer Mathis

Website: http://www.jenxer.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jenxer