Pennsylvania Dutch Hexmeister at large: January 2007

About Me

Name: Jj Starwalker

Location: Milo, ME, United States

Designer and artist Jj Starwalker, learned traditional "Pennsylvania Dutch" hex painting as a young girl from her grandmother. She followed many career paths through the years, only occasionally taking up the brush. When she did, however, she was always drawn to circular forms -- a counterpoint to the rectangular format of her work as the creative director of Vision IPD design studio in Beaufort, NC. In the last few years she has returned to the roots of her heritage, infusing the typical barn blessings with new insights and her signature use of metallic hues. She has exhibited work in many media, including early interpretations of the hex designs in batik at The Egg and The Eye -- now the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles, CA. Jj features her artwork on her art website www.DutchHexSign.com. For Internet and print design work, visit www.VisionIPD.com.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

I CAN!

Not a hex, but magic. Is it ART? I dunno... but it was fun!

The motivational/self-esteem project that came to me recently is almost done. I will print out the little notes that the cans will contain this evening. Some will be pre-written with "brags" that I know we each should acknowledge; the rest will say "I CAN_______________ __/__/__ " with a space for the can owner to write their own accomplishments or goals to be visualized as reached, with a date.

The lids will be tacked on lightly with hot glue to hold them in place during transit. Each can was initially opened with an opener that leaves no sharp edges on either can or lid, so they are safe to handle.

I CAN complete spur-of-the-moment, fun projects!

Visit 'Worldwide Women Aritist who Blog' for a list of the greatest women artists from around the world!

Labels: art, design, project

Monday, January 22, 2007

In the beginning...

In the beginning I had a blog and I didn't write much, despite having been -- before being a designer and long before being an artist -- a writer. I never could quite get into "morning pages" either.... And it languished and then I got involved with friends who blog and friends who write and I started blogging more frequently, on Live Journal about everything... life, art, spirituality...

And then came Yahoo into the fray with their 360 and I had friends there, so I started blogging there... but mostly it was just the same thing as on my LiveJournal, but with a lot more pictures since -- initially at least it was quite well connected with Flickr.

And then I got involved with a group of artists -- the Worldwide Women Artists Organization (WWAO) and it seems that they all blog here! So I am going to start trying to keep three blogs open.. with this one most thoroughly focused on ART. However, my life does not easily separate into little compartments... so ... do be surprised if I lapse into conversation about things of a spiritual nature. My art is highly spiritual... I paint Pennsylvania "Dutch" style hex signs -- circular, largely non-representational forms that are meant -- and empowered -- as prayers and invocations.

Currently the big news is the inclusion of my latest work Everything She Touches Changes (above) in the WWAO show being held at the Progress Energy Art Gallery in New Port Ritchie, FL during the months of February and March.

Labels: art, exhibition, hex, WWAO