Putting the "A" in "STEAM"

 I'm excited to announce that for my next exhibit, I'll be putting the "A" in "STEAM" at Toledo's science center, the Imagination Station!

You may remember I participated in the Momentum Festival presented by The Arts Commission in downtown Toledo in September. There, I was approached by the creative manager for the Imagination Station about exhibiting my cyanotype prints (a.k.a. sun prints) to tie in with the educational activities they will be offering for the upcoming solar eclipse taking place on April 8th, 2024. 

 

These three images, inspired by the eclipse, will be among the two dozen other cyanotype prints I'll be installing on Monday to exhibit at the Imagination Station through the beginning of Apil. Be sure to let me know if you get a chance to check it out. 

My Alphabet Superset: The A to Z of Encaustic Monoprinting

As promised in my last post I want to give you the details on my next project.

Between now and the beginning of April, I will be following along with the Alphabet Superset project by artist Campbell Walker a.k.a Struthless. If you have yet to hear of this guy check him out. His YouTube channel is full of content about the mental game around productivity and creativity. I find him incredibly smart, entertaining, and inspiring. Also, he just happens to be an artist, YouTuber, author, podcaster, and a new dad. (Seriously, how does he do it?)

The Alphabet Superset is a structured creative challenge for any creator in any medium designed to "set your creativity on fire!" as Struthless says. The Aim of the project outwardly is to create a cohesive body of work. Inwardly the aim is to push past mental limits that stop one from reaching their potential. 

The challenge is to make something every week for 26 weeks (with 4 break weeks), around 26 topics of your choice, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet. While the topic changes weekly, everything else stays the same. Your medium, style, output size, and theme are fixed. Your topics, A to Z, are free.

“The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees one’s self.”

— Igor Stravinsky

Technically the project was announced and started a few weeks ago. However, due to time constraints, I was not able to start at that time. So for the next few weeks, I'll be playing catch-up. Then I will try to stay on pace with the project while attempting to find balance with all of my other business goals and parenting duties.

For my Alphabet Superset starting next week, I will explore the A to Z of encaustic monoprinting with mixed media. I'll work small (8 x 10) and aim to share at least one print for each letter of the alphabet on my Instagram account. (So if you want to follow along you have to jump over there to check it out!)

The goal of this project is the exploration through PLAY! I'll be experimenting and playing with mixed media through encaustic monoprinting. I'm interested in exploring what is possible (and the limitations) of this medium. 

So each week as I explore different topics and media there will be...

FAILURE!

😱

Yeah, like most artists, (hell, most people) I find that is a big scary word. But something we tend to forget as we get older is that failure comes hand-in-hand with learning. 

FAIL = First Attempt In Learning

So as I work through my ABCs of mixed media in monoprinting not everything I create will be gallery-worthy. Or as the kids these days say "Instaworthy". But my goal is to share the work, what I learn, and perhaps a bit of the process anyway. So don't judge my FAILs too harshly, another pretty post is just a scroll away. 😜

In a blink of an eye, 10 years

Holey Moley, it's been a minute!

Or 10 years to be exact! 😳

Yup, I've started my return to my work as an artist after a very long hiatus. 

As you may or may not know, I had stepped away from my career as an artist to spend my time being a stay-at-home mom. While I was at home focusing on my family I continued to practice my creative skills by exploring painting, printmaking, and taking art classes in my spare time. I have recently returned to my art career with interest in mixed media art, encaustic painting and monoprinting, and cyanotypes.

In fact, one of my first steps back to work was to participate in a local art exhibition. Last month I was one of over 100 local visual, literary, and performing artists to participate in the Momentum Festival presented by The Arts Commission in downtown Toledo.

For my exhibition at the Momentum Festival, I prepared and framed 26 pieces. Go big or go home, am I right? 😅

Half of my exhibition was encaustic monotypes, and the other half were cyanotypes. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Enchanted Winter Wreath 8x10 Cyanotype by Janelle Lorenzen

The Refuge 8x10 Encaustic Monotype by Janelle Lorenzen

So what's next?

Obviously, I'm working to revive my blog. I decided to keep the history of my blog from my work as a portrait and fine art photographer. It's part of my journey and got me to where I am. However, you will see that my interests and work have shifted and evolved. 

I'll be working on getting a website together and a shop open to sell my work online. 

I'm also starting on an exciting new body of work exploring encaustic mono-printing. Check back for my next post with details on that.

Artomatic 419!

This Saturday is the last day of Artomatic 419!

Artomatic 419! is one of the region's largest multimedia arts event. This year, Artomatic 419! will feature more than 500 visual, literary, and performing artists in a 50,000 square foot former warehouse space. Featuring two floors of stunning visual arts, a former CYO church filled with sculpture and installations, three stages of entertainment, and much, much more, Artomatic 419! is one of Toledo's most highly anticipated arts events of the year. The 2013 installment of Artomatic 419! will take place at 911 N. Summit Street in the former Metropolitan Distributing Building on April 13th, 20th & 27th from 11am to 11pm each Saturday. More than 500 visual, performing, and literary artists will participate, with more than 10,000 guests attending over the three weekends. Artomatic 419! is curated and presented by The Arts Commission.

This event will be the fourth Artomatic that I have participated in. In the past I have always shown fine art photography. However, this year I am showing a new exhibit of seven encaustic paintings. Encaustic is a new medium for me. I've been only just begun really learning about it in the last year. It's a exciting medium that is diverse and offers endless possibilities. The seven paintings that I am exhibiting this year are a collection of explorations of the medium.  Please join me in the "Orange Room" on Saturday to view my new work and learn more about encaustic painting.

Inked by Janelle Lorenzen - (12" x 12" Encaustic, India Ink, and Oil on Board)

Yellow Boardwalk - Toledo Digital Billboards Art Project

You may remember my blog post back in October of 2012 about my fine art photograph, Yellow Boardwalk, being selected by The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT) to be displayed in the Toledo Digital Billboards Art Project as part of the Art in Public Places series. 



Yellow Boardwalk, by Janelle Lorenzen, on display at Monroe and Secor as part of the Toledo Digital Billboards Art Project

It's been awhile, but I wanted to post a photo of my image on display on the actual billboard. This was taken at the corner of Monroe and Secor in Toledo, OH. It was one of the two billboards that the image was displayed on during October of 2012.

Color Kaleidoscope Exhibition

PRIZM Creative Community is sponsoring an new exhibition called Color Kaleidoscope at Sam B’s Restaurant in Bowling Green. Included in the exhibition are nine of my fine art photographs, some of which were recently featured in my Color reVision exhibition.

A Moment Aglow by Janelle Lorenzen

This evening from 8-10 p.m. will be the opening reception for the exhibition at the Sam B’s Restaurant. There will be FREE drinks, appetizers, and acoustic guitar entertainment in the back bar area of Sam B’s. This exhibit will be on display through the end of May with over 100 new works of art in all medias including Fiber Art Quilts, Glass, Wood, Ceramics, Jewelry, Photography, and Fine Art.

Cedar Falls by Janelle Lorenzen

New artists being featured at this location will be Janelle Lorenzen, Lila DeWitte, Wendy Jenkins, Sue Leimkuehler, Dave Grabarczyk, Norma Meier, and Trudy Heinz Fails.

Other artists featured are: Jeremy Anderson, Kate Argow, Elaine Fuchs, C. Corky Dunsmore, Joshua Lee Haus, Darlene Krohn, Mary Anne Nicholson, Emanuel Enriquez, David Kolasky, Adam Soboleski, and Les Robertson.



Covered Bridge by Janelle Lorenzen

PRIZM Creative Community is a 501 c. 3 nonprofit organization currently receiving partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council and Toledo Community Foundation. For more information on upcoming PRIZM educational workshops in the visual and literary arts visit our website at www.myprizm.com or email prizm@bex.net

Salon des Refusés

One of my fine art photographs is included in the 2013 Salon des Refusés Exhibition sponsored by Prizm Creative Community. The digital color photograph was taken in the Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago, IL.

 

Fine Art Photograph by Janelle Lorenzen

 

The Salon des Refusés (French for “exhibition of rejects”), a long standing and well loved Toledo tradition for many years, is an exhibit for art not accepted by the Toledo Area Artists Exhibition held each year in the Toledo Museum of Art. Since its inception the Salon des Refusés has earned a reputation for quality exhibitions among area art critics. The exhibit will be held for six weeks from Feb 1st - March 15th, at The Art’s Commission’s Parkwood Gallery located at 1838 Parkwood Avenue in Toledo. Evening hours to view the exhibition will also be held on Friday evening the 22nd of Feb. from 6-9 p.m. at The Parkwood Gallery, 1838 Parkwood Ave. in Toledo. Otherwise viewing hours for the exhibit will be held Feb. 1st –March 15th during The Arts Commission’s regular business, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.



 Salon des Refusés Postcard by PRIZM Creative Community

PRIZM Creative Community is a 501 c. 3 nonprofit organization currently receiving partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council and Toledo Community Foundation. For more information on upcoming PRIZM educational workshops in the visual and literary arts visit our website at www.myprizm.com or email prizm@bex.net


Color reVision in Perrysburg Messenger Journal

Exciting news! The Perrysburg Messenger Journal wrote an article on my Color reVision fine art photography exhibit. See the copy below.

(Click on the image to view larger)

PRIZM Opens New Art Exhibit 'Color reVision' Perrysburg Messenger Journal 12/05/2012

Color reVision Photography Exhibit by artist Janelle Lorenzen

Things got so crazy busy during the holidays that I forgot to post about the fine art photography exhibit I hung in December.

Frog Town by Janelle Lorenzen

My artists' group, PRIZM Creative Community, is sponsoring the exhibit at Starbucks at Levis Commons, in Perrysburg, Ohio. The exhibit will be available for viewing during regular business through January 28th, 2013.
 
Here is an excerpt of the press release sent out by PRIZM.

The current display entitled Color reVision features the work of PRIZM artist Janelle Lorenzen and will be on view through January 28th, 2013. The display includes Janelle’s fine art photography of landscapes and cityscapes of the Toledo, Ohio area and other inspiring locations in the region. The display includes images of the Toledo skyline, Wildwood Metropark, Maumee Bay State Park, the Toledo Botanical Gardens, the High-Level Bridge, and the Docks, among others.

Bridge Over Still Water by Janelle Lorenzen

To view examples of my fine art photography, including images in the Color reVision exhibit visit the Janelle Lorenzen Fine Art Photography website.

Yellow Boardwalk by Janelle Lorenzen

Season's Greetings

Pictures with Santa - Toledo Pet Photographer

Join the Golden Retriever Rescue Resource (GRRR) and Lorenzen Studios this holiday season to have your photo taken with Santa in his sleigh in a natural outdoor setting. 
 

We have scheduled three dates and locations for this exciting holiday event. Please click on the flyer below to view the details on the dates, locations, and photo packages.

This will be my second year volunteering with GRRR for the Santa photos. It's a fun event for families to include the family pet in their holiday photos.  And the fact that the photos are taken outside in a real sleigh makes it special. The kids enjoy cookies and hot chocolate while they wait for their turn to meet Santa. Last year we had many families with a variety of pets. We even had a photo with a dog, a cat, and a ferret! So be sure to mark your calendar for this special holiday event!

All proceeds from this event will benefit GRRR.  GRRR is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit charitable organization serving the Toledo Ohio area, including all of Northwest Ohio, northeast Indiana and lower Michigan. GRRR is known for taking on sick and abused animals, rehabilitating them, and helping them find loving homes. Please support GRRR and have your photo taken at this fun holiday event.

Fall Family Photos - Toledo Family Portrait Photography

This is one from my recent session with some of my favorite clients. This family has hired me to photograph their family five times! It was such an honor to come to their home and see photographs I took hanging on their walls.


 

See more from their past sessions here, here, here, and here. I'll be posting more from this session soon!

Trick or Treat! - Toledo Pet Photography

These little ones are gearing up for some Halloween fun. They were perfect little models at my recent pet portrait sessions at Toledo Pet Farm.

 

 

 

Yellow Boardwalk - Fine Art Photography by Janelle Lorenzen

Exciting news! Yellow Boardwalk, one of my Fine Art photographs, was selected by The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT) to be displayed in the Toledo Digital Arts Billboard Project as part of the Art in Public Places series!



Yellow Boardwalk by Janelle Lorenzen

ACGT's description of the project:

"Toledo is home to a growing number of digital billboards. These giant computer screens are mounted high above the streets and allow advertisers to blast their message out to thousands of potential customers or patrons on a daily basis. The content that runs on these giant screens typically loops on a regular schedule showing each ad for approximately 8 seconds.

What would happen if some of the slides in the rotation on these billboards were not intended to promote, advertise or advocate for a particular cause or product? What if some of the slides were designed simply to enhance our City’s aesthetic and cultural identity?

The Arts Commission and Toledo Detroit Outdoor Media are working together to explore this idea in a project called the Toledo Digital Billboard Art Project. The project will utilize two local digital billboards, which are owned by Toledo Detroit Outdoor Media, to exhibit a series of artworks with the sole intent of beautifying the City of Toledo for 8 seconds at a time. This project is designed to add to our city’s growing reputation as a center of creativity and culture, and to remind viewers that (despite what is communicated in the media) Toledo is a vibrant and enjoyable place to live and work."

The images select for the project will be displayed starting the week of October 8th.  The billboards are located on Monroe at Secor, and Secor at Central in Toledo, OH.

Yellow Boardwalk is digital color photograph taken at Wildwood Metro Park in Toledo, OH.  The dramatic colors in this image are due to the faux infrared post processing of the image in my digital darkroom. You may remember that this image was also chosen to hang in the Toledo Museum of Art in 2009 for the 91st Toledo Area Artist's Exhibit. For the billboard project the image was cropped to fit the dimensions of the billboards. The full uncropped image is below.

Yellow Boardwalk by Janelle Lorenzen

Cute Chalkboard Baby Announcement - Toledo Newborn Photogarpher

I just created the cutest chalkboard baby announcement EVER!

 

 

Just thought you might like a peek! ;-)

 

Cheers,

Janelle

Foster Dog Cricket - Toledo Pet Photographer

Meet Cricket. She is my new foster dog from the Golden Retriever Rescue Resource (GRRR).

 

Cricket is a 5 1/2 year old Golden Retriever/Lab/Greyhound mix that was surrendered to the rescue because her family fell on hard times. She is a sweet and loving girl. She is well behaved, housebroken, and gets along with other dogs. She is available for adoption through GRRR. For more information on Cricket click here.



Cricket is ready to "hop" right into her forever home.

The Golden Retriever Rescue Resource (GRRR) a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization serving the Toledo Ohio area, including all of Northwest Ohio, northeast Indiana and lower Michigan. To view other adoptable Goldens from GRRR click here.

Baby Brayden - Toledo Newborn Photographer

This one is from my recent session with baby Brayden. Little Brayden had a rough start to life and was faced with many health problems. But I'm happy to say he is now home and doing well! He is 6 weeks in this photo. Such a sweet little peanut!

Buddy's Winning Photo - Toledo Pet Photographer

Recently I entered a few photos of my dog Buddy into the Golden Retriever Rescue Resource photo calendar contest. I was notified today that one of his photos won!

Below is the winning photo. I took this photo in Hocking Hills, OH. He had been swimming, hiking, and exploring the caves with my husband and I on our vacation this past May.

 

 

You can view the rest of the calendar winners and purchase a copy of the calendar by clicking here. All proceeds of the calendars benefit Golden Retriever Rescue Resource (GRRR). The Golden Retriever Rescue Resource a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization serving the Toledo Ohio area, including all of Northwest Ohio, northeast Indiana and lower Michigan. To view wonderful adoptable Goldens from GRRR click here. GRRR is known for taking on sick and abused animals, rehabilitating them, and helping them find loving homes. Please consider adopting a shelter animal or supporting an organization like GRRR.

Babies and Bullies Calendar Project - Toledo Pet Photographer

Recently I have been working on a photo calendar project for Toledo's PET Bull Project (TPBP).  The organization contacted me and asked me to help out, and I agreed to volunteer my time and talent to take photographs to be used in the Babies and Bullies calendar they will soon be selling to raise funds for TPBP. The goal of the calendar project is to photograph babies and young children with Pit Bulls and other Bull-type dogs to illustrate that these dogs are gentle and are capable of being trusted with children.

Toledo's PET Bull Project is a 501C3 nonprofit organization that is committed to prevent animal cruelty and dog fighting, educate pet owners on the importance of spay and neuter, and to train pets and people in our community to become good advocates for their breed. TPBP is not a rescue; however they work with local animal rescue groups whenever necessary. They offer Pet Safety classes, Humane Education classes, Free Park Trainings, and Pawsitive Youth Training classes.

All the proceeds from the calendar sales will benefit TPBP. Once the calendars printed and ready for sale I will post the information on how to get your hands on one. So check back soon!

Little Cutie - Toledo Newborn Photographer

One more of this little cutie.