Andrea Jansen Designs Newsletter

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Summer 2008 Newsletter

Well, it was my first big (non-gourd) Stateside show, in Montclair, N.J., in June. Had to buy a tent and everything. That may sound odd, but when artists are invited to shows in Puerto Rico, the organizers supply pretty much everything except the 6 ft. table each artist is allowed. So, purchasing and then decorating a 10'x10' tent was the first order of business when I returned home (yes, I'm a 'Joyzee-Girl', and proud of it!). The organizers, Rose Squared Productions, put on a fabulous show, and the caliber of artists was incredible. The next show is September 20th in Upper Montclair, N.J. Hope to see you there!

I brought my best pieces to show off, and boy, what a hit! The Egg and Carousel blew people away. If you haven't seen it yet, here's a link to the page I devoted to the Safari Carousel

So, I am planning on spending a good portion of this summer with family in N.J., as I'm combining business with pleasure. And while I miss the Captain, Czar and yes, even Ruff Life, I have been doing my usual U.S. thing: Eating. Subs. Gyros. Bagels. N.Y. style pizza, and no, I don't mop off the grease! I'm enjoying alot of things not seen in P.R., but the amount of choices makes my head spin. Honestly, do we really NEED 500 varieties of crackers? Triskits, Wheat Thins and Ritz ought to take care of most needs...

Upcoming Shows

September 20-21
Fine Arts & Crafts at Anderson Park
Upper Montclair, NJ

Click here for directions and more information.

Congratulations to Scott M. of Sacremento, CA, last quarter's winner of a Trivet Tray. Happy Father's Day!

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Mom and I had a lobster feast on her 81st...doesn't she look great!

While enjoying lunch by the water, it figures that I'd see a duplicate of my own home cruising by...making me homesick. But the smile on Mom's face makes it worthwhile.

BELOW: This was something new for me: a customer requested I add color to an higuera which they had owned for over 15 years. Turned out it was a beautiful Three Kings piece, carved by an artist friend, Jose Pelegrina, and I was nervous about working on someone else's work. But as one former student exclaimed, just before painting some delicate linework, "...with God and the Virgin..." , I swallowed, repeated Diana's words and took the plunge. The result came out better than I'd hoped, and the customer was thrilled.

Before (left) and after (unfortunately I had started to paint before I remembered to take a photo). The gourd was worn, and the skin had started to peel off (that's why we spend so much time sanding). But the carving was exquisite. One king held a jamaca, or hammock, another a woven basket, with such detail! The third held a Cemi, an island icon carved in stone. I didn't want to cover Jose's beautiful carving...so I just enhanced the areas with a light stain. Click on the photos for larger views.

The newsletter tries to come out quarterly, but add me to your 'Favorites' list, just in case, and check periodically for new pieces. And remember...there's always a good excuse to visit the Gift Shop pages!
Thanks for viewing.
Andrea

How to Contact Us:
Andrea Jansen, Gourd Artist
P.O. Box 3039, Lajas, P.R. 00667
Telephone: 1-787-309-7197
info@andreajansendesigns.com