Sometimes we wander until we can move forward
mind Over Things That Matter
There are pages on art, life, relationships and God.
There are some writings that merely pose questions regarding how to navigate conflict.
Exciting news!
Heirlooms & Artifacts of Our Mother’s and Grandmother’s
Opening Thursday, before Mother’s Day, May 7th
Gallery open Thu, Fri 4-8, Sat 10-3
Artist Talk 11:00 AM Saturday May 30
Somerville Art Gallery
16746 US-64, 38068
Story of this work:
In 2011, inspired by my travels to Israel and a mission trip to Guatemala, I launched a series titled Heirlooms & Artifacts of Our Mothers and Grandmothers. Being abroad reminded me how much similar we all are. The simple beauty of the clotheslines I saw there sparked the memory tied to my grandmother, Virgie Marie Ross, who dried our laundry in the sun while my sister and I played hide-and-seek among the sheets.
Around that same time, after my grandmother passed away, I looked at the hand-embroidered linens and vintage family photos she had left behind in drawers. Many of the faces in those pictures were nameless to me, yet they felt vital. I wanted to find a way to merge these physical artifacts with the lives of the people in our family history. Since I was already teaching art students various transfer techniques, everything clicked: transfers became my medium for encapsulating moments into these relics, rescuing them from obscurity.
Jenna Fergus Art
Some navigational words regarding the webpage:
On the ADVICE page there are articles written:
- to aid with relational tension
- there are some about inner turmoil
- there are bits for parents
- some for children growing out of their youth
- articles draw from my experiences as a wife
- some are gathered from parent fails
- some are from the delights of grandchildren.
3 pages explain the books I am writing:
Book #1 Art Isn’t What You Think; A 21st Century Perspective on Art. It is an overview of some complicated ideas about Art like:
Book #2 God Is Not An Artist and Other Disagreeable Ideas About Art. Explores the spiritual ideas about Art. From the beginning of collecting and making of objects to be Art humanity has a purpose in all of it.
Book #3 The Things I Love and the Things I Hate in This Museum. This little book gives the Art viewer questions to consider as they visit Art in galleries and museums. The viewer gets to mull over why things culturally represent them or not.
For information on Visual Art and The Gospel: Here
WHY I CAN’T DEFINE ART AND NEITHER CAN YOU
Art identifies our culture. Though we can have preferences of particular pieces, our taste does not designate an object as Art.
Community is the chief definer of the substance of Art.
Art is not about the individual. art is about the collective. Art is about Us!
Jenna Fergus
My Art Story
Above is a link to my Art story. Art was not a consideration for me until I was in a traumatic place in my 30’s.
- What I began to realize was that art emphasizes our individuality. It underscores our pride.
- “I DECIDE WHAT IS ART FOR ME!!!!”
- On one side you have people who have no love for truth, beauty and goodness who demand that everything that is made is ART.
- On the other side, you have those folks who demand that art MUST have representation of the real or of God or of truth, beauty and goodness to be ART.
Both of these stances are adamant that their perspective of Art is absolute. Read My Story to see the definition that my students and I came to after many aesthetic discussions.
- However, Art has very little to do with the Public’s preferences, if anything.
- We, the Public are actually told what is Art by the Gatekeepers of Art.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
You have enlightened my perspective on art!
The aspect that all art is from God, whether the artist is a Believer or not, is an eye opener! His creation of ‘light’ was the initial source of color for any medium or substance used in creating art – wow! I will forever be reminded to speak truth, from His word, when it comes to discussing art. You noting Genesis 1 “let there be light”, which reveals color, is a reminder to seek the Lord‘s revelation when viewing art.
Thank you again Jenna!
by Cindi Montgomery
Mind over things that matter 