Pretty Things Spotlight: * Jenna Colby *

Welcome to the magical world of Jenna Colby...

I came across Jenna's work one day by chance...and it's a bittersweet story. It was around the time of what would have been my brother's birthday, but sadly he is no longer with us. Around that time of year, I celebrate in my own way, by purchasing a little something in his memory. It is at that time, I came across this print "No one Remembers" [right] in Jenna's Sooopajdelux shop on Etsy.

“I make it a point to take note and assign a story to the passer by, giving each moment in time purpose and creating color.”

I was instantly entranced by her work...mesmerised by her quirky characters and the melancholy mood that each portrays.
I now own two of her prints and she will forever be one of the artists near and dear to my heart.

Spotlight: Jenna Colby

*Tell us a bit about yourself... i live in a little hut like house behind two full grown appletrees the way i see it... it is very hello kitty meets smurfland-- altho to the untrained eye it is just a simple craftsman. the trees are old and gnarly... very magic... and they make apples too! it is nestled in a town on a chunk of land floating in the puget sound which is the water separating the large squareish chunk of washington state on the right from the smaller sliver on the left... close enough to seattle... but not right up in it.. best thing about it is that the commute to seattle is via boat. to a kid from the midwest.. it is a trip.
fun facts... hmm this can be dangerous... my mom tells me that when i was a wee one in diapers...(oh jeez.. these stories never end good) she would put me to bed in my crib all safe and snug as a bug next morning she would often find murals made of poo from my diaper on the wall ...i actually remember it sorta (sans the poopy details) but i do remember forming shapes and color variations on the wall... it was a tad bit sculptural too. iwould always find things to make things out of... always. paper bags and teacups and cookies and anything i could find. my grampa was a junk collector... so it was extra fun. i never really grew out of it altho i have been introduced to other media over the years... and have gotten better dexterity... what im doing now has come from years of full time tinkering. im not "a natural" by any means... i am obsessed.

*What inspires you?
extreme moods... thinkers... stories... animals... books... faces in a crowd and the stories i make up about them... politics... justice and injustice... strong women... real rags to riches stories... people who overcome ...wow... it is endless...

*Apart from creating things, what do you do for fun?
i dont know about "fun" but i do try to be as active as i can politically.. i am really concerned about the state of things. i often fantasize about being a us congress person. i would love to have that access. im a c-span junkie... but i can see why i am a minority in that there is absolutely no overt WOW to c-span... but once i got into it... it is ADDICTING! and the CRAZY goings on affect us all. i think it would be cool to go in and shake up c-span by acting all crazy and doing some extreme truth telling to get more people watching. i could and would do that as a congress grl but yah... since i promised the moon and stars that i am serious about this "art" thing and i have made the commitment to do this full time... i dont do much else. it is like working 2 or 3 full time jobs... but im not complaining. im chasing dreams and there isnt a better place to be in this life i used to be really into nature activities... anything active that gets me into the dirt, moss and ferns (even the snow covered kind) ESPECIALLY since moving to washington. the pacific nw is unexplainable how magical it is. i would love to get back into snowboarding... i used to go all the time and was passionate about it. i feel like i am cheating on a lover... i chose art over snowboarding.. but art always meant more... and for some reason i had to choose and i chose art. i still have massive love for snowboarding and in quiet moments when i close my eyes i can still feel it.

*What has been your most memorable moment selling your art?
my first time having art hanging on a wall would have to be it. it was at a show called re-start in seattle a few years back. it was such a wild mix of emotions... i spent most of the night overwhelmed with emotion crying and hiding in corners. once i realized those little red dots next to the paintings meant they sold... and not that i was in some sort of trouble... i was so transformed... sad to see something that i spent time with and created go... selling a piece for the first time can be a tad bit sad... but at the same time... this thing that was nothing i made into somethng and now it has value to someone and they want to spend time with it on their wall in their living space!!! wow!! i had been painting my entire life and had stacks of work piled up around the house... but never really felt like it was anything anyone would want to look at. people told me i should.. and FINALLY the opportunity revealed itself and i went for it. seeing my paint hung on a wall in an official way for the first time was lifechanging.

*Any advice for fellow artists...
be strong if you arent dont bother.. this shit will eat you alive if you give a damn about what you are doing.. you will find yourself hurt quite abit (but the good parts are SO worth it!!!) if you dont give a damn about what you are doing you will be no good. this thing has been so much more than painting pictures to go on walls... everything changed.

*Anything else you'd like to add... a dash of yubness <3

Etsy Shop: http://soopajdelux.etsy.com
Website: www.soopajdelux.com