#jennapara

[crafthousegr]

Jenna Para gives us the honest truth...

So Jenna, how did this latest set of prints come to be?

"I didn't take my idea for the second "Thoughts of Home" show very seriously when I first thought of it, actually, because it stemmed from a pretty ridiculous conversation Coco and I had about losing things at home, like the night I lost my betta fish down my sink drain while cleaning his tank. (Don't worry; I got him out.) So I brushed the idea off for awhile.

 I view discussing "home" as a fairly heavy topic, so how could these little objects possibly be capable of fully encompassing what "home" means? The idea kept nagging me though, and I gave into pursuing it after some helpful conversations from the Co-Op and a few fellow printmakers. 

As I screenprinted the objects, I thought about their impact on our lives and it morphed into this larger metaphor of what we can lose at home. It wasn't just these little objects, was it? Sometimes we lose the people who make us feel at home. Or we have to pack up and move, leaving behind roofs and cities and familiarity. And we're left to contend with the weight of separation and distance and loss. So we figure out the best ways to replace these missing objects and keep going with our lives. I think it pains part of me to see what's been lost get completely forgotten over time and since replacements make that transition fairly easy, I wanted to create something in memoriam of the losses we might view as too small." -Jenna

Official Statement for y'all...

"Since most of my work already focuses on the idea of home and the repetitive quest of trying to find what has been lost, I asked each of my fellow Co-Op members to think of an object they tend to lose or misplace in their homes. These objects are fairly standard in our every day use of them, but once they are lost, our routines are thrown and we are left to improvise until we can find what is missing. When we cannot retrieve what's been lost, we resort to replacing it, which can be as easy as a trip to the corner gas station or as tedious as waiting for a new bank card in the mail. No matter the process though, we know we can always get that replacement, so the loss is never permanent. With one object secured safely in a frame and a large edition of "lost" objects strewn about the floor, I hope to give a form to the objects we no longer see."  -Jenna

[amaranthacankeepasecret]

Amarantha || Jenna

After drying herself off, Amarantha pulled her clothes on over her damp bikini. She was glad that she hadn't spent the night in her dorm room, confusing herself over a Math textbook. She stood next to the table that held punch and the alcoholic drinks, contemplating whether she should drink more or not. Spencer had seemed slightly wary to be drinking earlier and she should be showing the same caution but she couldn't seem to shake off the feeling that it was the right thing to do.

With much difficulty she tore her gaze from the table and spotted the hostess, Jenna. Without hesitation Amarantha made her way over to her. She didn't seem to be busy talking to anyone so Ama took the opportunity to be polite. "Hey, um.. Jenna right? Your party is really good. Thank you so much for letting me be here." She exclaimed a little overly enthusiastic. 

[clarissa-cox-blog]

Unwelcome || Clarissa&Jenna

Clarissa was pleased with life. Herself and Henry had enjoyed a wonderful week, and a lovely Valentine's Day together, and to top it all off, they were going exactly in the direction she wanted. Owen was finally admitting his feelings to himself, and happy with it. Jae was back in town, and even though Jessie had been MIA once again, Clarissa understood her reasoning. She felt bad for her best friend, but there wasn't much she could do. Of course, if Clarissa had been aware of Jessie's feelings for Owen, she might have taken a different approach to how his feelings for Elise. Making her way to the park for a late night walk, the girl appriciated her surroundings for once. As she found the park bench empty, Clarissa sat, and closed her eyes for a brief moment. There wasn't a thing that could ruin her now. She was almost invincible. 

[judgy-littleeyes-blog]

Are you giving up and done? || Jenna&Elena

After a fun night with Senna, Elena was finally ready to get out of the house and broaden her horizons again. She'd been cooped up inside her apartment ever since the weekend, aside from the daily routine of going to school, of course. Slipping on a purple long sleeved shirt, and a pair of worn jeans, Elena decided there was really no need to get all dressed up just to go to the park. She was actually looking forward to seeing Jenna. Jenna was one of the few people who actually accepted Elena, flawed and all. Grabbing her phone off of the kitchen counter, Elena made her way outside and began the short walk over to the park. The air was damp, probably from an earlier rain that had swept over the city. Fast enough, obviously, that no one really noticed it. She listened as her shoes squished the soggy leaves, enjoying just being outside in the quiet, nothing and no one bothering her or saying anything that could upset her. It was nice to have time to herself, Elena was behind on her morning jogs, which she'd promised herself she'd soon catch up on. This was the first time in a few weeks she'd actually stopped and taken in the outside world, forgot about herself and remembered then when it all came down to it, as much as it seemed to be a false statement, things really could have been worse.

As she neared the park, Elena saw a foggy shadow in the distance, and immediately recognized her friend. "Jenna?" Calling out to her, she made her way over to a park bench where Jenna was seated. "You know, of all places in this city, I never thought the park would be the first place you could walk to without getting lost." She laughed, amused at the fact that Jenna had mentioned she didn't really know the place that well. "How was your Valentine's Day since you didn't end up with Jeremiah? Which, by the way, I'm secretly happy about considering I think he's a jerk." Shrugging her shoulders, Elena looked around the park. It was quiet, figures, as it was late at night and most people didn't trust themselves alone in this city in the dark anymore. Not after the strange recurring attacks that'd randomly sprung up. She was surprised that no one had put two and two together, consdering she was fairly certain the attacks started around the time the Mystic kids came. "Look, I'm sorry if you thought I was digging into your business last night. I guess I just want to make sure you don't let yourself fall into trouble here, that's all."