This week I did a podcast for Sleeping with Celebrities (where the term “celebrity” is used very loosely in my case) and usually behind me on a zoom you see my bookshelf which is possibly the most organized thing in my house. But when I had covid I had to move my computer into a room with a door so I could stay isolated and that meant using a room that has been used over the years for exercise, schoolwork, music, comic collections and is now affectionately called “the junk room” because it’s where I hide all of the stuff I don’t have room for or need to organize or just want to hide to pretend doesn’t exist. So that’s why I ended up with this as my lovely background and it’s a little mortifying but also a really good reminder to everyone that none of us are as put together as we seem, and that’s okay.
Also behind me are thousands of comics, laundry I haven’t hung up and 1400 tiny glass Hagen-renaker animals I’ve collected since I was little.
Slightly related: today we’re having the Laura Perea art exhibit at Nowhere Bookshop in our community room. This is what it looked like at noon yesterday when I was having a panic attack:
And this is what it looked like when I left:
Is it perfect, or even close to the way a real gallery would show art? No. But it’s strange and unique and human and that is what makes art (and life) important.
Embrace your flaws. They’re more beautiful than you know.
❤️ I already listened to you on Sleeping with Celebrities! Well half listened, I guess, since I did fall asleep midway as planned. I really love the podcast (with host John Moe) since it helps me to relax / rest / sleep ❤️
I think everyone has those kinds of things in their house – social media just makes it seem like everyone’s perfectly done up and their homes are always clean…it is just their snapshot of what they feel is perfect, rather than the reality of life.
Jenny you are AMAZING! Thank you for your dedication to bringing this woman’s story and art into the light. It has been so fascinating to follow your journey with her. She sounds like a woman who definitely deserves to be remembered, just as we all do. And thank you for this incredible community you’ve inspired and built where we can all feel a little less broken and a little more loved.
Best wishes for a great event!!!
My basement is so unorganized. I quilt and sew and collect fabric (I’ll use it some day!)
“Embrace your flaws. They’re more beautiful than you know.” Boy, did I need to hear that today, Jenny. ❤️ The art exhibit for Laura looks fantastic! Can’t wait to hear how it goes! Thank you for sharing her story with us.
I love your figurine cabinet!
It looks like my home.
Everyone has at least one room that looks like that, if they’re interesting people. The people who don’t have at least one place in their house that looks like that are usually either boring, controlling or desperately trying to put on an illusion of perfection to combat the chaos elsewhere in their lives.
Why did this make me tear up? Those last lines man, they got me.
This post goes so well with other things that have entered my orbit over the last few days. Thanks for always being so real, dear Jenny.
Wonderful that Laura’s talent can be enjoyed by others. She will live on through you, Jenny.
Jenny, be gentle with yourself. We are humans and imperfect. I love your Hagen-renaker animals.
I already listened to you and you lulled me right to sleep!
I am so thankful that you have worked to discover who Laura Perrea was, and better still, to share her amazing artwork. What a talented woman; if prints are ever available of her work, I’d love to get one…maybe the proceeds could go to an organization that works to provide mental health support?
Your “junk room” looks organized. You should challenge us all to send you pictures of our junk rooms. I have TWO. One I can’t even get into without taking stuff out to walk in.
Gallery looks fabulous. Congratulate yourself!
I like the way you have the exhibit set up. It looks like you could lean on the tables to get a closer look at the works without risking damaging them. If that wasn’t on purpose, you should totally tell people that it was.
That room is enormous!!! Do you live in a mansion? 😲
One thing I have learned in therapy is that there are no societal norms you should be measuring yourself against because we are all different and we are all trying our best. I believe it for the sake of sanity, just need to truly believe it because I still feel the “ack! Someone will judge me!”. Well, let them, my bills are paid and Idgaf.
I think your Laura Perea Art Gallery is FANTASTIC (in a Strangeling kinda way) and VERY practical. The tables are gonna keep people from leaning forward and TOUCHING the Artwork.
How do I know people get too close to the Art you ask?
Although I would NEVER EVER touch, I have leaned forward close enough with my nearsightedness to set off alarms at EVERY museum I’ve ever visited.
I usually end up with my own personal Docent/Security Guard for the rest of my visit.
Signed,
Susan: The ENTHUSIASTIC Art Lover ❤️🎨
P.S. I LOVE that you’re doing this for Laura Perea…and ALL of the Laura’s out there.🫂
I’m very glad to know I’m not the only one with a shameful room. My basement currently looks like a hoarder lives here because it’s filled with everything from my storage room that I had to pull out and wash and leave there until I could pull the carpet out after a sewer backup. I’ve pulled the carpet and cleaned but have not gotten around to moving everything back yet. It’s been five months so far. I’m starting to think maybe it just lives there now. Luckily I only go down there when I need to do laundry which, judging by the fact that I forgot a load in the washer for 5 days, apparently isn’t all that often. Ope.
As someone said, “I’m not messy, I just have ideas laying around everywhere!” I’m so glad you are doing the exhibition, and I love the idea of Laura merch, especially with proceeds/profits going to a mental health charity. Her work is lovely (as is yours) and deserves more than it got.
“Dull people have immaculate homes”
(30+ y/o kitchen magnet)
We have ‘The Room of No Return’ at our house.
I have a room like that. Used be my craft room. Now it’s just the crap room.
The fact you have the ability to fit your desk and computer in your junk room means you have nothing to worry about with how much is in that room.
I have a room like that but on steroids. I used it during Covid, too. But now there is no room for a table and chair. Actually, there are about ten different chairs in the room piled up on each other along with all my other stuff that needs a better place to live, but I don’t have the energy to organize it.
Jenny, love this: “Embrace your flaws. They’re more beautiful than you know.” Thank you!
Thankyou for that lovely reminder💜🌈
In the past year, we have had a hail storm that damaged our roof and siding, needing replacement (well, as long as we’re doing that, let’s get new doors and windows!). I broke my ankle, went home to put ice on it and my fridge was dead and dripping…had to toss all the groceries. The sewer backed up and flooded my basement craft room. The contractors cleaning my basement were there at the same time as the outside contractors. Half of my supplies were destroyed by sewer water, the other half are in boxes packed up randomly by the cleaners and I haven’t been able to find and organize the things that survived because we had to wait for the walls to be rebuilt and painted and flooring to be installed. So your room looks pretty good to me!
I remember those figurines! I can remember looking at them at stores like Coach House(??). Wow, I’d totally forgotten about those.
Also, I think my whole house is a junk room. 😬
(Yes! Hallmark, Coach House, Michaels. They were all over in the 80s and 90s. ~ Jenny)
I tried to “like” your post. I think I accomplished that, but I had to “sign in” MULTIPLE times. Are you with the NSA/CIA/FBI? Which one?
(so weird. WordPress makes it difficult for no reason. ~ Jenny)
I think the gallery looks fantastic and I think Laura would be beaming at you doing all of this for her 😀
I wish I could see the exhibit in person; I love Laura’s art! And the way you have it displayed looks great! My husband is an artist – or used to be; he hasn’t painted in a long time, but we used to go to a LOT of art shows, and trust me, that looks way better than many of the exhibits we’ve been to!
I zoom every Sunday and I have one wall that looks organized and relatively neat. The camera faces that wall. Thus I constantly face the awful mess in front of me. This does stress me out but I would be more stressed out of that was behind me on the screen. We throw the dice and take our chances.
Your junk room is tidier than any room in my house, with the possible exception of our bathroom. 🤣👍
I am happy that you are sufficiently healthy to do a Zoom! And it is good to show the messy as well as the photo perfect.
I came to the Laura Perea art show, and you did an amazing job, both with the display and with your detailed presentation. I was so impressed! About the image with the dust devil – in the early 50’s there were several years of severe drought in Texas which could easily explain the dust you noted in Laura’s artwork. Another small piece of the puzzle! Looking forward to watching your online presentation after you gather more information. So fascinating!
(Thank you! I’m so glad you came. ~Jenny)
The Room of Requirement. We all have one of those.
The Room of Requirement. We all have one of those
I do find reality comforting most days. Even with the darkness, there is clarity among the chaos.
Tiny glass animals …..*frantically Googles ‘Hagenrenaker’* OOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! OOOOooooo!!!!!!! ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only mine don’t live in a cool case like that. They live in the assorted boxes/tins/drawers/varied storage media that I keep on *trying* to organise ….
Ohh, and CONGRATULATIONS on the Laura exhibit!!!
(ONE OF US. ONE OF US. My grandfather made the case for me when I was in my 20s. At the time it was way too much space…now it’s too little. ~ Jenny)
The podcast worked! I enjoyed hearing about your Blythe dolls, then out like a light. No small accomplishment for this lifelong insomniac. I almost came to San Antonio for the Laura Perez display and to see your bookstore, but decided a time when the temperature was below 102 might be better. Sorry to have missed it, though.
I gotta scroll back because isn’t this your first art show? I could absolutely be wrong, my mind’s a sieve.
This should totally be a thing!
(First one! ~ Jenny)
Room of Denial at our house…we clear out occasionally and start over 🙂 right now it is in usable project mode. No shame at all!
Bulldog clips!!! Really??? That’s no way to treat artworks. The aesthetes would be appalled.
Yours,
Banksy
(No, of course it’s not Banksy. They posted a few entries up)
The exhibit of Laura Peter’s work looks wonderful! I wish I could see it in person. Are you planning a virtual tour of it at some point?
I love the fact that you have a box of eyes. So wonderfully weird!
I’m still listening to the podcast and I have another comment. You mentioned that some might not understand your love of horror while also having anxiety disorder. My son is the same. I’m so glad to hear that he’s not the only one. Maybe it’s how you deal with anxiety? IDK; just a thought.
Now I have discovered Hagen-renaker animals and a new thing to collect!
I collect miniatures too! They bring me so much joy. 🥹
Oh and by the way, doesn’t everyone have a junk room??
I’m dying to hear how the exhibition went. Any news?
(It was awesome! ~ Jenny)
My Mother worked for Hagen-Renaker for 20 years until they moved from Monrovia, California. I remember dusting those small figurines and I have only one, a black lab and 2 complete sets of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made for DIsney. I’m impressed with your collection. And so pleased you were able to find Laura Perea’s work and exhibit it.
I actually love the tables, I often want to sketch at galleries but sitting with book on lap is awkward and I can never get close enough – being able to sit at a table like this (I know that wasn’t the intention) would be amazing. I wish I were close enough to see these in person, I’ve been captivated by them since you first posted.
Your honesty and vulnerability are inspiring. It’s refreshing to see someone so open about their imperfections. Your junk room is a reminder that everyone has their own unique chaos.
The Laura Perea art exhibit looks fantastic. It’s great to see you supporting local artists and creating a space for creativity. Your passion for art and community is evident.
Keep sharing your thoughts and experiences. You’re a true inspiration.
khalidelarbi
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