Downtown Bangor is all About the Kids! Join us.

This Handmade Life will be offering free papercraft classes for kiddos ages 8 and up ... while Studio 36 will be offering free portaits for kiddos of every age. Drop in at 170 Park Street (up "The Hill"), Bangor, ME on May 7th from 11-5.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Love,

Jodi

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And so we begin ...

... turning dreams into reality. A marriage of both my passions ... in the same location. The photography studio ... and the handmade retail shop. One upstairs and one downstairs ... in a gorgeous downtown building.

The shop (downstairs) carries all sorts of wonderful art and goodies. The studio (upstairs) makes it possible for area photographers to rent a professional space in order to meet their clients and create wonderful portrait work. All good. All fun. All perfect for downtown.

Come visit soon. We are still growing ... but we are on our way.

Soon, we will be offering various photography and handicraft classes. More info to come. And be sure to make room on your schedule for our grand opening ... the weekend of March 18-20th!

SO looking forward to becoming a fun part of our thriving downtown.

Hoping to see you all soon!

Open Wed - Sat: 11am - 7pm.

Love,

Jodi

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Studio 36 Has a New Location!

Hooray! The lease has been signed and for the next couple of years (or longer) our photography studio will be located at 170 Park Street (formerly the Peace & Justice Center) in Bangor, ME. We are so very excited. This space is gorgeous ... and is also the home of One Lupine Fiber Arts ... as well as the new home of my friend Andy Hurtt. There are some wonderful plans for the rest of the building as well --- very artsy plans --- and this space is going to be filled with creativity, joy, and all that is good. I can't wait!

We hope to be open in early January ... and will be sure to have a open house bash asap. Will share plans as we create them.

Thanks for sharing in our enthusiasm!

Love,
Jodi

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Buy One. Pretty Please :)

Meet Seabass (formerly known as Winston). This cat's life was literally saved by staff at the Bangor Humane Society. He died once. Truly. He "saw the light at the end of the tunnel". Well, I assume. Then, within minutes, he was brought back to life by the staff vet at the shelter. And though that should be enough to make him pretty special ... his life has also changed the lives of the human beings who love him. Including me.

Now meet Kimbo. He is A.W.E.S.O.M.E. And he would not be in a loving family were it not for the Bangor Humane Society. His life was saved because the Bangor shelter was able to meet his needs and to find him a loving home. Were it not for the shelter, who knows where he would be today ... if here at all.

Meet Lyra. She is WAY sexier in real life. This snapshot is terrible. And so is she sometimes. But we love her so very much. Because of the Bangor Humane Society, this kitty is a permanent member of our family. She was brought in as a malnourished, underweight little bitty thing ... and through their foster care program, we were able to care for her until she was ready to be neutered and adopted.


And Isaac is forever changed because of her. In our home, you will often hear me say, "What the heck did you do with yourself before we got Lyra?" because he is forever playing with her. She is his best buddy (though you wouldn't know it by the look on her face in the above shot).

Look, I swear I am not overly sentimental about animals. I used to be. But Haiti changed me on that front, and I am now much more sensitive to the plight of human beings than animals. BUT I have also seen first hand what wonderful things the BHS staff and volunteers do to help animals that would otherwise be in misery. And what they do is good ... and worthy of support.

I can also honestly say that it is not just the work they do for animals that has me lending support, but even more than that ... they help people. Sometimes people cannot keep their beloved pets ... and the shelter assures them in every way possible that their pet is in good hands and that they will find him/her the best home possible. This is good work. Sometimes a family (like us) is seeking the perfect pet ... and the shelter goes above and beyond to match people to their soul-pets. This is good work. The shelter also takes in volunteers who have their own challenges (mental /physical challenges, court-appointed community service workers, etc). They help these people to do good work as well. And working with animals can certainly change lives for the better.

So, have we established how awesome the Bangor Humane Society is yet? Have I given you enough info to make you want to buy our 2011 Bangor Humane Society Calendar? For just $20, you can purchase their calendar --- full of gorgeous fine art photography (like the picture of Seabass pictured above) --- all photos taken by me --- and in financial support of their good work.

Here is how:

Please purchase one or more calendars ($20 for 1 or 6 for $100) by sending a check made out to Studio 36, 1746 Stillwater Ave, Bangor ME 04401. Be sure to include your address and phone number so we can send you the calendar!

Or you can use Paypal:

Options:

1 Calendar $20.00 6 Calendars $100.00 12 Calendars $180.00

Please consider buying one or more asap. They make great gifts for everyone on your Christmas list ... they are good for you ... good for the animals ... and good for people.

THANK YOU!

love,

Jodi

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First GeoCaching Experience. Totally Awesome.

So, I was chillin' on Facebook Monday morning (Memorial Day), when I saw that a local friend of mine posted that she and her family were going GeoCaching for the first time that day. I SO wanted to try it too --- after having learned a bit about it while reading up on Letterboxing over a year ago. The weather was perfect for it ... and we had no plans of any other kind for the day ... so I just downloaded a GPS app for my iPhone, plugged in some coordinates, and headed out to discover hidden treasures throughout Bangor.

I was so surprised by how easy it was to get started. I just searched for local caches on geocaching.com ... downloaded a $2.99 iPhone application ... grabbed some bottled water and my family ... and travelled 3 miles to our first cache site.

We spent an hour searching at our first site ... and though we were glad to have discovered a new park that we had never even known about in our 12+ years of living in the Bangor area ... we never did find the cache! Since then, we have learned a few hints about its locale, and will return to find it before any "muggles" discover the booty!

Our second geocache search (and ultimately our last for the day) was a success! Our GPS brought us to within a 100 foot radius of the stash (located in one of our favorite Bangor parks) and within about 20 min, Halis discovered the stash tucked away in a log. It was super exiting for all of us!

We each took something from the stash, and replaced it with loads of cool goodies for the next person to find. (If you want to GeoCache in Cascade Park, you will find some fun toys, Charlie Brown pinback buttons, bookmarks, etc!).

I SO look forward to finding every stash in our city ... and discovering so many little nooks that we never knew about prior to GeoCaching (which seems to be one of the greatest benefits to this "sport"). What a great way to enjoy the outdoors, do some exploring, role play the whole pirate/Indiana Jones thing a bit, and get some fun booty ... not to mention spend some quality time with your family.

Geocaching is simply awesome. Try it! Maybe we will see you "on the trail"!

Love,

Jodi

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Please Join Us in Downtown Bangor! Celebrate the Arts.

"Shake off the winter doldrums and celebrate the coming of spring at the next Downtown Bangor Artwalk from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 19.

Come see what Bangor's photographers, painters, musicians, fiber artists, installation artists, potters and more have created during the long winter.The Downtown Bangor Artwalk is FREE and open to the public!

Among 16 venues presenting well over 40 artisans, Artwalk organizers are pleased to introduce several new participants. Epic Sports will be showing the work of artist Lyndsey Marston, and the Art in the Heart exhibit featuring works by local art educators will have an opening reception for the evening at the Bangor Public Library Lecture Hall. Also be sure to stop by Studio 36 on Hammond Street to see the photography of Jodi Renshaw.The University of Maine Museum of Art will feature Resonant Places: Paintings by Megan Chase; Simple Complexity: Installation and Works by Gerry Stecca; Bio-Permutation: Sculptures by David Isenhour; and Burnt Cove: Watercolors of the Maine Landscape by Gerald Matthew Immonen. And by Design Gallery will feature the ongoing Bangor, Brush with History: honoring Bangor Maine's 175th, showing new works by artists throughout Maine.

Top off your evening by stopping in at one of downtown Bangor’s many restaurants, or mingle with a portion of Bangor’s artistic community during an after-party at The Charles Inn at West Market Square. The party starts at 10 p.m. Your $12 ticket entitles you to a glass of beer or wine and a full assortment of complimentary hors d’oeuvres. There's a limited number of tickets available and they must be bought in advance. Get yours at Metropolitan Soul or The Charles Inn starting March 1, 2010. Call 207-992-2820 for information.

You'll find Artwalk maps listing the participating venues and featured artists at these locations:> University of Maine Museum of Art> Metropolitan Soul> Bangor Wine and Cheese> Bangor Public Library> One Lupine Fiber Arts

Questions? Comments? Contact JoAnne Houlsen at 207-947-0937, or contact@downtownartscollaborative.org." (quoted from Facebook page)

Hope to see you!

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Love for Our Troops : Isaac & I Troop Greet in Bangor.

(terrible iphone pic - sorry)

Isaac and I spent our afternoon yesterday at the Bangor International Airport saying farewell to a large group of brand new soldiers heading over seas. It was both lovely and sobering.

First, I had to explain to my son why we are thanking these men and women. I - who am firmly opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - am still fully respectful of the jobs that these soldiers are doing for our country. I needed to find a way to articulate my love and respect for these men and women in uniform to my son without glorifying war or using political talk. So - I did the only thing I could think of at the time - I drew a map. I explained that this little piece of land here on the map is called "America" ... and it is where we live ... and there are all sorts of other countries all around the world too. And each country has men and women who volunteer (or are ordered) to protect that country and all the people in it. Sometimes one country wants to hurt another country --- so these men and women sometimes have to leave their homes and go fly over to other countries to stop them from trying to invade our own. I further explained that just as Daddy protects us from anyone who might want to hurt us --- these soldiers have the job of protecting our entire country. That is why we say THANKS.

Now, I know that this is very oversimplified ... and war is way more political and nasty than I would dare explain to my 4 -year old. And frankly, not all men and women in uniform are honorable. BUT, they are all human ... they are all our brothers and sisters ... and in the best situations ... they are off to do what they believe is right in order to protect the freedoms we hold dear. This is what I want my son to understand and to respect.

So, Isaac and I waved flags, clapped vigorously and shook many hands as these men and women arrived into our airport. We welcomed them to Bangor, thanked them for their service and told them to be sure to come home safe. All our well wishes were happily received. And it felt so good just to share a smile with these folks before they headed into the unknown (these were mostly young recruits headed off for the first time) ... but it also was heartbreaking. Some of these boys looked like babes to me. And some of the women were very likely somebody's mama or little girl. I don't want them to have to leave. But if they must ... then Isaac and I wish them a safe return.

In fact, we are now official "Troop Greeters" (we read the rules and signed on the dotted line and will now be called at all hours of the day to let us know when troops are coming home or leaving). Our name tags will be here shortly.

Isaac - of course - made best buds with a little blond troop greeter (almost 5 years old) who told him she has been Troop Greeting since she was born. She taught him how to "greet" and then took him around to pass out goodies to the soldiers once they were mingling. It was so very sweet (and a little rambunctious) :

And now I believe he is in love. I am sure it will not be hard to get him to come with me for future Troop Greetings - as this little sweetie told him that she is there as often as she can be :)

I am proud of my little man --- proud that he is learning love and respect for those who serve --- and praying that these wars will end asap.

Love,

Jodi

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Gabe.

There is so much I want to say about GABE .... his amazing family .... his incredible personality ... his appreciation for life, love, and friends ... his debilitating bike accident ... his painstaking but valiant physical recovery efforts ... and the support that so many people have shown for him because he is one of those incredibly special people who really touches the lives of others. I want to talk about all of this. But, I don't feel qualified. So, instead, I will send you to his website: http://www.getbettergabe.com/ where you can hear from his parents, girlfriend, and friends regarding his recovery in California ... and the efforts that are being made to raise money to bring him home to Maine.

And I invite you to this rockin' celebration FOR and ABOUT Gabe:

For the collosal list of door prizes and raffle winnings, you have got to check this out! Now that is some serious Gabe love going on.

Halis and I will be there. Hoping to see some of you too. No need to be a friend of Gabe's already ... but no doubt you will be in the future after meeting those who love him. That is how I have come to love Gabe myself :)

Love,

Jodi

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Bangor Car Show 2009.

I am having a blast of a time hanging out with my neice and nephew tonight ... (and Isaac of course). We all went to the Bangor Car Show today and I took many many pics of vehicles ... most of which whose names I have no idea of. But the above photo is my favorite ... because I tend to love faces way more than cars.

I will post the rest of the pics tomorrow via Flickr. Will share when done.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

Love,
Jodi

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Around the Farm.

It is a small farm - no doubt. Just 16 acres ... littered with all manner of wild fauna ... 2 goats, 16 chickens, some dogs and some cats. But we get our eggs and milk in this way. And the future may hold other farming ventures here on this fertile land ... just 2 miles from the city's shopping center. Till then, we are more than content with the life we have here. Simple ... yet just minutes from the chaos and entertainments of the city. A strange set of circumstances brought us here ... but now we can't imagine being anywhere else.

I recently met a guy up here from my hometown area of Nashua, NH. He was just passing through and asked me "So, what are you doing up here?" I replied, "Loving every minute of it." And I do ... at least most of the time.

I thought for today I'd share some of the pictures that I took around our place this weekend. Enjoy:

Love,

Jodi

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What Happened to Borders Books?

For many years, I worked at Borders Books, Music & Cafe as a Children's Bookseller and Children's Event Coordinator. I loved my job. Really loved it. I started working at the store in Bangor before it even opened. I helped stock the selves, merchandise my area, and create fun events for drawing in customers. This was back in the day when Borders cared about customer service, about getting the customer the exact book they were looking for, and about hiring just the right "book-smart" people for assisting customers. I didn't just help customers, I formed relationships with them ... as did my fellow co-workers. It was a place to come to for Friday Night Jazz, famous author book signings, The American Girls Club, Homeschoolers Night, and so much more. We were an eclectic bunch of booksellers, music sellers and cafe workers too. Some men wore skirts, some other folks had all manner of facial piercings, some were working moms while others were retired military. And - for the most part - we all cared deeply for either books, music, great coffee or all of the aforementioned. But all this seems to have changed ...

Slowly but surely, (with the replacement of the former CEO), Borders has become nothing more than a "big-box-store". I haven't worked there for years now, but have always been a loyal customer ... and I have finally settled on the fact that the book shop I loved so well will never be the same again. All the dedicated book-loving employees are gone. The music department is almost no more. The coffee shop is now owned by another company. The registers are inundated with candy, cheap magazines and dime-store souveniers. The various fun nights of music and social gatherings are totally gone. And our once beloved children's department now looks like a toy store:

One day, Isaac and I walked into Borders, after just having been there two evenings prior, to find that what we used to call the "book cave" was now filled with all manner of "Made in China" toys. I was absolutely appalled. I asked to speak to a manager - who turned out to be one of the shift managers I had worked with before. I asked him what in the world was going on. He assured me that there were just as many books as there had been prior to their "toy store makeover" ... but truth be told - I don't believe him. There simply is no possible way. Everywhere I looked, there were toys - not books. I then asked him "Why?". He told me that the company had to sell what people want ... and they don't want books. SERIOUSLY??? What happened to America when people no longer want to buy BOOKS from a BOOKSTORE??? Am I that unique in wanting my son to grow up surrounded by books, music and social gatherings? In Bangor? I mean - Bangor was/is all about kids, community, social experiences, small-town gatherings, education, etc. What happened? And where was I when the change took place?

Needless to say perhaps ... but I am flustered by this. It has rattled me in ways I didn't know were possible. I want my old Borders back. I want some skirt-wearing man with a ring in his nose to help me find the perfect book for my Isaac. I want to drink my latte on a Friday night to the sounds of a local jazz band. I want to meet the latest local authors and have them sign my books. I want Isaac to be able to attend some fun kid-oriented gatherings --- like the old science club we used to run, etc. And I definitely want to buy BOOKS at my local BOOKSTORE!

Can you feel me people? What do you think? What is going on in your neighborhoods for better or for worse? And more importantly --- where do you find your books?

Love,

Jodi

P.S. I am lovin' that my man is growing out his gorgeous curly locks (see top photo). Yummy.

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Views From the Bangor State Fair 2009 : Part III.

Love,

Jodi

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Views From the Bangor State Fair 2009 : Part I.

Enjoy.

Love,

Jodi

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Mama's Museum Visit :: Alone.

Saturday morning I woke up with wanderlust. I felt the need to go somewhere special that was just for me ... but had no plan. Both Halis and Isaac were asleep, and their deep snoring told me that it would be a while before they would wake. So, I got in the car, drove to Frank's Bakery for some fresh made doughnuts ... and then it hit me .... I am alone. I can go to the Art Museum without an uninterested husband or a needy child. Heaven. I have been waiting for this moment for months now --- ever since I heard that Andy Warhol's polaroid pics were on exhibit there.

Once I entered the UMaine Museum of Art (off campus in Bangor) ... I was pleasantly surprised to find such a contemporary, open, and inviting space in which to explore various works. I have been to other art museums throughout New England and Canada ... many of them in dark spaces. But this museum was so pleasantly lit ... and so strikingly minimalist and modern ... that it felt as though I were attending a museum in a much larger (and more modern) city than Bangor. But Bangor is full of surprises (just check out our incredible library - I am sure it rivals the collections of much larger cities).

However, I was terribly disappointed to find out that the Warhol exhibit had already been sent packing ... over a month ago. Apparently I waited too long to find some quiet Mommy time to attend the exhibit. But there was an interesting exhibit that caught my attention: Gyotaku Prints by Boshu Nagase. If I were to explain this art, I am sure that I would not do it justice, so you may want to click on some of the above links that I have provided. In the most elementary terms ... Mr. Nagase creates exact images of fish by rolling ink onto a dead fish ... then pressing it to paper ... then filling in all the detail with watercolors and various other inks. Apparently he is THE master of this art form.

It was incredible to see this work in person, especially after watching the video on display that shows the artist creating some of the very works that surrounded the walls. Incredible talent.

Of course, there were other works on display, including Metaphysics of Landscape : Paintings by Timothy McDowell ... and A Bit of Colored Ribbon: Works by John Bailly.

To be honest, John Bailly's work almost frightened me. I wanted to back away from it. It was "noise" and unease. Only later did I find out that this was part of his intent (please see above links to learn more). But I did find beauty in one of his works ... that felt somewhat inviting ... though still very chaotic ...

As for Timothy McDowell's Metaphysics of Landscapes, though I did not find his work particularly remarkable (but then again, I am no art connoisseur I assure you), I loved the color combinations ... and the surreal, dream-like feel to the work.

However, my two favorite works in the museum were not part of any of the visiting and aforementioned exhibitions. I only know they are my favorites, because they were the paintings that I stopped and stared at for a while ... and one even took my breath away for a moment ... this work titled "Agent" by William Gropper:

This piece just spoke to me somehow ... the perspective, the color, the man's expression. I would hang this on my wall (for about $20,000 or so).

My second favorite piece is in stark contrast to my first. It is a self portrait by the Italian artist, Francesco Clemente :

I was drawn to the simplicity of this portrait ... minimal lines ... splashes of color ... lack of any background details ... full lips (did I mention I have a "thing" for full-bodied lips?). I know nothing of the artist ... and this self-portrait did not give me any additional clues. Perhaps it was the mystery that I was drawn to --- the fact that the artist seemed to give me nothing of himself --- other than "here I am".

Well, apparently this has been a mini "show-and-tell" version of my art museum outing. I hope you find something to look at or pursue further (follow the links).

Hopefully I will still get to see some Andy Warhol polaroids before I leave this world. I find them far more interesting than his other works! But then again, I find photography much more interesting than any other work :)

And I already told Halis that I think I am going to make every other Saturday morning into a "Mommy Alone" morning ... where I check out something new in our sweet little city ... or at least eat more bakery doughnuts!

Enjoy your day.

Love,

Jodi

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