{"id":38707,"date":"2015-08-04T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2015-08-04T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uncommongoods.pro\/?p=38707"},"modified":"2018-01-04T15:34:20","modified_gmt":"2018-01-04T20:34:20","slug":"jen-foxs-winning-scarf-wraps-us-up-in-chaco-canyon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/2015\/jen-foxs-winning-scarf-wraps-us-up-in-chaco-canyon\/","title":{"rendered":"Jen Fox’s Winning Scarf Wraps Us Up In Chaco Canyon"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve always ascribed to the\u00a0philosophy\u00a0that “the easiest way to turn a small task into a big deal is to put it off.” Though\u00a0I’m admittedly a procrastinator most of the time, when I see something I need to get done, or something that excites me, I jump right on it. Same goes for Art\u00a0Scarves Design Challenge Winner\u00a0Jen Fox — but we’re not talking<\/em> about getting calculus homework done here; Jen has creativity in her DNA<\/a>, so when she’s struck with inspiration she lets her ideas flow immediately, creating beautiful designs like\u00a0the Chaco Canyon Art Scarf<\/a> in the process.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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After having\u00a0lived\u00a0in New Mexico for several\u00a0years, Jen’s inspiration for the scarf’s design\u00a0struck\u00a0when she visited the Pueblo Bonito Ruins<\/a> in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park<\/a>. The ruins\u00a0consist of\u00a0asymmetrical\u00a0clusters of\u00a0low-to-the-ground structures arranged\u00a0in simple yet captivating patterns, structures so antiquated that they would appear to recede completely\u00a0into the clay-rich soil and dusty sagebrush\u00a0around them if not for their strong geometric forms. Above them, the blue sky is accented by a dynamic flow of clouds, juxtaposing with the stillness of the ruins.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Jen successfully captures these dualities – natural and human-made form, stillness and motion – in her winning piece.\u00a0The asymmetrical, geometric\u00a0layout of the ruins is evoked on breezy modal fabric in colors that evoke both the deep red-orange earth tones of the ruins and the light blues and whites of the desert sky.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Read on for more about Jen’s inspiration, her artistic process, and her advice for aspiring artists.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Jen<\/p>\n

What inspired the concept of your winning piece? How do the ruins of Chaco Canyon or the natural world in general manifest in your design?<\/strong>
\nThe artwork was inspired by the Pueblo Bonito ruins in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park located in northwestern New Mexico. It’s truly an awe-inspiring part of the country, and it’s difficult to avoid being impacted by the beauty of the place and the mystery of the people who once inhabited the area. I try to be outdoors as much as possible, whether that means camping in the nearby mountains or making time for an evening walk by the river. I find calm and stillness in the motion of the ever shifting landscape and weather, and it’s a constant source of inspiration for me.<\/p>\n

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How did you celebrate when you found out that you won our design challenge?<\/strong>
\nUncorked a bottle of champagne with friends, of course!<\/p>\n

When did you first realize that you wanted to be an artist?<\/strong>
\nI have always been a very creative person, and was always making things as a kid and beyond. I think it’s part of my DNA to create, and there is a sense of satisfaction that comes with having a tangible outcome of an idea that once just existed inside my own head.<\/p>\n

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What\u2019s your artistic process? In other words, what happens from right before you\u2019re inspired to make something new to when you have a finished product in front of you?<\/strong>
\nI honestly don’t have much of a set process. I do find that when I am inspired by something, it’s wise to take advantage of the freshness and initial enthusiasm of that feeling and make the time to act and create immediately. If nothing else, I jot down a few words or a quick sketch to catalog my thoughts until I have an opportunity to revisit them.<\/p>\n

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Describe your work space. Is there anything there that\u2019s particularly inspiring to you?<\/strong>
\nMy work space is a 4′ x 8′ sliver of a room that’s connected to the entryway and the living space of my small home. And frankly, when I’m working on a project (mostly textile based projects), my work space spills over onto my dining table, my living room floor, and any other available surface.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your best advice for aspiring artists?<\/strong>
\nAlways take the time to slow down and notice what is around you — inspiration can strike in the most mundane of moments, but you must keep a sense of awareness of your surroundings. Take the time to create for yourself and no one else to really find your own point of view.<\/p>\n

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Creative people all have those days (or weeks!) when we feel lost, unmotivated, or stuck. How do you keep yourself inspired?<\/strong>
\nSometimes the only thing to do is just start. Even if you are feeling uninspired and unmotivated, the simple step of starting something can get the momentum going and lead to the release of a creative block. Otherwise, taking a break and being active outside is one of my favorite ways to get out of a funk.<\/p>\n

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Inspired by the Pueblo Bonito site in Chaco Canyon, NM, Jen’s winning scarf beautifully captures the ruin’s natural colors, asymmetrical geometric design, and duality of stillness and motion. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":170,"featured_media":39048,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[743],"tags":[1337,221],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38707"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/170"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38707"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39063,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38707\/revisions\/39063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}