FRENCH’S WHIMSICAL ART REFLECTS THE SIMPLE JOYS THAT LIE WITHIN - February Featured Artist - Jennifer French Share a toast with Featured Artist, Jennifer French, during her GALA reception on Saturday, February 13th from 3 until 5:00 p.m. at Backstreet Gallery, 1421 Bay Street, and enjoy her special “Jennifer’s Joyful Journey” display at this artist co-op throughout February. Jennifer French ‘burst out of her bubble’ in Waukesha, Wisconsin in the early ‘50s, and then lived in New York, Switzerland, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and Colorado.
Many of French’s dreams came true, after moving from big-city Denver to Florence, six years ago. “It seems the simple and slower pace helped create the fertile soil I needed, to sprout and blossom in numerous directions.” French has had two novels published since moving to Florence, “Hoot Owl Shares the Dawn” and “FIDGETS,” and she’s determined to finish her “All Under The Same Roof” manuscript, then finding a publisher for this eccentric mystery, happening at the Green Pastures Retirement Home. French says, "I love playing with watercolors and painting unusual or humorous subjects. Painting on yupo (plastic) paper is challenging; watching the paints slip and slide across the paper." French's art is whimsical and reflects the simple joys in life - a feathered friend, silly animal, a colorful floral or landscape. "Many people have told me that my art makes them smile inside, which of course gives me fuzzies." “I'm in heaven when I'm creating my motivational and humorous greeting cards. Living in a river town, I get a kick out of watching sea gulls swooping about, and I have fun bringing these sassy and sociable creatures ashore - - giving a bird’s eye view of human’s nature, thus my “Gull’s First Impressions”© cards. I enjoy seeing the smiles and hearing people giggle, as they view my cards at Backstreet Gallery." Backstreet Gallery’s founder and current president, French says enthusiastically, “I’m thrilled with our new location on Bay Street. We’re going on our fifth year of being the only artist co-op in town, and our new setting has proven to be perfect in many ways. We’re a strong group of twenty-five local artists, having plenty of fun, running our business together. And I get to work my gallery shifts… scoping-out my silly gulls, scoping-out Old Town… creating all the more inspiration for my Gull’s card series.” Current ClassesSoul Collage Workshop 1, Pattie Anderson is host for these two workshops. Committee and Council Suit, Friday, February 12th, 1 - 4 pm at Pattie’s Studio Soul Collage Workshop 2, Community and Companion Suit, Thursday, February 25th 1 - 4 pm, Pattie’s Community Card - Teacher Pattie’s Studio - Workshops sponsored by Backstreet Gallery. See and print Soul Collage Flyer & Schedule GALA Art WalkThe bus tour occurs on the second Saturday of each month from 3 until 5 p.m. If Backstreet is not on the GALA art tour any certain month, a reception is still scheduled for the same 2nd Saturday of the month from 1 until 3 p.m. AFTER HOURSBackstreet's monthly AFTER HOURS event is always the last Wednesday of each month with "finger food," beverages and live music from 5 until 7 p.m. New location, new sign, new big red door, flower boxes filled with greenery, and red chairs to sit in while you enjoy it all.  Backstreet Co-op Members
Associate Members:
For more information about Backstreet Gallery & Co-op's membership categories —Full Membership & Associate Member—Please call: 541/997-8980. Visit our web site at www.backstreetgallery.org
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Backstreet Gallery & Cooperative
1421 Bay Street, Florence, Oregon • Phone: 541/997- 8980
backstreet@florenceartists.com • Winter Hours: 10am to 5pm daily. www.BackstreetGallery.org
With a major in advertising, French’s passion for the arts and writing started early. She’s done package design, produced logos and also created several book covers and illustrations. Much of French’s professional life was spent working in college administration.