Art + love + authentic connection = my religion
Hi! I'm Jen.
I consider this work, of being invited in to witness the truth of your life, a high honor.
At the heart of everything I do, both personal and professional is deep love, respect, and genuine curiosity of the human condition. I hold the belief in the capacity and creativity of human beings to transcend the status quo and build a new paradigm of love, compassion and embrace of and reverence for differences amongst us.
The past 20 years have seen me heal from a drug fueled eating disorder, finish a 10 year long college career, caring for my beloved mother as she lost herself to pancreatic cancer, meeting the love of my life on 9/11/01, becoming a mother of 2 incredibly complicated and amazing humans, finding that my second child is neurodiverse and on the more impacted side of the autism spectrum,
seeing my partner become disabled by chronic pain and Meniere’s disease, becoming the sole breadwinner for my family, losing my father to death by suicide, finding myself in a whirlwind of general anxiety disorder - and so much more. Many challenges and immense joy have shaped my adult life into one of resilience, mindfulness, and an ambition to make a positive impact on the world.
My story begins here, with these two lovely humans. My Mom & Dad.
I was born on the Spring Equinox of 1972, and made my Mom's biggest dream come true.
My fascination with faces began early. My Grammy made the most wonderful faces.
My first pet was a dog named Kitty, my mom was possibly the cutest person ever, and 70's strollers were so cool!
My happy place is, and always has been, in the water.
I have had angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries for my birthday every year for 47 years!
My mom called me her little daffodil. The March flower.
My Grammy & Grampy were a huge part of my childhood. Every day I wish that I could share my life with them still.
All of our vacations growing up, aside from one trip to Disneyland, were camping trips. Such vivid and fond memories.
This magical peach tree lived outside my bedroom window, and taught me so much about mindfulness with its blossoms and fruit.
Nothing quite compares to the joy of riding a bike. Except swimming!
Rainbow has always been my favorite color!
We got a half-built in Doughboy pool when I was 8, and I quite literally lived in it all summer every summer.
Perhaps my most embarrassing moment - Mr Wonderful delivering a singing telegram to me in front of my 4th grade class. He made me dance too.
100% obsessed with Duran Duran and devoted to Simon Le Bon. You'll still find me blasting the Rio album when I'm alone in my house.
The day of my 8th grade graduation, my brother Ryan was born. The best gift I never knew I wanted. Despite the age difference, we are super tight.
a visual journal
I am ...
Deep pressure hugs
Laughter
Inclusion
Foggy mornings
Grief
Wonder
Possibility
Joy
Anxiety
A warm mug of chai
Birkinstocks with socks
Deep conversation
Comfortable silence
Head massages… ALL massages
A mermaid
Spontaneous dance parties
Cheese and fruit
Dimsum lunches
Walks in the redwoods
An unfurling fern
Cute aggression
FLOWERS, ESPECIALLY DAISIES
Campfires under a big sky
Summer evenings
Dog snuggles
cozy beds
Compassion
Resilience
A conduit
Grit
A rule breaker.
An artist + maker
A mom
A partner
An advocate
A RADICAL ACCEPTOR
