The Jensdotter Project is a gathering place in Boulder for artistic self-discovery and influence. Amber Jensdotter created this platform in mid 2015 to change the way people interact with art. In the interview below, Amber shares some of the inspiration and backstory for The Jensdotter Project.
Who inspires you and your work?
Anna Karina.
During graduate school, I shot a short film crashing cars into each other. In half of my studio practice I allow myself to work in a spontaneous and direct way without preconceived ideas about what the work will mean. At the time it just sounded fun, and a bit rebellious; I was curious more than anything.
While I was preparing for the shoot, one of my mentors asked if I knew anything about the French Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) movement, I hadn’t but was describing many of its attributes. The French Nouvelle Vague exhibited youthful iconoclasm, technical innovation, and experimentation with social paradigms; which mirrored my work.
That’s when I found her, Anna Karina. At first I was drawn to the cover of the film, Une Femme Est Une Femme (A Woman Is A Woman) by the French-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard. I had hardly watched movies with subtitles because of my dyslexia but was totally mesmerized by her. It was completely different than anything I had seen before; the intimacy captured by the cameras was palpable and not only was the protagonist a woman but the actress a collaborator with the director. The spontaneous and improvisational filming captured Karina as bold, smart, witty, playful, all while being incredibly feminine and intoxicatingly sexy, both in life and as a character.
I saw Anna Karina as challenging her internal conflicts of social constructs. “A Woman Is A Woman” captured her playful rebellion sincerely through an instinctive filming process.
That’s what I was doing when I was crashing cars.
That’s what I still do every day in my life and in the studio.
How did you come up with the concept behind The Jensdotter Project?
The Project is an extension of my artistic practice. In mid 2015 I put my life-savings into The Jensdotter Project to create a platform to change the way people interact with art; it’s been quite the adventure. I love the idea of my studio being like the set of a sitcom where people just show up, hang out, and discuss everything from philosophy to relationships. People are often here talking and working at 2:00 a.m. in disregard of day jobs, school, and other obligations.
I think people should do what they love.
Who are some of the artists that we will find in your space?
The next exhibition series is an ongoing exclusive insight into the mind of collectors. The first exhibit will be a chronologically curated look at the Walker family collection. The Walker collection spans decades and includes works from local artist Dmitri Obergfell (who just got written up in the New York Times), national artist Wendy White, and international artists Li Zhenwei and Razvan Boar. The second show is curated to bridge the gap between creators and collectors, an intimate look at the Schueller’s growing collection. As part of the exhibition series all of the collectors will be giving their unique perspectives in interviews.
In the past The Project has shown works by established artists Alvin Gregorio, Michael Theodore, and Mike Womack, alongside emerging artists Abby Bennett, Megan Gafford, Dylan Gibbia-Richards, Emily Quinn, Derrick Velasquez, Ashley Williams, and others.
What can an adult student expect from one of your classes?
I have taught at the university level for 6 years and learned that my gift as a teacher is to meet people where they are in skill, passion, and interest. Show me what you’re interested in, what you love, what excites you. The atmosphere of the classes is informal, comfortable, and free. I teach a spectrum of painting from abstract to realist specific to the interests of each student. Each session starts with a technical demo that familiarizes the students with the visual language of paint. Every student keeps a portfolio of their work to chart their growth. Classes are weekly and available throughout the year via the website.
What ages are your children’s classes designed for?
Building forts and the primordial need to go outside and dig were the defining chapters of my childhood. During my adolescent roaming I developed self-reliance, a love for adventure, a wild imagination, and the confidence to get a little lost and find my way back. I have experience teaching K-12 and an undergraduate degree in art education, children’s classes are designed to combine my teaching expertise with a philosophy of play. The studio is arranged to allow children to roam through ideas and materials, to experiment, build, and break through art in their own unique way as they find their voice. Classes are open to students ages three through eighteen.
We see that your venue is available for event rental. What can people expect from an event that is hosted in this space?
The space is a newly renovated office building that I created through a collaboration with the real estate owner K.c. Schneider to be the opposite of drab office culture. Vaulted light-filled spaces, soft-lit patios for warm nights, and a garage door that lets air and light pass into a warm and inspiring space. The walls are hung with contemporary art that is the vehicle for ideas and feelings, not simply decoration. The space is intimate but has a capacity for 150 and has hosted wedding receptions, dances, cocktail parties, and corporate socials.
What is Salon de Boulder, and how can someone become a participant?
What happens when we remove the social politics and bring artists, curators, collectors and the public to a place of comfortability and openness? Salon de Boulder is about radical transparency and the exchange of ideas. The public needs to connect to the artwork, the artwork needs to be seen by the public, curators and collectors need artists, and the artists need them. Every level of that equation is obfuscated by uncomfortability, whether it’s financial, social, or intellectual.
I’m leveling the playing field. To become a participant or to find out when the next Salon is being held contact me via email.
Tell us about your recent experience at Make + Tell at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver?
I’d like to say thank you to the Museum of Contemporary Art for the opportunity to share my work and highlight what is happening at The Jensdotter Project. The Make+Tell series is a generous project on the part of the MCA’s to foster a creative community in Colorado. It was both exciting and an honor to be apart of the first Make + Tell series and recognized by one of the major artistic institutions of Colorado.
I spent a month preparing for the talk. The project is still in its nascent stage and condensing the ideas and goals behind it into a presentation made it feel solid and focused.
How can people find out more about the Jensdotter Project?
Go to the website at www.thejensdotterproject.com, or email me directly. Come to exhibitions, participate in the Salon de Boulder, enroll in a class, or swing by the space anytime; we don’t have have regular hours. A staff member or I will be around and more than happy to welcome visitors into the space.