Hi, I'm Jennifer Blair.
There are few things I enjoy more in life than creating art. My aim is to create as a reflection of the Creator. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Here you'll find my recent work, glimpses into my life and the inspiration behind my art.
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me...
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives...
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who grieve in Zion -
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
They will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations."
(Isaiah 61)
"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
- Psalm 23
Much like the grandiose oaks in these images, growth takes time, growth takes waiting for the fruit to come, and the reward comes to those who wait, persevering until the end. There was a beautiful 300 year old oak in my back yard growing up. I love playing in it's shade and climbing the low-hanging branches. It was for me a kind of stability. I knew it wasn't going anywhere. I could depend on it's strength. Our seaside city was prone to hurricanes, but no matter the force of the winds, it remained firm. It had weathered many a storm. It's roots were deep in the earth and so it stayed firm, never budging or showing any signs of damage. That kind of endurance, waiting out the storms of life, digging my roots deep, is what I hoped to express through these images. This editorial reminds my heart of deeper truths - to find the beauty that lies in the waiting and the joy that can be found for the patient heart. Storms may come, but my soul's roots are digging deep in faith in One who can stand the test of time.
Fear crept into my heart like the grass between my toes. Ever so cautiously my feet hit the ice cold stone, sending shocks of doubt coursing through my senses. "Take this step" I heard a whisper. I know it's right, but this was not the step I envisioned for my life. The grass is easier, I could go where I want and the path seems clear in my mind - green, flourishing, happy, wide open...The little stone seemed anything but where I wanted to go.
Just a stepping stone. Take the step.
I obeyed in faith, but my tiptoes revealed that my heart stepped begrudgingly. "You'll fall if you don't put your full weight on your feet." Trust. Jump to the next step. So I did.
That was nearly 6 years ago now.
I've found myself going in a fresh, different direction this year. It is exciting and terrifying at the same time. When I consider just how many other artists there are in my field, it can be disheartening. Beautiful shots are really a dime a dozen. So I've been digging deep. What fuels my art? Surely it is more than merely capturing "beautiful moments" because beautiful moment are everywhere. I have years of experience under my belt now, but I never want to stop reaching, learning and growing at my art. For me it all comes back to vision, my lens for viewing the world and everything in it. I am an artist. It's who I am at my core. Intuitive. Seeking deeper meaning. New ideas flow constantly. Daily inspiration is a must or my soul shrivels up. I view life like poetry, like a piece of music I am working to compose...never finished, always adding another line or refrain. It dawned on me a few months ago, my visual art should represent my musical and poetic bent in more of a real way.
It is such an honor to have this shoot on Style Me Pretty's front page today. It has been a dream of mine for quite some time now. Mozart once said, "Music is not the notes, but the silence between." In a way, images are the silence between moments as well. Throughout this whole editorial, I sought to encapsulate that idea, the beautiful dichotomy between movement and stillness. Colorado seemed a natural and ideal location. Nature itself is a perfect contrast between grandeur and simplicity. It is the the ultimate in-between. It is not too much of one or the other. These ideas were the basis for this shoot. The objective was to create grandness in the simplest way possible, and to express the mystery of "the silence between" in a pensive manner.
I'm so thrilled that my dear friend Kaylie's wedding is published on Style Me Pretty today. Visit their blog to see the full day in all its glory!
I never want to reach satisfaction with my art. That may seem counterintuitive, but if I am ever able to find it then I will have succumbed to complacency. It can be a frustrating dichotomy between finishing a project and never quite feeling like it is truly complete. Regardless of what I'm working on, I always look back and see ways I could have made it better, created something even more beautiful. Going over the could be of art can be maddening at times, but I've learned to allow my imperfections to push me to better my craft.
When Samantha contacted me about taking some images of her home, I knew it was going to be special. The Tiptons poured so much love into this early 1900's home in the historic district of our city. They spent countless hours renovating and choosing just the right pieces to make their spaces sing. Their home is simply stunning. I could have stolen all their ideas! It's no wonder they are saddened to leave this beautiful place when they move soon. It was such a pleasure to get a little glimpse into their lives in this amazing house.
There are a thousand reasons to love the Summer. The cool sand, ocean blues and warm rays of the sun are good for the soul. A few months ago our team started dreaming of some Summer wedding inspiration by the seaside. Here's a little more about the inspiration behind this concept of the shoot:
When I think of Summer the first thing that comes to mind is the ocean. Perhaps its because I grew up minutes away from the shore. Regardless, I've always been enthralled by the dichotomy between chaos and calm of the sea. It is both fierce and gentle in an ethereally and haunting way. It evokes a beautiful sense of longing for the unknown and intangible. The ocean has always moved my soul deeply. I knew it would be beautiful to merge my love of the sea and wedding inspiration. When I found the dream-like coast of Fort Pickens, I knew it would be the perfect backdrop. Our model is a ballet dancer, beautifully using her talent for capturing emotion through movement. It is as if her love is out at sea and she waits for him. Looking out upon the waves fill her with both immense longing and peace. Our floral and paper designs pulled everything together in perfect simplicity. The watercolor on the paper suite wonderfully mimics the lull of the tides. Again, the model's attire reiterated simplistic beauty and the organic-feeling tiara added just the right amount of elegance. We hope you feel as we do when looking at these images.