An Interview with Artist Jennifer Shorter Part 1

Summertime in Petoskey is an extremely busy and hectic time for proprietors of downtown businesses. For those who own multiple businesses, it is even more busy and even more hectic. So, When Jennifer Shorter, owner of four successful downtown businesses, agreed to meet with me for an interview, I knew I had to take advantage of the situation. We met one early morning before work at a local coffee shop. I promised her that I would not take up too much of her time. She was donned in excessive amounts of maize and blue as she had an alumni event later that day. I knew that Jennifer had been creating lots of art as of late, and with Art Walk happening at the end of the month, I wanted to sit down with her to discuss what and why it is that she had been creating.  The following is the first half of the interview I had with Jennifer.

Why do you do art? Why do you create?

It started as a stress reliever. I started taking classes at The Katydid because we have art classes there, and I really liked it. I [always] thought I could do it on my own, but sometimes you need a push. So, Kim, who works with me. . . she and I took an “Introduction to Painting” class at Crooked Tree with Egan, and it was amazing. It was a week of acrylic, a week of watercolor, a week of gouache, a week of oil, and then we had two weeks to work on a project. I really fell in love with acrylic painting at that time because it dries fast so I can change my mind, and I found that I really enjoyed it and I got into a groove and could really just focus on myself. Art and creativity became my outlet and my emotional release and my self-care time.

What are your favorite mediums? How do you like to create your art? 

I love to use acrylic paint because it dries fast, so I can layer on and change, whereas oil you have to be very patient with, and I am not a patient person. I have a little studio outside my bedroom on my porch, and I have an easel and there is usually a canvas I am working on, but then when I get tired of that or I feel like I have to change, I will have two or three paintings I am working on at the same time because I mix paint colors and I feel like I need to use the paint that I have started with so I jump between several things [at once]. Sometimes I [like to do] abstract; literally I am using pieces from my recycling bin like egg cartons. I save heavy business cards- anything that’s thick so I can make lines. And I use paint brushes- all sorts of different types of paint brushes- a variety of things depending on what the mood strikes me. It could be six different paintings in one evening. . . nothing finished of course, because I can’t seem to stick with anything, so thus acrylic is really good. I will occasionally paint in watercolor, especially on vacation or if I am out of town because I paint every day. That is a part of my practice. I have a travel watercolor kit that I take with me.

Is it true that in 2024 you are creating art each day? And if so, have you stuck with it? Why do you do it every day?

I set my intention at the beginning of the year that if I was going to be an artist, I needed to put the time into it. It couldn’t just be something haphazard and when I think of it, so I thought that I could do an hour a day. So, I do an hour a day. That could be sketching, that could be using paint markers to create something or it is painting, but I am creating a minimum of an hour each day.

What piece of art that you have created have you most enjoyed the process of? 

I do a lot of flowers. I cover the canvas. I have a pink rose painting, and it is literally covered with pink and red roses and then I added gold to it, and it brings me joy because it is flowers and flowers are usually joyful. 

And which piece of art are you the most proud of? 

I painted Chief Petosega from the back, overlooking the water with the breakwall, and that was hard because shapes and figures can be difficult which is why I painted him from the back- so I wouldn’t have to paint his face. I posted it on Facebook, and I didn’t love it- because there was a lot of concrete around it; it was very boring and grey at the bottom. I ended up going back and adding in flowers in that space, and then I added a gold wash over the statue so he sort of glows because it is sunset time. So that piece [I am the most proud of] because I grew a lot through that, learning that it’s ok to change your mind, to change things up, to paint over things.

Who or what inspires you?

Jennifer Tobias. She used to have a store in Petoskey called Bondurant, and she retired from retail, and she is a painter. I love taking her classes. I have gone to Traverse City several times to take classes with her. She inspires me from the fact that she has this retail background. She was a retail store owner, and she became a full time artist. Not that I am advocating to become a full time artist, but I love what she does; I love her style. And also my daughter. My daughter can paint anything, and I am really impressed with that. She credits Äbby Kent who is a local muralist in town, and I love Äbby’s work, but Kaitlyn took a lot of classes with her through Crooked Tree for years. So, if I am stuck on something, my kid will be like “It’s just paint” and show me a new technique or something that she learned from Äbby. 

Is there anyone else that you look up to artistically? 

I am not really good about knowing who artists are. I never took art history in college or anything like that. I guess the impressionistic painters and more than anything looking at people that paint- whatever just brings me joy. I love bright colors.