Art/Work: Jane Wunrow

Evermore                                                                                                                   2014 ©Jane Wunrow

Art/Work is a feature of Out of the Office that is dedicated to the amazing artists who balance work, family, and all-around full lives – while still managing to find time for their creativity. This is where I ask them to share their experiences, insights, and advice.

Jane Wunrow is an illustrator and mixed-media artist who creates images that are both playful and symbolic. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota with her husband and three young daughters. I sat down with Jane to ask her how she balances being a full time parent with building her career as an artist.

Veggie Sushi Roll-Ups

We love making homemade veggie sushi rolls, but the process can be so time consuming that it ends up being a weekend-only type of meal. We’ve been experimenting with this less labor-intensive way of making and eating sushi. The basic idea is to prepare the ingredients for smaller rolls, and then make the rolls as you eat them.

New Job, New Space!

 Apartment Therapy

A few days ago I hinted that exciting things are happening in my life. I'm happy to announce that I will be starting a new job this coming Monday! I'll still be working for the same company (and enjoying my three-block commute), but I will have a new position in a different department. I'm so excited about this change because it will provide me with a better work/life balance, which has been sorely needed. This position also brings the opportunity for me to use a tiny bit of my creativity at work. Needless to say, I am pumped!

I have been thinking a lot about how I want to style my new work space. I like to think of the cubicle as the ultimate blank canvas. It may seem austere and uninviting at first, but a few well-placed objects and pictures can make all the difference. I've been all over the internets searching for inspiration...

DIY: Patterned Cork Coasters

Hi friends! Sorry for the long blog silence. Life has been crazy but I have some very exciting things on the horizon! More about that soon.

Today I want to share a little DIY project. I've been trying to come up with ways to make our living room seem more "finished". I'm happy with our over-all decor, but the space needs a few finishing touches. Sometimes it's the fun little details that make all the difference, right?

So - coasters! I'm embarrassed to say that we've been using a mish-mash of cardboard bar coasters for years (classy, I know). Time for an update.

Lowertown Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, I want to share our engagement pictures! We took these photos last August, and I love looking back and seeing a world that isn't covered in three feet of snow. Look! Green plants! T-shirts! Oh that those days would come again...

Art/Work: Scott Demeranville

Greenland, Detail 2 - Ink on paper, 14" x 17"                                                               ©Scott Demeranville

Art/Work is a feature of Out of the Office that will be dedicated to the amazing artists who balance jobs, family, and all-around full lives – while still managing to find time for their creativity. I’ll be asking them to share their experiences, insights, and advice.

I’m excited to begin this feature with an artist who is very near to my heart: Scott Demeranville. Scott is an incredibly talented photographer  - you can check out some of his photographic work here. Today he’s sharing a drawing project that he worked on last year while working a temp job in a call center.

Book Report: The Wes Anderson Collection

 

One of the best gifts I received this past Christmas was The Wes Anderson Collection by Matt Zoller Sietz. It’s a gorgeous, hardcover tome with insightful essays and interviews with the director about each of his seven feature films. Oh, and there are plenty of pictures…

Rustic Vegetable Stew with Tuscan Kale and White Beans

This is something we have been making a lot lately. (And by "we," I really mean Scott, who is the master chef in our household. I am just the assistant.) It's the perfect hardy, comforting warm-up that you need after being out in the cold. And it's good for you!

Good Morning, Lowertown

Ever since Scott and I moved into our apartment, I have been in love with the view from our living room window. We look out over the farmer's market complex across the street, and we have a fairly unobstructed view of Lowertown. Sometimes I can even catch a glimpse of the river.

The views are particularly dramatic in the early mornings, when the sun is just starting to come up. I am not a early riser by nature, but most days I have to get up and head to the office before 8 am. I love taking a moment or two in the midst of the morning rush to admire what's happening outside. I started snapping photos with my phone, and now I consider this an ongoing project. Here are a few of my favorites so far: