about Jennifer

Jennifer

Photographer

She is the inspiration for our brand’s beauty and grace, as well as the biggest proponent of perpetual innovation. Jennifer not only brings a keen feminine perspective to the table but also ten years of corporate career built on innovation and targeted efficiency. When you pair those two things with the depth of care and compassion that she has as an awesome mom of three amazing little children, you’ll find that she can cut through obstacles like a surgeon while preserving the most precious sentimentality of any task. She is equal to any challenge no matter how in-depth, artistic, or personal.

You wear a lot of hats, like many folks in the small business world, what role in your life brings you the most joy and fulfillment?

I was born with an oddly shaped head so sometimes it’s hard to find a hat that fits perfectly but, you just keep trying, right? Hands down, there is no role on earth that gives me a greater joy, than being a wife and mother. Though at times the role of mommy is long, exhausting and even heartbreaking, the motivation and love that fuels each day is the deepest I have ever experienced. As a wife to, and business partner with, Benjamin, our marriage and partnership intersects at every level of our life and I wouldn’t want it any other way. He knows my weaknesses and strengths and encourages me in both, in the most loving way. He believes in me and inspires me to grow daily in this role to be the best for him, for us, for our family and for you.

Because you’re very talented as a businesswoman, your artistic creativity often gets second billing on the marquee, how do you feel like the depth of your creative background helps to shape and guide your business and personal minds?

Art is hard work, it is a skill that if nurtured, appreciated, and pushed it brings such incredible joy and a unique voice and gift to those who experience it. Business is an art. Sales is an art. Communication is an art. It all takes creativity, originality, authenticity, experience and vision to excel. I am more grateful now than ever for the art lessons, museum tours, hours of piano practice, art exposure and the overall fearless creativity and drive for excellence my parents instilled in me. With this in mind I desire to approach each client interaction, each business task with this type of creative and efficient mindset.

Let’s talk about your art for a second. It doesn’t take more than a glance at your Instagram to see that you view the world in a beautiful way. What do you look for as you capture real life moments?

Seeing as 98% of my instagram feed is filled with phone snapshots of the day to day life with our babes and business, I love to capture the emotions of any given moment. Whether it is the pure joy of finding a worm in the dirt, the giggles of playing chase, the chaos of trying to take a family selfie. I choose to experience the moment along with those I photograph, rather than pause the moment to create an image. Have no fear, my feed still full of its fair share of food, flowers and weddings.

My Grandmother used to say, “The problem with life is that it’s so daily.” With so may things going on, what recharges and inspires you between projects?

It may sound repetitive and hard to believe seeing as we spend all day, everyday, together. But the simple (and somewhat rare) Sunday off, going to church as a family, sharing lunch together and family time at the park, feeding ducks, walking or hiking together, these moments refuel me to no end. Pair that with a date night with Benjamin, enjoying a glass of wine or cocktail together or dinner at Third and Hollywood with lingering and long conversations about anything and everything, or time spent with our families and friends or a good barre workout, these are the things that keep me going.

Everyone might not know, but you are in fact a classically trained pianist. Do you think it’s easier to read all of the lines of a Scarlatti and play them to perfection or manage a business and a family at the same time?

My 18 year old self would confidently say that mastering a technical piece is hands down more difficult. But as the years have gone by and life and work have evolved, managing a business, client relationships, family needs and desires and personal time is by far the greater challenge. The beauty of hours of piano practice is the singular focus. The ability to spend hours meticulously centered on the minor (and major) details of one unique project until its just right, and personally complete. Managing a full time business and full time family possess a different beauty. The beauty and depth of people, physical needs, limited resources, creative problem solving, the success of those around you and not just yourself. It may be the most challenging thing I’ve been a part of to date. And someday soon I will try and spend a few hours perfecting, yet again an old classical piano concerto too.

Ok, let’s shift gears a little towards more important hypothetical questions. If you had to choose between chocolate and ice cream, you can have one every night for the rest of forever without any calorie ramifications and the other will become like poison to you! Which would you choose?

This is a silly question, a mother should not be asked to name a favorite.

A lot of people regard your hair as the gold standard for curls, volume, and effortless beauty. What’s your secret?

Well thank you, when its not 92% humidity here in Ohio, I keep it simple. A $15 target curling iron, drug store dry shampoo and the occasional messy mom bun.

Let’s circle back to your photography for a second, what do you think is the most important kind of photograph?

To me, it is the images that capture and showcase love, a love that is patient, kind, forgiving, generous, strong, humorous, genuine, eternal. A love that transcends time and location, and reveals the heart of person, relationship, or moment. Some of my personal favorite images include, the first time we held our babies in our arms after hours of labor, riding on my dad’s shoulders as a little girl, laughing with my mom and sisters as we try for the hundredth time to take a selfie after a girls day or Benjamin washing my feet on our wedding day as an act of Christ like love and leadership. These are the moments we cherish and the images I strive to create.

Life changes quickly, one of my favorite things about photography is that it suspends the reality of time’s relentless march. What is your favorite photograph or series of photographs right now?

My mom loves watercolor so naturally growing up we learned a lot of O’Keefe and her watercolor work. I was recently flipping through an O’Keefe art book and found this set of two very uncharacteristic, simplistic, black and white line drawings. I was, and still am fascinated by them. Something so simple, yet what inspires each stroke? Why create and save these pieces in her complete body of work? What would or should my line drawing look like and why? So I’m thinking about this and hoping to create a set of pieces for our living room to mirror Benjamin’s photography soon! Who knew simple lines could be so intimidating, so meaningful?

Lastly, In the world of reality TV, are you team “The Bachelor” or “Bravo”?

If I have a half hour or so to sit and escape, fold laundry (and I don’t fall asleep) or looking to put a show on while prepping dinner, team BRAVO all the way. I’m a loyal NYC housewives fan and the occasional WWHL, though based off some of the IG stories and commentaries I have seen, I may be really missing out on some pretty ridiculous bachelor comedy.

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Floral Friday \\ Bouquets

03 April, 2015

Categories:

Derk's Works

Written by:

mrsderksworks

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Hard to believe it is already the first Friday in April! As you enjoy the spring weather, here are more beautiful bouquets to take in as you plan your own wedding or even look to make beautiful floral arrangements for Easter weekend!

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