I have known Jen Herzig Smith for more than a decade. Earlier years of our time together were often through the shared lens of parenting and homeschooling since we both enjoyed having our kids get messy and tumble around in nature. But as we watched our kids grow, we also grew as students of life, and so did our friendship. When we would go on a weekly nature walk with our kids, Jen was always deeply intrigued and passionate about the beauty of the natural world. Over time, our conversation expanded to our fascination with the indigenous plants we encountered on our trails, how her native plant garden in Eagle Rock was tended, what kind of natural materials she was cooking in her outdoor kitchen to make an original ink from the natural dye, and how her expression of art was evolving along with it.
Emil and I met with Jen in the spring of 2024 at her home in Eagle Rock to kick off a collaboration project. She first gave us a tour of her garden, which felt like a little oasis in the city, with all the plants growing with such vitality. Once we entered the house, Jen offered us a cup of green nettle tea. The sip of freshly brewed tea instantly grounded us to the place.
She generously spread all kinds of papers dipped in various plant dye inks she created on the dining table, along with her experiments with those inks and different paintings, some of them on a long scroll. She explained how much each artwork made from those plant dye inks meant to her, even though some color differences and their expressions were very subtle. The earthy, muted colors and organic patterns and textures in her artworks were like candies to our eyes. As we got to know different aspects of her art and ink-making, Emil and I knew that this would become a multi-faceted project where we would co-create a collection of artifacts that capture the essence of her work and messages.
It’s apparent that so much of her artwork is a dialogue with nature. When she creates ink from plant dye and puts the ink on paper, she lets go of having complete control of the outcome. The way the ink appears on the paper, how it travels through it, and how it settles… all is a dance between three forces - ink, paper, and Jen as an artist. After our initial meeting in the spring, Emil spent the summer translating Jen’s work into a collection of BK’s original artifacts. We wanted to ensure that we kept the steady energy of the natural world to continue to carry through the design while honoring Jen’s sensitivity to how she expresses her vision. We launched the design towards the end of 2024, and I have absolutely loved it. Whenever I use tapes or stickers made from Jen’s artwork, I feel the instant connection to the nettles that were growing in her garden and were in our tea cups and the soil under our feet when we walked on the meandering path through the garden.
I am excited to share that we will extend our collaborative project to an in-person gathering where our community can get to know Jen and her work and process more intimately.
On February 9th, we will be hosting our first Artist Showcase series featuring Jen Herzig Smith.
During our time together, Jen and Emil will have an artist/designer panel discussion to explore Jen’s process and connection with the natural world. This will be followed by opportunities for everyone to meet Jen and see her work closely. Jen will also showcase her sketchbook, where she experiments with and catalogs her original plant-dye ink and some of her finished artwork for sale. You can see the detailed schedule below.
February 9th (Sunday)
11 am-12 pm // Panel Discussion by Jen Herzig Smith and Emil. (RSVP required)
12 pm-5 pm // Open Reception (BK shop will be open for regular opening hours concurrently, and walk-ins will be welcome during this time)
Jen’s artwork can never be replicated because every step to birth her paintings is unique, which only Jen and her plant partners could have taken. For the plant to have grown in a particular place under a particular condition, for Jen to have come to greet and forage the plant either in her garden or other places in the world with permission, the painstakingly long process for the plants to transform into a dye in a pot under a particular season in Jen’s backyard kitchen, and for the particular paper to meet the ink under careful observation of Jen.
Thinking about Jen’s process of creating her art reminds me of the Japanese concept of “Ichigo Ichie” - spending a lifetime of unfolding moments to experience something just once.
I hope your encounter with Jen and her work will also be the kind of magical Ichigo Ichie moment as well.
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