Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Domal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jennifer , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I didn’t know that I was an artist.

My mom is an artist. She sewed our clothes and I started sewing when I was 5, learning needlepoint soon after. My dad is a maker and a gardener. If we wanted something, we learned how to do it.

I have memories of making carved candles, stained glass lamps, silk screening cards and posters for schools with my parents.

But I wasn’t an artist.

We always made pysanky. But that was folk art and tradition and just something you do.

When I was 40, I had a job as an administrative assistant at a facility for juvenile offenders that had an art therapy program. The head of the clinical program kept telling me that I was an artist and would point it out when I had done something like straighten a sign or hang student work in the hallway.

I quit that job and went to art school.

I felt unleashed, in way, as if I couldn’t get the information fast enough. And I invited that colleague to the Senior Awards show when I graduated. His delight in my work gave me such satisfaction.

And that’s the hook.

A colleague says you need “irrational optimism” to succeed as a visual artist doing festivals. Add a dash of stubbornness and some zip ties, success has to be lurking somewhere.

Jennifer , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Jennifer Domal and I write pysanky and batik art eggs.

Pysanky is a traditional folk art found throughout Eastern and Central Europe where people use real eggshells, beeswax and dye to create intricate designs in a tradition that dates back millennia.

I write artwork on eggshells as small as button quail and pheasant, up to swan, emu, and ostrich.

Whenever possible, I try to source materials regionally from breeders and farmers I know.

A common question is: how fragile are they? Well, it’s art! Just like fine glass and ceramic, they need to be protected from falls and sharp blows. On a shelf, in a curio or on an ornament hanger, your artwork should last generations.

While I do conserve traditional designs and those motifs inform my original work, my most popular batik eggs are repetitive geometric designs using interesting color combinations. I still use a manual tool, not an electric. That means the viewer can see when the wax has begun to cool and then the line restarts with freshly heated tool (if they look carefully).

Since this is a heritage artform that I learned from my family, I really enjoy being able to share legends and stories with people of all ages as well as the process making of an ancient art form that only recently has been documented in written form. It has survived through centuries the way I learned and that is powerful for people when they hold something to perhaps give as a gift to commemorate a graduation, anniversary, or other occasion. Connections to the past, to family and friends, storytelling, and folk.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I’m not sure people who say they aren’t artists realize how creative they really are.

When I do an in home party, almost always the person who says they are a lousy-artist-can’t-draw-a-stick-figure creates the most refined work on the first attempt.

Creativity is a human process and is present in everything we do. For people working outside of the Arts, they can support us for free by liking, commenting and sharing our posts on social media. If they are making a purchase, shop local and small business. You might be surprised at how fast you can get that handmade item (porch pick up or mailed directly to your recipient). If you own a business, offer a pop up if it works for your location. If you have been in business in long time and know affordable accounting services, print shops, and networking, get that artist connected. We are business people also.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Starting a business is hard.

Starting an independent art business is pretty easy. You just make a lot of stuff until you don’t have room for it, get your tax and sales stuff squared away, get equipment to set up a booth, apply/get accepted to a show. Then don’t sell anything because it was the wrong show for you. And repeat that the rest of the year because your calendar is already set.

I did that over and over again. Had to take a break to make cash then a pandemic.

I was almost ready to get back in the groove.

Then I fell on ice in my driveway in February 2020. I had a coup contre coup concussion, back and neck injury. I managed to call my husband and he raced home to get me to Urgent Care which at the time (pandemic) would get me seen fastest. I was unable to see a neurologist until two months later and was still concussed then. My spinal cord injury was not identified until two years later. I have spent more time in rehab then out of it.

When I was finally able to write my name, I burst into tears. It took longer to be able to write an crappy square with corners almost meeting.

I sat at my desk with ice packs on my head working until I could finally produce real art from numb hands.

I had to make my work stations safer for a person with neuropathy since I can’t feel acid burns or temperature as well on one side of my body.

I’m not sure if it’s resilience, absolute stubborn determination to stick to a goal, or optimism or some heady mix of all three.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.jenniferdomalstudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdomalstudios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferdomalstudios
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jenniferdomalstudios

Image Credits

Jennifer Domal
Gabe Cariola