We recently connected with Paula Jensen and have shared our conversation below.

Paula, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Everyone has to start someplace. Most of the time starting any new adventure feels clumsy and awkward. Insecurities rise up and tell you to give it up. Stop trying, you’ll never get this. Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who can just jump into a thing and be good at it, the rest of us feel inadequate learning a new skill. Feeling that inadequacy is part of the learning process.

I started as a two dimensional artist. My husband Larry suggested I try blacksmithing. He is a millwright/welder (now retired) and had been dabbling in the craft of blacksmithing. The only ‘real’ hammer work I had ever accomplished at that point was to put a nail in the wall to hang one of my paintings. Standing at the anvil with a hot piece of metal and a hammer in my hand felt unnatural to say the least. Stubbornness and persistence won out in the end…and continues since I’m still learning….and feel awkward at times.

Blacksmithing has evolved into casting my sculptures in bronze using the lost wax casting method. This felt like a natural progression from one method of handling hot metal to another way of handling hot metal. You just never know where the road will lead when learning new skills.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Paula Jensen and I am a sculptor as well as an artist blacksmith. I have been creating art most of my 59 years of living on this planet. Beginning with two dimensional then transitioned into three dimensional work with my husband’s, encouragement and tutelage in blacksmithing, welding and metal fabrication. (Footnote: Artist blacksmiths are not the same as a farrier who works with horses.)

We opened our business Earth Eagle Forge LLC in 2001 based on the amount of interest we were getting.

Over these past 22 + years, I have designed and created variety of utilitarian metal art pieces for people all over the U.S.A. My passion for art work has driven experimentation in metal sculpting when not working on commissioned wrought iron pieces. I’m interested in perspectives. How people view the world. I like to use wildlife as subjects that invoke meaning and explore the symbols that have been associated with the animal world. Most of the designs I create for functional art is based on organic forms. Being surrounded by nature on our 40 acre homestead has definite influence in my work.

The past 3 years Larry and I have dived into bronze cast sculptures using the lost wax casting method. We are still in the ‘learning’ stages with mold making, wax spruing and gating, etc. But then, when are we ever NOT in the ‘learning’ stages for anything in life?

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

“This is your hobby, right?” What do you do for a living? ”

And then there is the ‘starving artist’ argument, which I will have to admit, there have been times of scarcity. I think you’re a rare and very fortunate artist if you haven’t felt that at times in your career…. I could be wrong…. but I’ve been there.

It’s difficult to explain to people why I choose to continue being a creative, despite hardship. But, I will attempt to explain here.

Creativity is fueled by a deeper ‘need’ to express thoughts, feelings and ideas. Creating art is a way, for me, to work something out that I’ve been thinking about or dealing with. It gives voice for my emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. If I’m not creating something, I literally get depressed.

C.S. Lewis says it so much better than I ever could; “Nothing kidnaps our capacity for presence more cruelly than longing. And yet longing is also the most powerful creative force we know: Out of our longing for meaning came all of art; out of our longing for truth all of science; out of our longing for love the very fact of life.”

The work I do fills a need for people who are looking for something unique. When I provide the art work that people can’t find anywhere else, this confirms, what I feel, is the main reason I’m here.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Compliments are always encouraging for artists/creatives. But…. in order for the work to continue, the artist needs resources to get equipment, material, a place to work as well as eat and clothe themselves. The majority of artist aren’t looking for ‘hand-outs’. We create and then hope the piece sells so we CAN continue the work. Commissions have been the bread and butter of Earth Eagle Forge LLC. It keeps the lights on.

Hiring and/or purchasing an artist’s work is the highest compliment that can be given and it supports the artists to continue. If a work of art really resonates with you, then buy it if you can. Your money goes toward helping the artists put more of their work out in the world. If you can’t purchase something, then spread the word about the artist. Bookmark their website and show people. You never know who you show will commission or purchase something an artist has made. Follow your favorite artist on Facebook and Instagram. Share their work with your fb friends. It helps, it really does.

And yes, keep complimenting your favorite artist. This is feedback on how well they are doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eartheagleforge.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eartheagleforge/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eartheagleforge
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-larry-jensen-8b3ab9b/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/earth-eagle-forge-longville-3
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/eartheagleforge42091

Image Credits
Earth Eagle Forge LLC, Paul Tapp ( Photo of our apple blossoms on front desk Graduate East Lansing Hotel )