Wednesday, April 23

Unexpected Guests: Andrea Jenkins.

I just love today's visit to the home of one of my flickr favorites, girlhula, aka Andrea Jenkins and blogger of Hula Seventy. My friend Phil introduced me to Andrea's flickr photos when I first joined flickr, and I found her photographs to be so happy, inspiring and just so full of color and life. I took one look and never stopped looking. Today we're headed north, to one of my favorite cities, to Andrea's home in gorgeous and green Portland, Oregon. I love Andrea's beautiful pics of her garden, and her many globe collections - two things we share an affinity for are maps of all kinds and flowers for certain! Thanks so much for having us Andrea. For more about Andrea, and her photography and art, visit her blog and her flickr photostream.


What is your favorite outing in Portland?
I love to go downtown. Ride the streetcar, hit Powell's Books, the photobooth at the Ace Hotel or Finnegan's Toys, wander in and out of shops, ride the streetcar some more, take photographs of whatever. Then visit a couple of favorite thrift shops and have dinner at Le Happy. That's an ideal day for me.


What's the best thing about Portland?
Portland is the perfect size. Big enough to feel like interesting things are happening, small enough to feel like home. Small communities and neighborhoods thrive here but the city is big enough to support a solid arts scene. I love that.


What don't you leave home without?
Camera, Moleskine, small pouch of art supplies, any book I'm currently reading. And um, lip gloss.


What's your favorite shop?
I really love Flutter, which is very quirky and girly. Mostly, I love it for all the bits of vintage ephemera you find peppered throughout the shop. And Smut (which is a tiny vintage resale shop just off Burnside) is another favorite of mine. Thanks to my husband, who discovered it and knew I'd love it. He was right.


What's one thing about you that would surprise people?
I'm a bit of a pessimist. But I'm working on that.

Who are your favorite artists?
Oh, so many! Modern dance: Alexandra Beller, David Dorfman, Bill T. Jones, Marc Bamuthi Joseph. Visual art: Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, Margaret Kilgallen, Thomas Campbell.


Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere and in the everyday. On the streets, in my neighborhood. Colors and patterns on buildings, the way people move, accidental dances, street art, words put together just right.

Who do you admire and why?
My brother Nate, DJ Dust, who is the producer/DJ for Mars ILL as well as an independent producer/filmmaker. He has such a clear vision, such an incredible ability to persevere. Circumstances or lack of resources have never kept him from making great music or trying new things. When he didn't have the money to hire someone to shoot videos, he bought a super 8mm camera on eBay and taught himself how to shoot and edit film. This is what I admire most. His ability to just jump in, learn it, do it. And then make great art. He's not afraid.

What's the last great book you read?
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. Which is such a beautiful book.

What's your favorite film?
Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket. I am never bored watching that film.

If you could photograph anyone in the world, who might that be?
My dad as a young ball player-- like Gene Kelly in hightop Converse. Also, I'd love to follow Banksy around with a camera, yes I would. I'd love to shoot Alexandra Beller, who is an absolutely amazing mover. And a woman I once saw selling fruits and vegetables at a flea market in Rome.

Who would you like to sit down to tea with?
My best friend Nancy. She lives in St. Louis and we only get to see each other maybe once a year.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Television. And cherry sno-cones.

What would you eat for your last supper?
Pizza with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese. Red velvet cake for dessert, of course.

What is your most treasured belonging?
My children. A very distant second would be my personal collection of photobooth strips.

What souvenir did you bring back from your last trip?
A tiny red wooden clog from the 39th Street Flea Market in New York. Not my most recent trip but I look at that little shoe everyday and think of New York. It makes me happy.

What's your greatest indulgence?
Dark cherries, fresh flowers. And travel.

What is your idea of living hell?
Fluorescent lighting.

What are some of your favorites websites & blogs to visit?
I'm crazy about danceminute. Also, ffffound, 52 projects, photobooth.net, unphotographable, Flickr. And all the friends who endlessly inspire me on the daily. That list is just too long.

What music are you listening to these days?
Old (and not so old) school hip hop-- Mos Def, Jurassic Five, De La Soul, Mars ILL. Also listening to Müm, Beth Orton, Sufjan Stevens, She & Him, The Shins, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cat Power, Feist, RJD2.

24 comments:

studio wellspring said...

wow what a great gal ~ i like her already! thanks, v, for the great intro. and if andrea is reading this ~ i adore marc bamuthi joseph too! my dance teacher {stacey printz} is choreographing a large work with him....i'll be sure to blog about it when it comes out for public viewing.

JanelleGrace said...

Wow, I've never read an interview where it made me want to meet the person soo much.

And I can't wait to move to Portland.

jen j-m said...

i love her photographs and her eye for color and patterns! it is nice to read about someone who loves + appreciates the fun things in life. great interview, thanks!

Kelly Anne said...

Great interview! Her sense of style and photographic eye are wonderful and immensely enviable. Plus it makes me really want to visit Portland!

Summer (designismine) said...

Aww, it is so nice to see Andrea on here. She is one of my favorite bloggers/photographers and she inspires me daily. Fabulous interview!

katiedid said...

Love the photos and the answers. What an eye! And so personal.

Rebecca Ramsey said...

What fun! I love your site!

Fiona Cartolina said...

Great interview and pictures - really enjoy these kind of "artist features". They are very inspiring for indy artists.
Thanks!

andrea said...

victoria, thank you so much! so totally honored to be featured here on your fantastic blog. and thanks to everyone who has commented here with such kind words!

studio wellspring, ooooh... sounds so great. I've only seen marc bamuthi joseph's solo work, would love to see him in a large group piece. or his work set on an entirely different set of bodies. I'll be sure to check your blog for more details!

Orange Pattern said...

I love this girl! Bottle Rocket's hilarious...

Anonymous said...

I discovered her through your blog or through flikr, I'm not sure and I am very charmed by her world. She makes me want to move to Portland big time.

Lori Andrews said...

super spotlight!

sfgirlbybay said...

i am so glad y'all enjoyed this post as much i as did doing it! andrea is just a really down to earth, breath of fresh air! i want to hang out with her, too! :)

party in portland!!

lisa solomon said...

andrea is a true gem....

thanks for such a cool interview!

Mary Elizabeth Liberty said...

I loved peeking into this woman's life, I was inspired to get on board using flickr, and to scout out an old b/w photobooth here in NYC. I'm going to go this weekend.

JanelleGrace said...

Share the photobooth in NYC, Mary Elizabeth!

Mary Elizabeth Liberty said...

The B/W photobooth is at Bubby's pie company in Tribeca.
www.bubbys.com
they confirmed it's still up and running...

Anonymous said...

I want to clone her home.

Anonymous said...

Andrea is amazing, totally inspiring. Great interview!

Alya said...

oooh Love those photos!

jennifer said...

yeah... i love reading her blog and checking out her flickr photos... great interview and photos!

sulu-design said...

I'm so, so glad that you featured Andrea and her beautiful photos here. She is one of the things that made moving to Portland okay for me - the girl is just fantastic.

jodi said...

awww, yay! andrea is the best. she makes me want to live in portland.

Jan Halvarson said...

yep, she's a gem!