MORE ABOUT JENNIE
Originally from Austin, Texas, Jennie’s inherent nature is to create community — often hosting friends at her home. She sees art, too, as a form of kinship or hospitality, not expressing her own tastes, but pairing pure colors with the stories of others.

Meet Jennie Lou

Finally made the move to the big “D”.

No, Texas friends, not Dallas. Denver.

Good ole’ Craig made a list, we checked it twice, we were found to be quite nice…so my two best friends and I landed a three-bedroom townhouse in the Highlands. 

Once all the boxes were out of the U-Haul and piled up in my room, I immediately took action. I cannot stand when things are disorganized so within the last week I found a place for all of my belongings. But, in the midst of hanging things on my walls, I learned a.) I do not own a tape measure and b.) how little I care about measuring anything to a prefect degree. 

Skillfully placed at the right spot by judgement of my very own eyes, my antlers, mirror, family photograph, curtains, etc. hung from what I thought the perfect locations. Until my roommate (the perfectionist one of the bunch) came in to inspect my curtains…she gave me an eye for an eye, dug up a tape measure and I turned out blind (apparently, blindness has become a common theme in my life). 

This whole ordeal got me thinking, as most moments in my life do.

Am I the one who is really blind? What is the whole idea of perfection after all?

Being blind isn’t as bad as we might think, and imperfections are beautiful things. As I painted in vivid colors and irregular shapes today, I realized how much I have grown this year.

For years, I was haunted by anxiety, desperately fighting to conform myself to some ideal, perfect version of myself. Whether body image, sports, college degree, boyfriends etc. I thought in the choices I made, I had to measure everything not as I wanted them, but as the “perfect version of Jennie” needed them to be. In believing myself to be humble, I forget about my greatest passions and ambitions and tried to be what I thought I should be.

But, all the while, I was losing who I was created to be. I was fighting against the freedom to embrace the so-called imperfections and discover the Truth behind seeking what came so naturally to me.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound….I once was blind, but now I see….twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.

Just in the nick of time, grace handed me a paintbrush and turns out wild, imperfect brushstrokes do, in fact, liberate myself and other people from fears. For the first time in my life, I have found purpose in something I cannot take credit for, something I have not earned, something I have not gained by performance. After years of fighting, I opened my hands and loosely received a truly perfect gift, and now I see… 

 

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