Butt Uglee

An interview with Jennifer Jones founder of the soft sculpture line called "Butt Uglee". Jennifer talked with Leslie from Funky Art Queen. Both of them live their Life Through Art.

I first discovered Jennifer Jones while pouncing on Etsy one day. I spotted her big, fabric sculptured flowers in all their glory. Oh, they are just awesome and fun. The black and white stripes on the stems got me too! So, I marked her as a favorite and kept an eye on her. I knew that I would want to get to know her better and I'm betting you will be glad she agreed to let me interview her for

"I Must Share This".

Here is some of that interview.

Tell us who you are and what you are about?

I grew up in a home full of creativity. For as long as I can remember both my parents had some sort of art/hobby going on. My mother was a quilter and loved to do crewel work. My father was a carver. He did mostly birds of the Eastern Shore. Every night they would sit in their “green chairs” and do their thing. My mom had her glasses riding low on her nose … so she could see. My father had his balsa wood and carving knife in hand. He would have a pile of wood chips all over the floor. This went on EVERY night! I don’t remember my Mom ever complaining about the mess my Dad made.

I was into everything! You name it … I did it! I loved to color. I loved the smell of the newsprint paper in Elementary School. A new box of crayons would send me over the edge. I would make all kinds of characters out of rocks, shells, clay, pipe cleaners, glue and construction paper. If I found something on the ground I was sure I could make something cool out of it. I couldn't write or spell but I sure could draw a mean picture.

I notice that your work is very unconventional and original. Tell me how you have the courage and confidence to create such original and funky things?

I can't help but think that your work sends a certain message. You don't care what others think, you don't need patterns because you do your own thing, you are brave and you don't care one bit about staying "inside the lines". Your thoughts on that?

Wow! Great question! I would be lying if I said I didn’t care what people thought of my work. I do … but my intention is not to create what I think will sell. I really just create what makes me happy. It takes a “special” kind of person to like my work and really understand it. I know BuTT UgLee is not for everybody.I have never been one to stay “inside the lines.” I don’t believe there are lines when your art comes from your heart. (God that sounded good.) I draw my designs free hand. I have made a few copies of my favorites but that is about it. Give me a bolt of muslin and a “marker be gone” pen and I am good to go.

So have you considered copyrighting your work? What about making PDF patterns and selling those?

This is something I think about often. I love the idea of PDF patterns. The immediate gratification is what I like. I think I will sit on this egg for now.

Tell us about your hopes and dreams

I dream some day of having a real “studio.” For now we are in a 3 bedroom condo. Hubby (who also works from home) our 17yr old daughter Samantha, a 100 lb Bernese Mountain Dog named Lilly and three cats … Colby, Cheddar and Honey. My “stuff” is everywhere! Only on rare occasions can we cook in the kitchen or use the kitchen table. Needless to say … we eat out a lot.
I would love to be able to sell most of my goods online. I really don’t like packing and traveling with them. Etsy is awesome!! I have “met” some of the most creative people on this site. My dream … is to one day have my work published. Somewhere .. Anywhere … a park bench will do. I think it would be so cool to see one of my creations on or within a magazine.

My hope is to find some relief for my depression. I was diagnosed 4 years ago and it has been a drain on me since. I am blessed to be my own boss. I could never be self employed. I never know what kind of day I will have. Each day is a mystery. How am I going to feel tomorrow? My art is a reflection of my depression. When you look at the faces on my creations and analyze them they all look whacked out … or … totally lost and confused. I guess whacked out will do for now. Sewing and painting keep me sane and off the streets. And last but not least … I dream about renting a big RV (with my husband of course), packing up the animals and touring the USA. Not for the scenery … I want to go to all of the food festivals you see on the cooking channel. You know what I mean…. the onion fest, the chili cook-offs, the festivals that most all of the states have at one time or another the honor some type of food. That is it … I don’t ask for much.

I asked her to give me some of the things on her Bucket List

1. Travel/vacation somewhere with my daughter before she gets too old and I am wearing diapers.

2. Spend a week ( with my hubby ) in every major city in the USA. Stay is the nicest hotels, eat the best food and drink the finest wine. Maybe even go to the spa.

3. Spend a whole summer, in a beach house … RIGHT ON THE BEACH … I mean right there by the water. I am thinking maybe Stone Harbor New Jersey. I used to be a beach inspector there when I was in college.

4. Spend a winter in the mountains of Colorado. Nice big lodge, fire place, spa and room service. It must be a place that takes dogs. My big girl Lilly would love the cold climate.

5. Own an old, restored to mint condition, VW Beetle or maybe even the cool vans they had back when I was a kid. The two tones ones with the VW logo/emblem on the hood. I love the purring sound they make.
I want to be a hippie or a pirate when I grow up ....I feel this important to note!!!

Jennifer, thanks so much for participating in this interview. You are wonderful and very talented. You just keep it going sistah. By the way, you have been published now. You were just published on my blog!!! And this one too!
Interview by Leslie at Funky Art Queen