Jennifer Amy Hynes

Thoughts on Motherhood Through the Eyes of an Artist

Studio Time, Blackout and Elementary School

“Here’s the plate mom” Fiona says. She says it several times, I should have ran over and grabbed the plate. She was being helpful. I was too busy cooking dinner and gathering flashlights and candles for the safety box. Fiona had been putting the little tea candles back in the tin they came in. She […]

Mainstreamed, First Month of Kindergarten

Early October. Sky blue, morning air cool, Fall light bounces off surfaces illuminating trees I hadn’t noticed before. Dragon flies flutter above in the afternoons. There is a stillness, maybe it’s created by that in between summer and winter. The school year has only just started but I feel like my kids have been in […]

Late Autumn wind whips, Sadness Falls on my Shoulders

A heavy load of sadness falls on my shoulders. Late Autumn winds blow, I listen to John Coltrane Quartet. My kids are at school, I have an hour of downtime left. Not really downtime. I’m writing my Artist Statement for the Sanchez Art Center 50/50 Show. My theme for this piece is treating my panels […]

First Days

I write this in my tub. Soaking the past 12 hours away. I’ve been up since 3:30AM. First Day of Kindergarten for Jack and Fiona. First day of American Sign Language instruction at Berkeley Community College for me. Drop off and Freeway, each with its own pulse. I saw smashed cars on the opposite side […]

Breezy Bay Blue Sky

“Did you wear hearing aids when you were a girl?” Fiona asks. This is the second time the subject has come up. I don’t think she understands yet, that she’s the only one in the family who wears hearing aids and that no one else has ever worn hearing aids. It’s interesting. And how do […]

50/50 Show Sanchez Art Center curated, next project in the wings

Today my crit group helped me curate my 50 pieces for installation in the 50/50 show at Sanchez Art Center. I had so many great moments working on this project, hard moments, but worth it moments. I was manic at times, totally drained at others. I scraped, peeled, painted, stained, washed, pressed, collaged, destroyed, and […]