Judy Jensen: Art is Big

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August 2010
When I peeked into Judy Jensen's Clay Studio in Rochester, Vermont and saw her "ART IS BIG" print on the wall, it was clear to me that something inspirational was happening in this space... and that was even before Judy Jensen stood up from the clay she was working on, wiped her hands and came over to tell me a little about art in this lovely little town along Route 100 in Vermont.

Jensen's combination studio and retail store (she sells her work in the front of the airy space she created out of a former car mechanic's shop) has been sustaining her in a town she told me was particularly interested in artists and known to art lovers. I came home with a wonderful little blue bowl Jensen made, which I've been filling with cherries. I've been eating a lot of cherries.

Right down the street is the BigTown Gallery, in a beautifully quirky building, that offers not just real art (maybe this is my own attitude problem, but just randomly wandering into a small town art gallery and finding interesting, accomplished work surprised me a bit. Okay well, they must have called it BigTown Gallery for a reason, huh?) but music, poetry, theatre: here's an article from "Seven Days, Vermont's Independent Voice" that has the story of how and why and what's happening at the BigTown. 

My Jensen bowl, in the mess of my studio

Judy Jensen also suggested to me that I cross the street to visit the Seasoned Books and Bakery run by Sandy Lincoln -- a place she says has become "our community center, a place where everyone stops by to eat and see friends and gather news" -- to look for the poetry of Galway Kinnell, a Vermont poet, which I did, and am grateful for her suggestion, because there's nothing better than finding a new poet. Seasoned Books and Bakery was in full bloom when I visited, graced by Sandy Lincoln's gardens and cut flowers supplied by Sweet Williams Florist in Rochester.