Hope Lives Here • by Jan Avellana

“What we hunger for perhaps more than anything else is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else. It is important to tell at least from time to time the secret of who we truly and fully are ... because otherwise we run the risk of losing track of who we truly and fully are and little by little come to accept instead the highly edited version which we put forth in hope that the world will find it more acceptable than the real thing. It is important to tell our secrets too because it makes it easier...for other people to tell us a secret or two of their own ...” - Federick Buechner

Jan Avellana is the artist at Hazelnut Cottage where she quietly grows her dream of trading in her current artist's life (creating a line of hand-stamped silver jewelry) for a life as a mixed-media artist and writer. She is so grateful to for the community of artists that she continues to connect with, one story, one secret, one piece of art at a time.

To learn more about Jan Avellana, visit her blog at hazelnutcottage.typepad.com and in her Etsy shop at hazelnutcottage.etsy.com.

Anthony Vallejo-Sanderson is the creative soul behind this video. He is a writer and indie filmmaker. You can see more of his work here at vimeo.com/avsanderson.

Comments

[Crystal Neubauer]

Jan, Absolutely fabulous video and story! Your work, words, and wit are an inspiration!

Thanks for sharing my blog today ~ you rock!

Crystal

[Mosaic Queen]

Jan, Thank you for your lovely comment. Also, thank you for sharing your Fabulous ART!!! LOVE it!!!
xoxoxo!!

Michelle

[lynnk]

jan, your work is so wonderful...i have long been a lover of your silver jewelry and am excited to see you emerging work in mixed media...its so beautiful!
i am inspired by your honesty and transparency as you so openly share you journey in this artist way of life!

thank you!!

blessings!
lynn

[jan avellana]

what an honor to be able to share here along with all of these other amazing women! :) thank you for your encouragement and kindness. may it come back to you a hundredfold! ;)jan

[Kelly]

Awesome Jan! Livin' Loud! Love, Kel

“If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, I will answer you: "I am here to live out loud”- Emile Zola

[April Hisatake]

jan... you are walking the walk and

i thank you for your courage, your vision, your 'rebelliousness'

thank you for being you

love you,
april

[jan avellana]

:) hi kel and ape! :)
lovin' that you came to visit me here!!! hugs and love to you both...

[jan : daisy janie]

Incredible. I'm completely inspired by your words and reflection. You are a wise lady to be able to 'see' all that you do in your life and your art. Thanks for sharing!

[Lysa Mair]

Wow! First of all I'm floored by your generosity! I found the quote very emotional and after watching your video... well let's just say, I need a tissue! When I studied art people would always ask me, "so what will you do when you graduate?" Which I always thought was an odd question but I understood what they meant. However being an artist is a way of life isn't it. I couldn't imagine a day with out being creative and when one can provide for one self financially, even better! With that being said, what shackles we live in protecting who we really are from who we want people to think we are.

Thank you for being genuine.
Lysa

[Candylei]

Loved reading your story. We do worry about how we will be accepted as an artist...Is our work too bright, too dark, too silly and so on? Then when we stop worrying and we just express ourselves through our creations and everyone immediately sees the "humanness", the heart of the matter.

Candylei

[juliette crane]

thank you so much for sharing your story, jan. what an amazing video! it's so nice to see work in progress and artist studios. you have truly inspired me :)

-juliette

[James]

What we hunger for is that what our soul desires the most, it differs from person to person some individuals hunger for something material while others for something spiritual, I like to think that I got a part of both worlds.