The What's Good Project: A Behind-the-Scenes Interview
Jennifer Drinkwater. The Bridge, acrylic on wood panel, 12'“ x 12”, 2020. Now available as a Tiny Print.
Located about four miles north of my home in Ames, Iowa, McFarland Park was the brain child of a Dr. Ernest J. McFarland, an Ames physician who owned 93 of the current 238 acres. After his death, his family gifted this area of prairie grassland, woodland, streams, and a man-made lake to Story County Conservation in the late 60's to avoid the land being parceled off to developers.
A few weeks back, Paige Kappelman, Story County Conservation’s Outreach Assistant, reached out to me (did her job like a boss) for an informal interview after she saw some of my paintings of McFarland Park on Instagram. Naturally, I said yes and we invited Kyle Renell to join the party. Kyle’s not only my good friend and a terrific Ames-based artist, but she also was the person I interviewed for The What’s Good Project here in Ames. In other words, Kyle’s the reason I painted McFarland Park.
Jennifer Drinkwater. Reflection, acrylic on wood panel, 24” x 24”, 2020.
“What do you think your life in Ames would be like if McFarland Park didn't exist?”
“It would be confined to the neighborhood, which isn't all that bad. I know a lot of my neighbors. It's a very small town, and it's a big city, sort of. Ames is kind of a schizophrenic place, I feel, because it is small town, but it's very cosmopolitan. There's all these different international people here, and a lot going on. But, this place lets you get away. I think it would be a big loss not to have these parks in Ames.” - Kyle Renell
As a recap, whenever I travel to a community, I invite a community member to have a conversation with me about what’s good where they live. These conversations are recorded (with their permission), transcribed, and inspire the paintings that follow. In fact, many of the painting titles themselves are quotes from the folks I interview.
So I invite you, dear reader, to get a further glimpse into my process by watching this stellar video. (Thanks, Paige and Kyle!) You’ll even hear a bit of my and Kyle’s original recorded conversation.