Note: Once again I’m republishing an older post which will give me a little more breather space to get well. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Love, JGW
My 1967/1968 “Blog”
It just occurred to me the other night that I’ve actually done a “blog” before—way back in 1967 and 1968 before we had personal computers and social networking. I was the Seventeen Magazine rep for the Portland, Oregon area high schools. That’s kind of a long story and not all that interesting, except for my responsibilities. I was supposed to communicate with the magazine about my life, the activities of the fashion board I was a part of, and general teen trends and thinking in my area. I ended up, after a full year’s competition, winning their national award and going to New York City right after my high school graduation.
The magazine didn’t tell us how to communicate with them. That was up to the more than 600 individual girls from across the country to decide for themselves. So I ended up doing a sort of ongoing journal with photographs and text. Sound familiar? I borrowed a tape recorder at the school and would tape stories for them. I think I sent a package to them every single week for a full year.
When I thought about this the other night, I realized I did for Seventeen Magazine, back then, exactly what I’m doing with the blog today. The process was a little more cumbersome though—no digital cameras or camcorders and NO personal computers! Yikes!
The thing I find significant about this is that it shows an important part of myself to me. I have a fierce need to communicate. I think it’s one of the reasons I’m an artist: I need to get my thoughts and feelings out there somehow. It’s not optional with me; it’s a need. I am driven. But I haven’t really understood that until just recently.
Becoming part of the gallery with Anna last year, sitting the gallery, offered me an opportunity to talk with people about my work. I got the other side of the conversation that the paintings generated. I was able to hear others’ stories and their dreams. The paintings ceased being monologues.
Then the blog was born and, I swear, it’s filling a need that had gone unrecognized before then. I truly love communicating with you all. It’s an ongoing, never-ending, source of inspiration. I’m constantly thinking, “Oh, I could do a video of that for the blog; I should shoot that, write about that. And hearing back from you, on the blog, on facebook, via email, is deeply important to me. I am no longer living in monologue, within my own thoughts, in my head. You are there. You are listening. You are considering. You are sharing—your hopes and desires, your beliefs. You offer your side of the conversation. And for that I am more grateful than words can say.
I don’t have anything of what I sent to Seventeen Magazine all those years ago but I do have amazing memories that actually changed the course of my life. I was so afraid of what I’d seen in New York that I ran home with my tail between my legs and decided then and there against fashion as a career! I don’t think that’s what Seventeen Magazine intended.
Love to you all,
Jeane
Jeane, thanks for sharing this. It looks like a really informative trip and lovely young girl, full of the same wonder as now!
It was all a little overwhelming, actually, but good. I’d never been on a plane before or away from my parents and suddenly I was in NYC meeting designers and models and actors. Before that trip I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer. My visit taught me otherwise so I changed directions and became a Fine Art major in college. Interesting the different influences on our paths, usually as we would least expect them.
Jeane, you must have been doing this the last time we saw each other! When you were in Tacoma on that music trip and stayed with my friend Linda Winter. I’m pretty sure that was your senior year, and my junior year. I know I was driving, and it must have been ’67/’68.
Yes, that’s the time frame exactly. I keep forgetting you’re younger than me 🙂
thanks for sharing those pictures Jeane, brings back high school days with you, not that I have alot of details anymore, but I certainly remember that event happening to you and how you looked back then. To me you still look fabulous. marilyn
Thanks Marilyn. It’s funny, I think this is still how I look in my mind’s eye. When I look in the mirror I still see a version of this girl. THEN I see a photo of me and I think, “Who’s that old lady?” It all came painfully clear when some of my younger students were at my home studio one time and a photo from this era was on my desk and they wanted to know who it was!
Jeane
It all makes perfect sense!! You did your early fashion blog in your late teens and now you are doing your deeper meaning blog now:)
What a gift to realize you did not want the life of a Clothes designer lol!! I was just getting enmeshed in the process at the same age you did but kept on the path. I still see myself as an artist rather than a manager of the process of apparel manufacturing which is the path I felt was best at the time….it was fun and at the same time nutty because I was WAY too emotionally involved with the people’s well being involved in the process rather than the end result justifying any means. oy.
I can totally imagine you in the role as Seventeen’s teen advisor…I could see you running Vogue for that matter, but you did that high stress part – and it doesn’t really matter so much which path that we took huh?
I enjoy immensely seeing you in NYC – did they do a story on you with the photos they took? There must a Seventeen with a story about your winning the award:)
XOXOX
Grace
But I was always so impressed with what you were doing in the fashion industry all those years ago when we met. It made me question my path. But I believe we all end up where we’re meant to be, learning the lessons we’re meant to learn. And I’m very grateful for my life now. It sure has taken some twists and turns… As has yours.
Yes, I did that high stress part and am so happy to have come through it to this particular other side.
They did do a story in Seventeen and I modeled, some, for them that year. I think my sister still has the magazine with my story in it. But the coolest thing, I thought, was that they manufactured my fabric design and made PANTS out of it! I remember seeing them in a department store window and almost swooning 🙂 I think my sister has a pair of the pants too…
This is priceless! You were a very together 17 year old and very stylish. The only thing we had in common at this age was I was a clothes horse, but lived in Iowa~hardly the fashion capital of the world! Out of curiosity, what high pressure field did you work in before pursuing your art full time?
Hi Sue–
Well, I was driven anyway. My mom made the paisley dress in these photos. She was really happy when I chose to wear it to NY.
I actually did quite a few different careers. Since I wasn’t being an artist, nothing fit, so I went from one thing to another. Everything was on the edges of being creative. My first big job was as a buyer for a large department store. I also worked for a clothing line doing merchandizing. That’s where I met Grace. After that I directed advertising and PR for a national company. My final job lasted for 12 years. I was an outside sales person selling huge custom print jobs to companies like The Gap, Levi, Espri, Union Bay, Nintendo–often those giant posters they’d hang in their stores. The work itself was always stressful but the greatest stress was that I was going against my soul–not living my truth. It was while doing this last job that I hemorrhaged. I gave year’s notice and set about figuring out how to get back on my right path.
Jeane great story and you did look great in your NY photo’s. I think from the photo’s I’ve seen of you that you still look good now! Speaking of Jobs along the way, I can totally relate to your statement of “Since I wasn’t being an Artist, nothing fit, so I went from one thing to another.” Except for me I didn’t stay in the creative realm. All through Jr. and High School all I did was Art and that was all I was interested in, nothing else! But when I graduated from High School I was under the belief that you couldn’t make a living in Art; that statement of starving Artist I took literally. So off to Dental Assisting I went for about 4 years until I couldn’t take it anymore! It just wasn’t for me! Ugh! After that I wanted to go to school to become an engineer for I loved drafting, but only took one class, (which I passed with an A and was the only girl in the class) because of a jealous husband. (long story and no longer my husband) Tried to get my AA in Art but that ended after 2 years because of him also. Long story short after divorce had to take jobs just to make a living and of course they were/are jobs that just don’t fit, cause I’m an Artist in my soul. Glad I have a more understanding husband now whom supports my dreams that I will reach eventually all in good time! It may be later in my life, but better late than never! Anyway great post; funny where our pasts lead us in life is my thought! Take Care, Cin =)
Thanks Cindy. You know I didn’t even start thinking about being an artist until I was 47. It’s never too late to live our dreams. Grandma Moses is a great example. Thanks to Grace I now realize I can put links to videos in my responses here (duh). This is a song I love about starting late in our lives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgAh57Pf-iU And as the great Julia Cameron said to her students when they would ask how old they’d be when they finally got back to their art, “The same age you’ll be if you don’t.” You go for it Cindy! You’re on the right path.
Great song to go along with what we’re talking about! How do you put links to videos in your responses? Is it easy? Love the saying by Julia Cameron, “The same age you’ll be if you don’t.” for it is so true!!!! Well I’m starting a little later than you did for I’ll be 50 in June, but I’ll get there this time around! Thanks for the encouraging words. Take Care, Cin =)
I wasn’t actively painting until I was 48 or so–very comparable to you–but even if you were 60 now it’d still be the perfect time to start. I believe we face our lessons when we’re ready for them.
All you have to do to put a link in an email (or on the blog) is to highlight it and then copy and paste. EASY! 🙂
I REALLY enjoyed that blog! Brought back a lot of memories! I have 2 copies of the Seventeen magazine. Remember when the “younger” girls up at the beach brought their magazines to have you autograph them?I had forgotten that I made that dress. But you missed your high school graduation, didn’t you, because you had to leave just before it happened. I didn’t recognize the name of the Marilyn Gibbons. Did she graduate in your class? KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Hi Mom! Yes, writing it brought back so many memories for me, too. I didn’t remember about the autographs–something a mother would remember 🙂 No, I didn’t miss graduation. I was even there for the party afterward, but I left early the next morning, fairly tired. Marilyn Gibbons is Marilyn Smith. She lives in Ashland now.
Thanks, Mom! So glad you’re liking the blog. XO
What a great memory and what a beautiful blog. I just found you today. Can I place this blog entry on my site for others to read? I’m the admin for a website called corbyfans.multiply dot com , dedicated to Sixties model Colleen Corby and I’m also at Flickr. I’ll check back here for your reply. Thanks for sharing yourself so tenderly with all of us!
Sincerely, AngoraSox
Thank you AngoraSox! I’m so glad you found me and that you like the blog. Actually, Colleen Corby was my favorite model back then, so part of my trip to NY was meeting her. Your note made me dig through my photos and I found one of me with her and the original press release that went along with it. My scanner is broken but I’ll try to get to the library this week to scan it and I’ll post it on the High Road Artist facebook page once I do, so watch for it. I like to say my claim to fame was that I saw Cheryl Tiegs naked (at the big fashion show during my trip to NY). I also met Jean Shrimpton that same year. And, yes, I’d be honored if you put this post on your site. Nice to meet you and thanks again! Jeane
Jeane, Thank you for your response and for the Colleen and Jeane picture! I think I might have it posted in one of my Seventeen albums on my website
Jeane, You won The Daisy Award in 1968 at Seventeen magazine! I KNEW I’d seen you before! You are already posted at my corbyfans website at multiply dot com in the “Seventeen, 9/1968” album, along with your story about winning! Come on over and check it out. You don’t have to sign up or sign in to see the pictures in that album. You do have to click on “slideshow” and then click on “view image” to see the images at a large size.
Thanks again for sharing your pictures from above. They add to your story over at corbyfans! This is what I call “serendipity”!
All the best, AngoraSox
AngoraSox–That is so AMAZING! I didn’t think anything about that still existed except in my memories. You must have a VERY thorough fan page! Serendipity indeed. How did you originally come across my site? Am dashing getting ready to go sit the gallery but I will check out my story on YOUR site. How cool is that? Jeane
Here’s the direct link to the page AngoraSox is referring to:
http://corbyfans.multiply.com/photos/album/4/Seventeen_91968#
Aug 6, 2011…Jeane, Sorry for all of these “notes” but I forgot to mention that you can most easily get to the story about you at my website by going to the “tags” box on the opening page and clicking on “1968 daisy award”. You’ll be magically transported to the September 1968 Seventeen magazine where your story and pictures were published that year.
— AngoraSox
I have read this post for the first time today. I loved seeing young Jeane. You look so pretty in the pictures. I somehow imagined that you were a quiet kind of person. It may be because I believe that introvert persons are wiser :). I may be wrong in thinking so. I am quite thrilled to know that you were a part of fashion board and you won the competition.
Hi Laura–I’m so glad you liked the post. The observations you bring up are interesting and fair. I think, left to my own devices, I’m introverted and somewhat shy and awkward. I’m much more comfortable on my own and do well living alone–or being one-on-one with a close friend. I am very introspective and require a lot of solitude. And yet, put in social situations, I can become almost too talkative to try to overcome my shyness. In high school I was still trying to fit in so I did a lot of things that the popular kids did (not necessarily what I wanted to do) because of that. And, when all was said and done, I still didn’t fit in. The difference now is that I’m VERY HAPPY that I don’t. I love my life and my choices exactly as they are–and me as I am now.
Jeane, I am touched that you replied in such an intimate and warm manner. I can relate to being comfortable on one’s own or with a close friend. I am so glad that you are very happy being yourself. It is a joy to listen to you. Best wishes from my heart.
I’m very happy to have you to respond to. Your observations are insightful and thought-provoking, which is one of the reasons I set them aside until I can give them the time they deserve.