Jen Longshaw is an artist
and writer living on a farm on the North Island of New Zealand. Her work
has been published in Klauw (in Dutch), Theosophy New Zealand, The Young Theosophist and
The Web. Jen has also had poetry published in several anthologies of New
Zealand verse as well as having a book of her own work "At
the End of a Golden Afternoon" released when she
was 19. Online she has been the contributing editor
for Animal Arts and Crafts at Suite101
as well as having had work included in the ezine eThis, Eternal Night,
Paralinks and Elvis Presley News
and harrysaratoga.com.
She is also Content Manager for Passion
For Paint and Kiwi
Herald. She holds a Diploma in Journalism for the New Zealand
Institute of Business Studies.
Her
obsession with animals began in childhood where she made numerous attempts
to introduce various stray kittens to her parent's home. A low point was
having her pet frog "disappeared" but on reflection she feels that allowing
it to sit on the kitchen table during breakfast might have finally driven
her mother over the edge. Since then she has raised rabbits specializing
in English and French Angoras (she is the Hawkes Bay Representative for the New Zealand
Rabbit Council). Presently she also has a Shetland Sheepdog called Mishka,
a hedgehog, male sparrow raised from a baby, a donkey, bantams, birds,
five cats and a mentally disturbed
goat called Tobermory. She has an especial interest in treating animals
naturally with homeopathy, herbs and homeobotanical therapies. You can
read more about their goings on here.
Jen's artwork has been
exhibited within New Zealand and is currently in various private collections
including several overseas. Besides painting in watercolor and acrylic
she uses pen and ink, often in the pointillist style. Her work can be
bought as an original or as a limited edition print or card. Her subjects
range from floral to animals with the bulk of her commissioned work being
for pet portraits. Besides conventional 2D work Jen also paints in the
round or 3D on rocks. Rock painting forms the major part of her output
and besides undertaking private commissions her work is found in several
retail outlets throughout New Zealand. Some examples of her art can be
found here and
she has work available for sale.
Her working diary can be read here.
Her other interests include
Theosophy and spirituality, music, gardening, spinning, pressed flower
work, reading and writing. Jen also has a mail-order business called The
Menagerie specializing in books, collectibles and artwork with an animal
theme.he also founded the Ehlers
Danlos Foundation of New Zealand.
Her
obsession with animals began in childhood where she made numerous attempts
to introduce various stray kittens to her parent's home. A low point was
having her pet frog "disappeared" but on reflection she feels that allowing
it to sit on the kitchen table during breakfast might have finally driven
her mother over the edge. Since then she has raised rabbits specializing
in English and French Angoras (she is the Hawkes Bay Representative for the New Zealand
Rabbit Council). Presently she also has a Shetland Sheepdog called Mishka,
a hedgehog, male sparrow raised from a baby, a donkey, bantams, birds,
five cats and a mentally disturbed
goat called Tobermory. She has an especial interest in treating animals
naturally with homeopathy, herbs and homeobotanical therapies. You can
read more about their goings on