While my apartment is still very much a work in progress, and I will definitely shoot a full apartment tour at some point, I also want to take you inside little updates I make to my home along the way.
Over the past couple of years, I fell in love with Jenn Thatcher’s ‘Black Jack’ paintings. As soon as I saw one on Instagram, the Baader Meinhof phenomenon took over for me, and I saw them everywhere. I had this blank wall in a hallway in my apartment, and it’s actually one of the first things you see when you walk in. I was looking for the perfect piece of art to hang here, and decided it would be the perfect spot for a Black Jack of my own.
(Since all the ‘Black Jacks’ are original works of art, I can’t link to the one I own—but this three circle one is really similar! You can shop the whole collection here, and she regularly adds new pieces, so if you don’t see one that speaks to you, definitely check back!)
You can read a little bit about these popular paintings here, but the idea behind the series is that you’re supposed to choose the number of circles on your Black Jack that represents your family. Each circle is unique, imperfect in its own way, but connected to the others. I love that idea, but I also think art can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people—and I also don’t think you need to wait to purchase one if you’re like me and don’t yet have a family. When I look at this painting and see the three circles, I actually think of it as a visual representation of the Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In addition to the classic Black Jacks, which I have, Jenn also offers Black Jack Minis, and limited edition Blue, Pink, and Green Black Jacks, too—you can shop them all here. The frame is also a work of art in itself—handmade in Jenn’s studio, it’s such a beautiful gold leaf frame. I’ve never seen anything quite like it!
At $495, I know this was definitely an investment piece—and I know some will look at it and think, “I could do that myself!” But art is a priority in my life, and I know this is something I’ll treasure for years to come. I purchased it after a big work project in November as a celebratory gift, and I know whenever I look at it in the future, I’ll always think of this time of my life.
