Jen Longshaw

Jen Longshaw is an artist and writer living on a farm on the North Island of New Zealand. Her work has been published in 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 released when she was 19. Online she writes for Fitness Heaven as well as having had work included in the ezine eThis and harrysaratoga.com. She is also Content Manager for <a href="http://www.passionforpaint.com" target="new"><font color="RoyalBlue">Passion For Paint</a></font><font color="black"size=1"></font> and <a href="http://www.natureofanimals.com" target="new"><font color="RoyalBlue">Nature Of Animals</a></font><font color="black"size=1"></font>

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 Angoras (she is the Hawkes Bay Representative for the New Zealand Rabbit Council) . Presently she also has a Shetland Sheepdog called Mishka, a 29 year old pony, a donkey, bantams, birds, cats and a mentally disturbed goat called Tobermory. She has an especial interest in treating animals naturally with homeopathy, herbs and homeobotanical therapies

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 at <a href="http://gallery.passion4art.com/members/damask/index.html" target="new"><font color="RoyalBlue">passion4art</a></font><font color="black"size=1"></font>and work available for sale at </font><a href="http://jenlongshaw.thedigitalartist.com/" target="new"><font color="RoyalBlue">The Digital Artist</a></font><font color="black"size=1">.</font>

Her other interests include Theosophy and spirituality, music, spinning, gardening, 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. She also founded the <a href="http://www.edfnz.org.nz" target="new"><font color="RoyalBlue">Ehlers Danlos Foundation of New Zealand</a></font><font color="black"size=1"></font>.

To find out about her latest writing and art on the WWW and beyond you can <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jenlongshaw" target="new"><font color="RoyalBlue">subscribe to her newsletter</a></font><font color="black"size=1"></font>.