Jennyfer Marie
When you live in a tourist attraction city like Orlando, you may feel like there is plenty to do and see, with ways to fill your free time. However, much of that is embedded in the culture of spending money, consuming, distraction, and remaining in a bubble of your own making with the same people, or perhaps in isolation. With an influx of residents moving here, many search for community and connection, and a longing for something more than Happy Hours or Mouse Ears.
Few people have come along to challenge that way of life with real, attainable replacements. Jennfyer, in just a few short years, has become known for creating and curating some of the best community-driven events in our city. After attending some of her events and watching how she has made spaces for us, all while juggling her own freelance work, being a mom, and facing the same struggles we all face, I was compelled to dust off my notebook and interview her because I think she’s doing something really special for the City Beautiful. In just the past seven months, I’ve attended four events that Jennyfer has either hosted herself or collaborated with other locals. I’ve attended two bakeclub events that I can’t recommend more, a Gilmore Girls Autumn Festival that was everything I dreamed of, and an Our Home Supper Club Dinner, where Jennyfer collaborated with the hosts, which was another unforgettable night of food, fun, and karaoke with strangers. At each event, whether I attended solo or with a friend, I met wonderfully kind people and felt at home.
The Backstory of Jennyfer
Jennyfer, originally from Connecticut, has always been heavily involved in the arts. In her hometown of Hartford, she came from a low-income family but made the most of local programs, including enrollment in Hartford Magnet Middle and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. It was there that her creative passions flourished, and she was in their technical theatre program. Her major was technical theatre, which allowed her to work on set design, props, and costumes from script to full show, giving her a glimpse into the world of event planning.
She moved to Orlando as a teen and began her creative journey, which has included photography, jewelry, makeup, and, eventually, illustration —something that stuck. Since then, she has worked with clients big and small, including Walmart and Nespresso, and continues her freelance journey.
She dove into the local Orlando scene first by hosting pop-ups to encourage people to engage with her art, even vending at the Milk Mart.
After taking a few breaks, she started Sketchbook Club in 2023. She had been in the local art scene, immersing herself in the community. She wanted to bring an event to the area that would help her engage more, where people can talk, whereas at markets, you are busy in your booths selling and don’t have as much chance to really engage.
Since then, she has continued to see firsthand not only what Orlando wants but also to curate the types of events she would like to attend, which has allowed her to grow and collaborate. She is a one-woman show, self-taught, and handles all marketing for her events.
Her Sketchbook Club has become a well-attended regular event where creatives can meet in a fun, relaxing environment. If you don’t have art supplies or even a Sketchbook to start, Jennyfer supplies them, so no one feels like they can’t participate if they don’t have the tools needed to attend. There are different themes for inspiration, and all events are free.
LH: What event came after Sketchbook Club?
JM: Artful Agora, which came from me doing markets, and wanting to make one that I would have loved to be a part of. It’s very artist-focused. They are very small. I try not to repeat what we have. I select who I want to showcase; it’s very curated. The focus is on keeping everything local, keeping the money tied to local people, and focusing on the artists.
Artful Agora Instagram
After creating Artful Agora, Jennyfer added to her plate a physical community hub she created called The Artful Exchange. But after some difficulties beyond her control, the space was short-lived, and Jennyfer took some time to refocus and regroup. In that time, she turned to baking as a personal outlet, which led to the creation of Bakeclub.
JM: It was a silly thing; I didn’t think it would take off. Sketchbook Club took a while to grow, but people were excited from the start and wanted to be part of it. It’s been really beautiful to see.
If you aren’t familiar with Bakeclub, it’s a very low-cost event to attend. Anywhere between $5 - $15 to help Jennyfer cover the cost of materials she needs. Anyone can attend as long as they bring a baked good. She usually has different baking themes, so if you excel in a specific area, like breads or cakes, you can wait for a theme that suits you. Or you can attend an event where anything can be on the menu, as long as you baked it yourself and it isn’t store-bought. Those events let you not only feast on treats but also see different techniques, ask your fellow at-home bakers questions, and enjoy a niche hobby with like-minded enthusiasts.
Much like Sketchbook Club, you don’t have to be an expert artist or baker; anyone is welcome to come and engage with others in the community who share the same interests and passions, and often get to see a business, park, or museum they’ve never been to.
LH: Why do you think it’s so important to fuse the events with something hands-on?
JM: I grew up around creativity, being encouraged to be creative, but when you leave that world, you realize that’s not the reality for a lot of people. So being able to provide that type of space for people to have a moment of creativity is essential, but I also think everyone is craving being off their phones and wanting more interactions, especially right now. In Orlando specifically, there is a lot going on, but there also isn’t a lot going on. There is a lot of emphasis on supporting local, but that can mean just going to shop, spend money, and then go your own way. It’s important to have something else to do that lets you engage with other people. Having a reason to leave the house without spending money is important.
LH: When you are planning events, what are the top three things that are the most important for you to keep in mind?
JM:
Creativity, whether it’s providing a creative space or inspiring someone to do something.
Supporting local—keeping the money in the community.
Community - bringing people together.
LH: What are the hardest and most rewarding parts of these events?
JM: The hardest part is not knowing. Likes on Instagram don’t always translate to people showing up or sales. That is always hard to not know what to expect. I just put it out there, show up, and hope for the best, but it’s scary. The rewarding part is seeing people come together, talk, create, and see new and old faces.
LH: What would you like to see more of in Orlando?
JM: More third spaces. We need a community hub. The people and the community are here. When I do these events, there is only so much space; we are limited, but a city should have spaces we can use that are open to larger groups, with ample parking.
Growing up in a low-income background in Hartford, the city had so many programs to help keep people off the streets. I was a part of all those programs, which helped kids of all ages, so they could be a part of something. So that has always stayed in my mind that community is needed. Spaces are needed to give people a place to go. To be able to work with brands and businesses that want to assist is so meaningful.
LH: Who in Orlando are you a fan of right now?
JM: I really appreciate The Neighbors and Easy Luck. Easy Luck was the first place that worked with me, and The Neighbors is also really supportive of SketchClub. Getting museums involved is great. I would love to get the Orlando Museum of Art involved. Museums have been great for Sketch Book Club, and they show locals that there are other things to do here besides theme parks, like the Maitland Art Museum or the Polaske Museum. There have been people who didn’t know these museums existed until they came to a Sketchbook Club.
Jennyfer is very transparent about the fact that she isn’t making a living off these events; she continues to work as a freelancer. However, having the community continue to support the events through attendance, donations, and even sharing them allows her to continue hosting them.
JM: Everyone is doing things to make money, that’s just the reality of the capitalist world we live in, but I try to be really careful. When I have a ticketed event with a cost, I’m not trying to make money by taking advantage of people; I’m trying to work with others to create something that benefits everyone. The upcoming Gala is an event where I hired all the local food vendors, and the artists get 100% of the proceeds from their art, so the money doesn’t all go to me. I want to keep the money local, and whatever is left, I will use it to host more events next year.
Next week, on November 19th, Jennyfer is hosting the Artful Agora Starlit Soiree Gala. A rare, higher-priced ticketed event, Jennyfer has invested in bringing a hands-on event with curated activities and food to focus on and support local arts. Proceeds of this event support the United Arts “Individual Artist Award” Program. If you are interested in supporting this, you can purchase tickets here.
If you can’t attend that event, follow her several Instagram accounts for her clubs and stay in the know so you can attend one of her events. You won’t regret it.
