As people are ordered to stay at home, some have developed new routines.
Many are working from home, teaching their kids and just trying to manage all of the change. Yet, Jan Hoop has added a new task this past month: creating art.
Her canvas, though, is a bit unusual; it’s an Oreo cookie.
THE COOKIE ARTIST
“It just started out as a fun thing for me to do,” Hoop said. “Then, I realized it was fun for them, and it just warmed my heart. My Facebook friends have just been phenomenal. They’ve given me a ton of ideas, they make requests with all kinds of things.”
She was amazed with how popular her designs became, but it wasn’t a total shock. She had seen another artist’s cookie art and thought she could do it too.
So she did — for 30 days.
“It kind or morphed into something more than just sculpting on an Oreo cookie,” Hoop said. “I hope some of it’s a little bit motivational. I hope it makes people happy. I hope it brings back memories in people.”
Every morning, Hoop posted a picture of her sweet “Oreo-ation” to Facebook. A sculpture can take hours to make, and Jan said she only eats the broken pieces — not the finished work. As days went on, Hoop has befriended people and reconnected with some who’ve touched her the most, like her former students.
LEARNING HER CRAFT
Hoop is no stranger to creativity. She taught kids at Circle and Valley Center schools. Her classes included journalism, yearbook, drama and English. In the decades she spent helping her students learn their craft, she was destined to embrace a new passion, and, it was just feet away from her at Valley Center.
“So the first time I ever took art. Are you ready for this? I was 56 years old, getting ready to retire and the art room was right across the hall from my classroom,” she said, “So, I would go over there every day during my planning period and take art with the freshmen. It was a blast. It was a blast. I thought that’s what I’m gonna do in retirement. I never ever got to do any art.”
She retired early and has done a little bit of everything from taking ukulele lessons, practicing yoga, playing guitar and performing stand-up comedy.
“I’ve been finding things to fill my time, but I’ve changed hobbies more than people change their underwear,” Hoop laughed.
She did eventually became a sculptor. That dream, though, ended after 10 years because she hurt her back.
When the opportunity of sculpting came back into her life, even if it fit into the palm of her hand, it seemed perfect. Hoop thought she could do some good when people need it.
“I think we all want to do something, but I’m not a health care worker,” she said. “I’m too old to even be going to Walmart right now, so we do what we can. For me, I guess it’s digging around and playing in an Oreo cookie and maybe trying to come up with something a little bit motivational or a little bit silly, or a little bit fun or however people take to it.”
In one month, her artwork has included college mascots, Yoda from Star Wars and a Kansas sunflower. Of them all, she does have a few favorites.
“The nurse with the mask to thank our healthcare workers and our first responders,” She said. “One was for Mahomes. Mahomes came out kind of cute. I’m not a very good painter, I’m painting that ’15’ on his chest. It’s crooked but nobody made any comments about that. I really like Rosie the Riveter…I love that one too.”
On the final day, today, Jan shared her the last sculpture; it’s of hands together in prayer.
“I think prayer is important right now,” she said. “Let’s keep each other in our prayers.”