PHOENIXVILLE – Chester County’s Alex Jensen and his wife Abby Rae Albright-Jensen are about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime.
This August, the couple and Goldendoodle Ramsey, the family dog, are embarking on a motorhome road trip to visit all 50 states and explore the country.
The road trip will take a year. At this point, Jensen plans to create and sell his artwork in all 50 states. The trip is said to be 30,000 miles, all aboard an RV the couple bought a few months ago.
“The quarantine has given us a whole new perspective on being together and it’s nice to know that we can continue to experience life in this amazing new way,” said Jensen.
“My priorities are my family and my art,” said Jensen. “I have very few friends, which is good for my goals and objectives.”
Jensen grew up in Torrance, California. His wife is from North Coventry, Chester County. The couple married on June 1, 2018, after first meeting in college while studying at California State University in Fullerton.
“We were best friends when we first hung out, and from then on everything went like it was in the snow,” said Jensen. The couple have lived in Phoenixville for three years.
“Most of our stops will be in national and state parks, where I’ll create paintings that I can sell along the way to fund the trip,” said Jensen. “We’ll explore the other half of our destinations through a third-party program called Harvest Hosts on a variety of farms and venues, most of which are off-grid. I am very happy to be able to paint the robustness and the history that these places represent for me the most. “
He continued, “Most of my work is focused on nature and how it can reconnect us with ourselves and with each other. There are many forces trying to divide and polarize things, but nature is very good at reminding us that we all need very little to live happily. “
Jensen said the purpose of this trip is threefold. “I recently quit my full-time insurance sales job to pursue my goals as a full-time artist, so a large part of it is going to be some sort of marketing campaign. Second, the growth and experience as an artist through a journey like this is priceless and a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, ”he said.
“Finally, it is also a great opportunity to experience the country with my family, especially since my wife can continue to work remotely when traveling. The inspiration and adventure side of it is of course an artist’s dream, but the special thing about it is that I can have my family with me, ”said Jensen.
“My mission as an artist is to show people that most things are very simple and many of the answers we are looking for can be found by grounding yourself one way or another,” Jensen said on Monday.
What inspires Jensen, he said: “Nature and other good art inspire me the most. I love to see unusual weather patterns or dramatic storms. They are great memories of how fragile we are and what really matters. “
The Jensen family budgeted this trip with the mindset that “we are very much in control of our expenses depending on how, when and where we camp. It’s kind of a vacation, but I’m very aware of the fact that I run a business, ”said Jensen.
He plans to sell art on the street. “I am very confident that I will continue to sell my work on the go,” said the artist. “I’ve been saving for something like this since I moved here in 2016.”
People can follow the trip on Instagram – @alexjensenfa – and support the journey of the artist, his wife and their dog through Jensen’s website.
The trip is financed entirely by the couple.
“If someone wants to help, my Venmo is @ Alexander-Jensen,” said the artist. He added that he plans to run monthly raffles for certain works of art while on the trip via social media and other online resources.
“I hope this inspires everyone to chase what makes them happy,” said Jensen. “I had to work for everything I have that gave me the courage to take risks and find ways. Not everyone should be an artist, but everyone should have a certain level of commitment to themselves and balance this with their actions. “
At the end of the road trip, Jensen plans to hold an art exhibition in Phoenixville. “Some of the sales go to the National Park Service,” added Jensen.
“I think Mother Nature is the ultimate balance that humiliates everyone and can make things very easy very quickly,” said Jensen. “We get caught up in so many things that really don’t matter. I think that applies to all facets of life. “
He’s working on that, said Jensen, in his own life.
The first place the couple stops at is Bobby Eppleman and Liz Eppleman’s home in Denville, New Jersey. “Bobby is my very close friend and a talented artist too. Together we go the journey of art, ”said Jensen. “We stay there and paint together outdoors for the last few times until they visit us sometime in the spring.”
According to Jensen, the last stop on the family’s motorhome trip across the country will take them to the Atlantic coast of Delaware at Rehoboth Beach.
After that, the family is expected to return to Pennsylvania.
Commenting on the biggest lesson Jensen learned in 2020, he said, “There are opportunities everywhere, even if we think differently. It is banal to say, but when one door closes, another opens. Whether we are ready to take a risk and defy the unknown determines whether we can get what we want from life. “
To follow the journey and learn more, visit https://www.alexjensenfa.com.
