ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, AS I WAS WALKING PAST A FAMILIAR CORNER GROCERY STORE ON THE WEST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, A HAPPNIN' SPOT CALLED "THE MARKET", I WAS CAUGHT BY THE SURREAL IMAGE OF A GLORIOUSLY DECORATED "CAKE" BY PROVIDENCE ARTIST JESS PERRY. THIS CAKE WAS TRIPLE-TIERED, WITH NUMEROUS MINI TABLEAUS INVOLVING SORROWFUL LITTLE WORRY DOLLS, OCCURRING ON EACH TIER. JESS' MEDIUM OF CHOICE IS, I GUESS WHAT ONE WOULD CALL, MULTI-MEDIA??? I CALL IT HILARIOUS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I GOT HER NAME FROM kHYM, THE ULTRA COOL OWNER OF THE MARKET AND COMMISSIONED A SUMMER PIECE FOR THE FRONT DISPLAY WINDOW AT ARGENTUM. WE MET DURING THE WINTER AND JESS SHOWED ME A SKETCH OF HER IDEAS. THIS IS WHAT SHE CREATED. ACCORDING TO JESS, SHE IS NOT YET DONE....."I FEEL LIKE SHE NEEDS SOMETHING MORE, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT IT IS.....I GUESS SHE'S A WORK IN PROGRESS" JESS CREATED THIS PIECE WHILE WORKING AND STUDYING FOR HER MASTER'S DEGREE IN ART EDUCATION. LUCKILY FOR THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH COUNTY, SHE FOUND THE TIME TO CREATE THIS "MERMALADE". SHE WILL BE ON DISPLAY FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS DUE TO THE HEAT THAT PENETRATES THE FRONT WINDOW DISPLAY, AS WE WOULDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO THIS SWEET MERMALADE!
