“You’re wrong, Leia. You have that power, too. In time, you’ll learn to use it as I have. The Force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. And…my sister has it.”
– Luke Skywalker, The Return of the Jedi
This quote from Luke, and all the events leading up to it prior to the Battle of Endor, might just be part of the reason the film is Jennie Marie Krantz’ favorite Star Wars installment. Did she see the slightest bit of herself in Luke’s words? Did she inherit unique skills growing up in Southern California that could save the galaxy? Would her sibling recognize the hero she was capable of becoming?
Jennie’s grandparents were artists and major influences, surrounding her with a creative environment and art supplies since she was young. This came in handy at one point during college when she wanted to make gifts for her close friends—custom, hand-painted shot glasses. One of these gifts—that she admitted she would have happily kept for herself if her friend didn’t want it—was the famous scene of Luke and Darth Vader crossing lightsabers during their duel on Bespin toward the culmination of The Empire Strikes Back. Special skills in art: check.
Jennie recently asked her brother if he remembered when she became such a big fan of the franchise. His summed up response according to her: “I don’t know. One day you came home and you were just obsessed with Star Wars.” Tender quote from a sibling: check.
This love of creating and appreciating art, combined with an enthusiasm for the stories, characters, and locations originating from the mind of George Lucas has transformed a huge fan to a creator in her own right with her offerings from Jennie Marie Studio. Jennie’s hand-painted Star Wars candle votives took off in 2020 like Din Djarin’s N-1 Starfighter after he flipped the kineso switch. It is one steeped in her own fandom since being introduced to the Original Trilogy through her dad’s broadcast television VHS recordings from the 1980s, complete with commercials.
“It’s indescribable,” Jennie shared when describing what it’s like to see a satisfied customer rave about her work. “Customized gift-giving is my love language and to communicate with people through visuals and to find all of these other people that share this language and love of these characters, it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Some characters took longer for Jennie to appreciate than others. Even though this creative soul deemed it “game over” in terms of becoming a Star Wars super fan upon the theatrical release of the Original Trilogy Special Editions in theaters in 1997, The Prequel Trilogy, including Padmé Amidala, was an acquired taste for Jennie as the second wave of films arrived. Now an accomplished yet evolving glass-painting artist, a quick look at her first saved Instagram story, and examples of her amazing talent reveals that the mother of Luke and Leia has become a favorite subject of the Cal State – Long Beach graduate.
Maybe the change of heart was influenced by Jennie’s time studying abroad in Florence, Italy, a mere 3 hours from the Royal Palace of Caserta and the Villa del Balbianello where George Lucas filmed scenes for Naboo. Or maybe it was Jennie’s love of the Renaissance Era and the fact it helped influence some of Padmé’s wardrobe that provided reason to reconsider—but it is true she now considers the character one of the most influential in her work and fandom. But the art appreciation ties with characters doesn’t end there for the art history major who also creates her own pieces. It’s only natural that Thrawn is brought into the conversation as well.
“I was so fascinated [by Thrawn] and he was so interesting and wonderful to me—the idea of this, I don’t even like calling him a villain, but definitely an antagonist that analyzes and interprets the world through art was so cool.”
Jennie may not be able to analyze another country’s military strategy through its art but she has a deep understanding of studying artistic styles and deciphering messages of the time period and people through the visual works they provide in paintings, architecture, and more.
“[Thrawn] is so inspiring to me and I think he represents that we all have different intelligences and different ways of thinking. He’s one of my favorites.”
Keeping with the artistic background theme means we move along to Sabine Wren and her friends in the Ghost Crew, who help this artist describe her experiences as a fan interacting with other Star Wars lovers.
“Within the fandom, there are all of these microcosms,” Jennie said. “I’ve found that I tend to love and relate to other Rebels fans. If Rebels is your favorite show, then ok, we’re going to be friends. There’s something about the characters and the values that [the] show cultivates.”
Here we discussed the Star Wars theme of found family that Star Wars Rebels emulates so well with characters of different backgrounds coming together, overcoming differences, and embracing what makes each of them unique. Jennie has made digital friends through her Instagram account and from customers who recognize the detail, commitment, and even Easter eggs she strives to provide—and is very much looking forward to meeting a number of these individuals and members of the community at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022.
“Because I’ve connected with this fandom and other people—people who order from me—I’ve kind of got a glimpse into their lives. Because I’m such a fan myself and because these characters that I’m painting in these scenes are so meaningful to me, I pour my heart into it.”
If you are the lucky owner of an original piece of art by Jennie, or just appreciate the gorgeous work through her social media posts, you likely consider her a part of your Star Wars found family too.
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