There’s never a skull moment with Jennifer Hazen, who paints skulls for Wish Bone: Creation for Cause, which benefits people experiencing homelessness. When not painting skulls, she’s working as an outpatient mental health manager and singing in various local bands. In the last 10 years, she has sung with Jenny and the Jets, Girl Band, Milk and Whiskey, Davey J and Friends, Mission Drive Band, and Weapons of Brass Destruction.

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I believe when we find and chase our passions – whatever they may be – our world expands and brightens.

What’s your all-time favorite artistic creation?

My family is originally from Alaska and my brother moved back about 10 years ago. He found a moose skull by the side of the road and sent it to me. It was my first big skull and it was beautiful. Painting that skull made me rethink my artistic style.

What is your favorite song to perform?

To give the best answer I’d have to break it down by the bands I sing with. I love singing “Shotgun Lullaby” – one of my originals – with Girl Band. “Flip Flop,” by Tom Carlson of the Weapons of Brass Destruction is super fun. Sue Orfield let me write lyrics for her song, “Atomic-A-Go-Go” and I sang it for the first time in seven years with Two Rivers and that was a blast. I do “Carmalita,” a song by Warren Zevon, with Davey J, I love singing Grateful Dead songs with Jim Phillips ... the list goes on ...

What place in town considers you a “regular”?

The Acoustic Cafe, The Plus, Jay Rays, and Just Local/Menomonie Co-Op. I’ve performed with all my bands at The Plus and Acoustic and when I was doing a lot of online dating, the Acoustic Cafe was my primary meeting spot. Jay Rays and the Coop are close to work and great places to stop in for quick food.

Death bed, one meal from a local restaurant, what would it be?

A steak dinner from Hooligans.

If the Chippewa Valley were a movie, what would its title be?

The Last Land Standing because I think we’re pretty well geographically and geologically poised to keep it together longer during climate change.

If you could rename Eau Claire with a different French name, what would it be?

Terre De Musique – or land of music. We’ve really got it going on here.

Jennifer's Shoutouts

Tuesday Night Blues. “I like that it’s an alcohol-free option for live music and The CV Blues Society works really hard to keep it accessible and free to everyone regardless of race, economic status, beliefs, etc., and still stay active and solvent. ”

The Three-Bridge Walk. “It’s a perfect lunch or break walk when working in the office in downtown Eau Claire.”

The Sculpture Tour. “Like Tuesday Night Blues, it is available and accessible to everyone and it enhances our daily lives.”

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