ARTIST STATEMENT:
I am an artist. It took me a long time to take myself seriously even though I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil and painting since I had control of my fingers. I used to be very tight and precise with my drawings, trying my best to hone the skill of exactly reproducing what I was seeing. As I am growing older, I have been forcing myself to let go of that restriction and have begun using painting as prayer, setting down my intention in writing on the canvas as I begin the work. I often paint with trust through the exploration of my perception of energy and I paint imagery which moves across the canvas, journeying through my personal truths.
I began painting images that reminded me of the stained- glass windows depicting the stations of the cross that I often walked along at church as a child. I was fascinated with the way the colors broke free out of the thick metal borders, holding the glass in place. I was also fascinated with other examples of translucence such as glistening water in clear containers and the way the sun shone through Spring leaves. That’s when it occurred to me that I wasn’t being drawn to any specific color or material, but it is the LIGHT itself that draws me in! The fact that light can be seen through any object, a solid mass of any kind, is akin to the way the light of the Divine works within us, even when we can’t see it. Translucence is a reminder that no matter the circumstance, the light always gets in.
Most recently, the spiral is taking on more significance in my work. It is different than the shape of a circle because even if you come back to a similar point of where you started, it is always on a deeper level. You aren’t ever quite at the level of perception from where you started in the beginning. There is always growth and new levels of understanding.
The spirals show up in the composition, as design elements, and as tempos of movement. They reflect the journeys of my growth and understanding regardless of the actual subject matter portrayed. Something as simple as a tree or a section of a floral garden is also a symbol of life and an evolution of consciousness. With each curve within the spiral there is the opportunity to revisit lessons of the past with a new perspective and depth. We grow through every challenge overcome and accomplishment realized.
Divinity is often portrayed through a series of three's, circles, spirals, triangles and angel numbers. I am driven and inspired by interpersonal and spiritual connections; knowing we are all ONE.
ARTIST BIO:
Jennifer graduated from a magnet arts high school and then attended classes at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. She holds an Associate of Science degree in Occupational Therapy and a Bachelor of Science in Health Science. She has exhibited in galleries in New York and Italy as well as more local galleries in St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, and St Augustine, Florida. She has been a member of the Jacksonville Arts Guild and St. Augustine Arts Association. She currently resides in Green Cove Springs, Florida.