First of all, Jennifer told us more about herself: “Let it be known I am a deeply unserious person.
I’ve been blessed to spend most of my life nestled in the foothills of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest, which has influenced my proclivity to illustrate the natural world, especially animals with sassy attitudes. Although I have a degree in biology, life landed me in food work for most of my work career. I’ve been a waitress, a fishmonger, and a kitchen manager, and after a break during the height of the pandemic, I resumed as a prep and line cook.
Now I split my time between running a budding art career, line cooking, and spending as much time in creek-adjacent woods as I can. When I’m not doing any of those, you can find me tending to my large plant collection, caring for my two cats, fiddling around with typewriters, and seeking joy in the mundanity of life.”
We were wondering what initially drew Jennifer to the world of artistry. She replied: “My father was a watercolor artist, so I got to grow up watching him sketch, draw, and paint. My siblings and I read a lot of Beatrix Potter and Maurice Sendak, which fueled me being a nature illustration lover, setting my eventual future course in life. I drew and painted a lot growing up, as most kids do, but I would prioritize school and work as I got older over expanding my art skills… but you bet I was still doodling in the margins and looking forward to any time an illustration would be necessary for a project, and chose botany/biology as an educational path.
It was only when my dad passed in 2017 and I wound up with all his remaining art supplies, that I started taking it a lot more seriously than an occasional hobby.
I’ve been doing a near daily practice ever since.”
As for the creative process, Jennifer commented: “Daydreaming and connecting with people are both very important ingredients to my artistic process. Most of my best ideas bubble up from conversations with family and friends and allowing my mind to wander while my body is doing menial tasks like preparing food, folding laundry, or walking in the woods. I’m lucky if I can catch and land even a fraction of them in a sketchbook or a quick note on my phone, and even fewer make it to paper.
I seek out inspiration in the art that challenges me and what my preconceived notions of art are, and the joy to be found in what seems like a mundane simple life.”
Lastly, Jennifer shared what she hopes for audiences to take away from her artwork: “Connection, and hopefully a little levity and the ability to laugh at the absurdity of the world we live in.”
