Art & Life with Jennifer Jardine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Jardine.

Jennifer, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Like many practicing artists, my passion was supported by the people around me at a young age. My mom would drive me to painting lessons at a little art shop in Issaquah, WA, where I grew up. The Northwest is full of lush, inspiring landscapes, and I wanted to paint them all. My first school of art taught me the painting basics, like how to mix colors, create visual space, and most importantly, how to clean my brushes. I still have a tube of paint my instructor gave me when I left mine at home. It’s the small things that make a difference to kids. When it came time to apply to college, the beautiful Sonoran Desert drew me south. I attended Arizona State University and acquired my Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and became certified to teach art!

Since then, the visual arts have been part of my everyday life. I am an instructor at North Valley Arts Academies in the Paradise Valley School District. I have been teaching for ten years now. My students have given me so much over the years. They inspire me, challenge me, and motivate me to take my art to the next level. My hope is that these young artists can say the same about me.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I have two great loves, and I think about them all day long. I literally HAVE to paint them. They are the natural world and the spaces that people have built into it. There is nothing I would rather do than explore the great outdoors. My husband and I camp, bike, kayak, and hike all over the great state of Arizona. When we get to the top of a new mountain or arrive back at camp after a long day of fishing, we inevitably have a moment where to turn to each other and take a deep breath. We call it hitting the “reset button.” When I find a truly beautiful space, whether I have been there 20 times before or just the once, I’ll photograph it from all angles and promise myself I will paint it.

Many of our travels take us to some amazing small towns that become subjects of my collage-style oil paintings. These small towns say so much about the people who inhibit them or the passers-through that get to enjoy them for the day or weekend. They are full of history, landmarks, and details that give you an idea of how they have changed over time. Corner stores are full of knick-knacks and character. Faded signs allow you to peek into the past. Crosswalks lead your eyes from one street corner to the next.

Most of my oil paintings begin as a series of photographs I take from a single location, like a street corner or side of a bike trail. I then collage them together to create a unique scene with a play on perspective. They have a realistic quality but look more like a painted version of a photo collage. I love to take reality and decide how I want to alter it. I can add, delete, or obscure what I see to make it something new and different. In the end, I have made something that is unique and completely my own.

When I create a painting of a small town or landscape, it takes me back to a specific time in my life. I can vividly remember who I was with, and how I felt in the moment. I purposely do not place people in any of my paintings. My hope is that people will visualize themselves in that same place and recall their own experiences. My goal is to bring back a fond memory and allow the viewer to relive it while they look at the colors, textures, and structures visible in each unique space.

What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
The visual arts have always been used as a tool to document and comment on events that affect the world and their individual communities. Some of the artists I am drawn to most are doing work that shines a light on environmental issues affecting us today. My work is void of people, leaving only the environment or the beauty of the natural landscape to connect with. You might call it nostalgic. No matter what is going on in the world, there is beauty all around us.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have had my artwork featured at First Fridays in Phoenix, and am always looking for opportunities to take my artwork into the community. I would love to house my artwork in local public spaces or businesses. To see all of my original paintings, please visit me at jennyjardine.com.

The Scottsdale Artist League has been an incredible community of artists to work with. Their critiques have been immensely helpful, and the artists are supportive of my unique style. In 2017 I was honored as they awarded me “Artist of the Year.”

Contact Info:

• Website: JennyJardine.com

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