Often, it is said that Art is an expression of one’s self.  Indeed, expression is a function of the soul and a private journey of self.  Artist, Jennifer Austin Jennings has been on that journey since early childhood.  Drawing horses with felt-tipped markers is one of her earliest memories.  Then, it was the expression of her love for the animals.  

Today Jennings’ paintings mirror reflections of an individual’s experience, and of that same self-journey, extended through time.  Jennings offers a wide range of imagery within the extensive body of her work.  Well executed land and waterscapes give way to less detailed, simplifications of light and form. Vivid compositions of shapes and value, representational of those found in the natural world evoke strong emotions in the viewer. Each piece is an indication of an emotional connection she has made; small experiences of herself within the universe. Jennings’ floral abstractions are reminiscent of O’Keeffe, and the formative period of modernism in American art. 

At the beginning of the journey, Jennifer Austin Jennings studied under the astute, watchful eye of noted Dayton Artist, Abner Cope, within the esteemed walls of the Dayton Art Institute.  Cope’s talent and guidance provided inspiration, and the first notion for Jennings, that the way one perceives light, form, and line is all important in the conception of art.  Jennings later studied under the celebrated, late artist, Annamary Bierley whose keen perception of form relationships greatly influenced Jennings’ later choices. 

 Since those early years, Jennings has crafted a life around the creation of her art.  She believes that atmospheric experiences can be translated into visual images. She brings her unique perspective to bear within her ever-evolving expressions on canvas.

“Creating art is putting down a personal experience of the object or scene,” she insists.  It is a philosophy she shares with students during weekly classes offered in her home studio.   “It is truthfully recording the inner being’s experience that makes the most extraordinary art, capable of transcending the realms of normalcy.” 

Jennings derives much inspiration for her work from nature.  She feels most at home in the Tennessee mountains, where lush green surroundings are speckled by ancient rock formations and the cool mist of mountain streams cradles the spirit, reviving, renewing and, for Jennings, inspiring. She makes several treks into the mountains every year.  Jennifer Austin Jennings shares her life with husband, photographer, Randy Jennings, who mirrors her own enthusiasm for art.  The couple enjoys outdoor activities with two teenage sons and three zany dogs!

 J. Austin Jennings original paintings can be purchased privately by contacting her.

 

 Jennifer McBride Jennings