The following is a set of interview Q's sent to me by one of my previous galleries... I was a little bit surprised at how long it took me to answer as I felt a bit shy. I don't consider myself a shy person, so perhaps it was just my mood at the time. Anyway, I thought I'd share it here with all of you, dear readers...
Hope the first week of your new year has been treating you RIGHT!
~Jennifer
Tell us about your background. Where did you grow-up? Your family?
I'm the youngest of five and grew up in rural Virginia until I was 10 and then moved to the central east coast of Florida until I was 18, and have lived all over the U.S. since then. My family is full of creatives and adventurers... my parents are both pilots so we traveled a lot. My family is now spread out throughout the states and my parents live full time aboard their sailboat and sometimes even sail in for my art openings!
How did your background influence your career?
We always lived along the water and in beautiful low-populated places and had the fortune to fly often, so it was incredibly inspiring. My parents taught us to shoot, sail, ski, canoe, scuba dive, etc. early on so I was raised with a lot of freedom and important experiences. Growing up in the country and being around such rich environments gave me the confidence to realize at an early age I could do whatever I put my mind to. When I was just about 13, my parents got rid of our television and instead of staring at the blank space where the t.v. had been, I used that time to work on my art portfolio. Once Yale reviewed it for an AP credit, I was ready for art college. The decisions my parents made raising me undoubtedly contributed to who and where I am today.
At what age did you become curious about art?
As early as I can recall. From preschool on it just came naturally to me; I was always creating something and winning awards. I knew by the time I got to high school that I wanted to make art my career.
What inspires you? How do you stay inspired?
Nature, energy and the world around me. Traveling. People. Love. Everything that I'm open to becomes an inspiration of some kind. I particularly feel inspired continuously by the natural elements around me, the seasons, the weather, and my personal experiences that need to sometimes be translated into visual voice. I stay inspired by being aware and surrounding myself as much as possible.
What is your artistic philosophy?
Find beauty in everything and do your best to put beauty back out into the world as much as possible.
What do you need around you while you are working in the studio?
Music and natural light. But more importantly than what is around me, is what kind of energy is inside me. I need to be centered and bring the right mindset into my studio and the work itself to feel and create my best.
What artist(s) has (have) had the biggest influence on your work?
It's changed over the years. In high school it was Bosch and Titian. In college it was Rauschenberg, Kiefer and Motherwell. Over the years in developing my own style, I've steered away from trying to be influenced by other artists works to try and find my own unique voice.
What do you most enjoy doing while you are not working?
I love hiking and being in/around nature. If I can find a lake to sit next to and meditate, all is right with the world for me. Traveling excites and rejuvenates my spirit and sometimes just catching a movie and shopping or dinner and drinks with friends hits the spot.
What is your favorite traveling experience?
I'd have to say the five months I backpacked around Europe after college. It brought me to Italy and is a place that stole my heart. I'm actually planning another trip next spring to have a new experience there.
If you weren’t an artist – what would you be?
Perhaps a writer... or a film director. I honestly can't see myself doing anything outside of the arts.
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