Please introduce yourself.
Hello, I am Jenna and I am a Uk based Fine Artist and Illustrator. I have a very happy family with my boyfriend and my 2 cats Isabella and Beatnik. (They are currently outside in the snow which is making me smile). Unfortunately I live in the city which has its advantages but I wish to be closer to the sea, for me the sea is massively healing. I hope one day in the future I will move there. My favorite film is The Dark Crystal and I do not have a favorite genre of music, I like most genres. My favorite musicians however I can name as Bjork, Ani Difranco and Janis Joplin. I have a love of all things creative and love expressing myself with colour either through my artwork or through my self-image. I love performance arts especially object manipulation and when I feel motivated spinning fire. I like Penguins, I also like parsnips :-)
Please describe your craftwork / shop and your inspirations for it.
My work is highly emotive and is inspired by my life experiences and the organic world around me. My art is a form of therapy and a journey of self-discovery. I paint and draw automatically allowing whatever is inside of me to get out. I find that my art to me is more about the process that creates it instead of the final product.
I have always had a passion for art and I relate to the world in a very visual way. I am inspired by honesty. I couldn’t not be an artist.
Could you describe to us what a regular day is like for you?
A day in the life of me would probably be fairly boring. I tend to wake up normally later then I want to (I am awful at mornings) I am motivated by Midday when I will start getting on with the day, how I spend my time changes from day to day, sometime I will spend the day working on my website or other computer based things. I try to squeeze in seeing a friend for a coffee a few times a week. I tend to create quite sporadically, I struggle to have a 9-5 routine when it comes to creating so some weeks I won’t stop painting and others I do little this is ok though I have learnt to go with the flow. I currently volunteer at a drugs and alcohol inpatient unit running art based workshops and supporting occupational therapists at the hospital, I love this and this is something I am hoping to develop a career in in the long term.
How long have you sold your items on Etsy?
I have been selling items on Etsy for probably about 10 months now. Well I say selling, my items have been listed for that long, I found Etsy and decided it might a good way to begin selling my work online, it has encouraged me to try selling at craft fairs.
What’s your favourite part of the Etsy experience?
Shopping? Haha, I love to scroll through other peoples shops. There are some very talented people selling through etsy.
Are there any other skills you’d love to have?
I would love to be able to crochet, yet I do not have the patience. I have been taught several times and have crocheted a few items but I lose interest quickly. I guess I was meant to paint and draw. I intend to teach myself to felt soon or ceramics…..ahh there are so many skills I would love to have.
What is your favourite item in your own shop?
This is currently my favorite painting to date. It was painted at a time that I needed to fill an emptiness inside of me. When I began painting the paint seemed to just create its own shapes and the figure emerged from it. I spent hours and hours working and re-working this painting applying layer upon layer of paint.
What are your favourite materials to work with?
I am currently completely in love with Dewant Inktense pencils. I love them. I love the effects you can make with them and how vibrant they are. I love how washed away and tired you can make them look. I wouldn’t be able to get buy without a box of Inktense pencils a Biro and a tip-ex pen.
Please nominate another team member who you'd like to know more about.
I nominate Melanie Stevens of waterlilyandvine
Her jewellery is inspirational and I would love to hear about its creative process.
To see more of Jenna's work, please click on the link to her shop
Beautiful work Jenna, and always very inspiring to read about other's working process, thanks for this Lois :)
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