9/12/2016 Interview with Artist Jennifer KingAHC: Can you tell us a bit about your process, themes & inspirations? Jennifer: I'm currently exploring themes of body language, body image, femininity, and female identity. I'm inspired by figure painters Jenny Saville, Njideka Akunyli Crosby, Lucian Freud, Euan Uglow, and Egon Schiele. I'm working to achieve heroic paintings of women. My process usually starts with some vague ideas that I incorporate into setups that I photograph, which I then play around with variations of color and cropping in Photoshop. Then I use these as reference for my oil paintings, which in the past year have averaged on 5x6 feet in size. The paintings always take on a life of their own, deviating from the photo reference, which is the best part! AHC: What first drew you to art? Was there a specific moment in your life or turning point where it became clear to you that you were being called to create? Jennifer: As a kid i was into drawing a lot. My mom taught me a little bit about painting, but it wasn't until I was in college that I really got into it. It took a while for me to realize I had to go full force with making art. After that it felt great to know that art is my calling in life, but it's also a very slow process, and talent is nothing without continuous practice, so I don't think there was necessarily a specific turning point but just lots of help and guidance I had along the way. I might not have even made it to graduate school if I hadn't been encouraged by the painter I work for, Justin Bower. I owe a lot to him for his help and encouragement, as I was pretty terrified about going back to school! And turns out, grad school is one of the best decisions I've ever made. AHC: Who are some of your artistic influences? Is there anyone outside of the art world who has had a huge impact on your work or who just generally inspires you, writers, filmmakers, musicians etc? Jennifer: I was a weird kid growing up, I didn't really listen to music. It wasn't until I was in my 20s that I started expanding my horizons and learning about what kind of music I was into. Now, I can't imagine getting any work done without music! I like an eclectic mix, often things that have electronic influence or energetic sounds, but one artist who's inspired me more than anyone is Prince. I listen to a LOT of Prince... I'm also inspired by atmospheric horror films like "Let the Right One In" and "Eraserhead". I like the subtlety, which I try to incorporate in my work, because I like mysteries and nuances, and hate having things spelled out for me. AHC: You've written that the figures you paint "exude feelings of uncertainty, unease, disconnect, but also strength and heightened awareness." Could you talk some about these qualities and why they are important thematic elements for you and your work? Jennifer: Uncertainty, unease, and disconnect, because in being connected through technology we are spending less time with people in person, becoming more lonely. This affects us emotionally, sexually, and with so much information being fed to us through the media, insecurities about ourselves increase. My reasons for contrasting this with strength and heightened awareness, is to show that women are gaining power and feeling freer to voice their opinions and desires. I want my paintings to have an encouraging element, to not ever let my subjects loose power and strength. They convey a sense of longing and desire to break out of a confined space, i.e. our overbearing environment, to be a strong individual, ignoring anyone's expectations. I try to create that feeling by contrasting the figure's enlarged size with using the edge of the canvas as the barrier for their claustrophobic space. AHC: Your paintings are an expression of a women's desire to break out of confined space, I'm wondering does the gallery space in any way become another type of 'confining space' and does your work function as a subtle critique of these problems of confinement as well? Jennifer: That's a really interesting interpretation, and I love to hear when people find hidden meanings through my work even when I wasn't focused on those ideas. For me, the constricting space is more about the limitations for women in society. The gallery is definitely a space that most artists have mixed feelings about, so there's definitely room for discussion there. AHC: When you're working on a piece what's the environment like, do you work best with silence or with music on, what is your studio environment/vibe like? Jennifer: I almost always play energetic music because it helps me work faster and stay positive. I always have to work alone, so if there's no music I go crazy. Some people work well around other people but I need to focus when I paint, so any disruptions can ruin my painting session. I always wonder how Andy Warhol was able to be so productive with all those parties going on at the Factory! AHC: What is the first work of art you encountered that took your breath away? I was quite young when I was exposed to art and museums for the first time, so it's hard to remember, but I'm sure it had to be either seeing Van Gogh's paintings at the Norton Simon museum in Pasadena, or possibly at the Getty museum in LA when they had a really great exhibit of Rembrandt paintings. Seeing that work in person was like a spiritual experience, just mind blowing! AHC: If you could spend the day with any artist, from any field, living or dead, who would that person be and how would you spend the day together? Jennifer: That's a tough question, because there's so many artists who's work I love but I doubt I'd like to hang out with them! So many talented artists are troubled, anti-social, or just plain weird. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's true! Hopefully I myself don't fall into that stereotype. I think my best choice would have to be my previously noted Njideka Crosby. She's young and seems like a nice person who I'd enjoy spending time with. I'd probably choose to visit her studio, because I love seeing work in progress and getting a glimpse into a creative process. AHC: Do you have any upcoming exhibits or new projects you'd like to tell people about? Jennifer: Right now I'm focusing on creating work for my thesis show which will be in the Spring 2017 at Claremont Graduate University. I don't have the date set yet, but when I do I'll share the info on my Facebook page! www.facebook.com/jenniferkingart For more information visit www.jenniferkingart.com/
devon
9/13/2016 07:00:36 am
Your work is lovely. Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2024
Categories |