Jennifer Winkelman
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Living and traveling in various countries around the world, I work from photos taken by my husband of shared experiences with people, animals and places.
Message
From Alaska, with my Minnesotan husband, we taught in six different International Schools around the world. I am a lifelong learner. Along with a busy and challenging teaching career, in every country I engaged in artistic work. Graphite drawing in Luxembourg, watercolor in Saudi Arabia, painting with a Russian artist with gouche, and classes in Chinese calligraphy and ink painting. A chance to live in Kenya for a year with my still teaching husband, allowed me the time to work full-time in a drawing studio in Nairobi. My drawings became based on the subjects that my husband photographed, but that we had both observed and experienced on safari. Living in northern Minnesota is my newest country in which to live and work now as an artist. The diversity of subjects, media, and color explorations in my work reflects the variety of experiences, places, people and wildlife that are the layers of my life. I still enjoy traveling, though time in my studio on the lake is a great way to enjoy “home”.
Statement
My artwork reflects diversity and the unique aspects that create that ”place”. The variety of countries in which I have lived, traveled and experienced give me a wealth of personal reflections from which to draw upon in my work. I love working in realism and enjoy infusing color palettes that reflect more of the emotive experience of the subject in the environment. I strive to portray more color than perhaps meets the eye. I work in graphite, charcoal, pastel and acrylic, enjoying the variety of media challenges as much as I enjoyed living in different cultures. My work will continue to evolve to reflect both past and present experiences. My art journey continues!