Jen LaVita

Magic Hour

Acrylic, aerosol

"Layers of watered-down acrylic and spray paint give the painting endless points of interest. Metallic gold and pearl paint shine through to reflect the sun's power and the city lights. The beauty of nature and human activity come into one.

Inspired by the daily views of Los Angeles with brilliant sunsets, power lines, and apartment buildings."

— Jen LaVita

About the artist

Jen LaVita

Jen LaVita grew up just outside of Boston. She's always been an artist, with her first love being pastels. While getting a B.F.A. in Advertising Design from Syracuse University, she joined Army ROTC and upon graduating, left home to serve in the U.S. Army as an Air Defense Artillery Officer. After four years spent leading soldiers, flying a blimp, and even jumping out of "perfectly good airplanes," she followed her heart out west to the coast of California.

LaVita creates out of her studio at Grand View Fine Arts in Mar Vista and regularly shows work and live paints. Her work was exhibited at the Santa Paula Art Museum in 2021. She has murals throughout the city of L.A. and in Palm Springs, Salem, Massachusetts, and Seville, Spain. She has competed in the live painting competition, Art Battle, and made it to the finals, along with other events, and with the performance group, the Night Owl Players.

LaVita has continued to stay connected with her military foundation as an Executive Board member and colleague of the United States Veterans' Artists Alliance. With USVAA, she has shown artwork with Warner Bros, Sony and Boeing and was featured on ABC News. She is also a volunteer artist with the non-profit, Access Books CA, designing and leading a team of volunteers in painting murals in lower income schools throughout Los Angeles.