Art is a process of dying to the constraints our culture has engendered, the societal masks we bear and embracing the child within. The canvas or setting is not “precious,” but a living, breathing work of art, waiting to be unleashed and a large part of my process is a constant play with the material I am privileged to access, from my own body, fire and found objects, to oil paint, chalk pastel, organic matter and cloth. My job is to allow a given piece to become what it is meant to be, regardless of intent or my own need to control. In sense, every work of art is a revelation of the true self for the benefit of the viewer who chooses to engage with a given piece.
CREATIVE PROCESS
“My work may delve into the darker aspects of my experience, but the persistent joy in which I exist as an artist and single mother to five incredible children is unsurpassed. If an individual can muster the courage to dip their toes into the depths of what drives their behaviour, as opposed to simply treating the symptoms, waves of despair are less likely to inundate their lives and the walk of those who surround them.”
—— Jennifer Peters
“I am haunted by imagery. From the moment I wake until my mind drifts to sleep; my thoughts are ever held captive by beauty. Beauty within every aspect of our existence .... the raw, the “ugly,” the minute - these moments encapsulate what it means to be human. ”
The camera has enabled me to document my authentic experience as a woman, an artist, a child and a mother through a series of ‘performances’. These “performances” are birthed in the authentic grip of a moment and the slow relentless climb from systemic abuse and loss to a life of deep joy. Capturing these explorations of the self using a timer or an assistant, enables me to leave these darker experiences in studio, preventing inundation within my walk as a mother. Painstaking effort is taken to amass the necessary materials, locate the ideal setting or construct a temporary installation in studio or out. Once these elements are in place, my body becomes the tool I wield on impulse, no censorship, no restraint … only unfettered creative flow, spilling effortlessly from within my core. Settings include various wilderness treks, pools of water, a hand-dug pit or constructing larger scale installations in-studio, blacking out all natural light and playing with a single light source.
These raw images are then honed in studio and either printed or translated to the canvas using a combination of mixed media in layers, with a stunning oil paint finish in living color. Multiple images may be layered within a single piece, as well as a massive assortment of media, from spices and organic matter, to India Ink, octane and oil or chalk pastel. In this respect, several pieces of art may be captured or rendered before an individual piece is finished, whether on canvas or within a three dimensional sculpture.
