Although my early artistic training was focused on the classical and representational, it has always been my natural instinct to depict my surroundings in abstract forms. Most of the paintings evolve as an intuitive reaction to my surroundings, be it interior space, or landscape. To evoke this kind of sensory memory in my work I apply many layers of paint, using gesture and my internal color sense. Traces of previous layers will remain visible, allowing colors to interact in ways I could not have anticipated. In this way a composition is arrived at through a series of decisions that are both conscious and unconscious. With great sensitivity to these evolving colors and forms, a very personal abstract language emerges. Focusing on particular shapes or compositions for long periods of time will often result in a series of closely related paintings, which have fully explored my current interest. The paintings are on ongoing process of addition and subtraction until everything on the canvas co-exists with a depth and intensity that seems balanced to me.
Jenny Nelson attended Maine College of Art in Portland ME. and graduated with a BFA from Bard College, where she received a scholarship to the Lacoste School of the Arts in France. For the past 15 years she has been living and working in Woodstock, New York. Since November 2004 she has been a full time Artist in Residence at the Byrdcliffe Art Colony in Woodstock. This past December Jenny was honored to welcome Dana Gioia, Chairman of The National Endowments for the Arts, and Congressman Maurice Hinchey into her Byrdcliffe Studio to view her recent works during their tour of the Hudson Valley. Jenny’s paintings have been shown widely in the New England and Hudson Valley regions including the Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson NY, the Chace-Randall Gallery in Andes NY and the Alpha Gallery in Boston.
"These strong expressionistic oils show a respect and love of the medium;the abstractions are stimulating and yet gentle, speaking of deliberation, observation and analysis."
