My Artist Story
My name is Jennifer Louise Peart. My friends and family call me Jen. I am from Placerville, California. Placerville is a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills, located between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. I grew up loving Nature and doodling on the walls. My wonderful parents supported me when I decided to get my Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and pursue a career in Fine Art. I attended Sacramento community colleges before transferring to Mills College in Oakland, CA. Mills was incredible. I got to study under some amazing professors, but those are stories for another day.
I think I chickened out upon graduation because instead of going on to get my MFA, I pivoted to Education. Maybe it was the 2008 recession that scared me or maybe I saw the desperate need for young teachers. I know it must have been a combination of many factors because I dove into Education head first. I was very dedicated to my craft for a very long time. I wrote my own curriculum, served at various schools in multiple school districts, mentored new teachers, and fought to improve conditions for both students and teachers. I did all these things until I couldn’t. I woke up one day last summer after my tenth year in the classroom and decided I did not want to be a teacher anymore. I was just done. I always knew I wasn’t meant to teach forever, but I thought I would last at least fifteen years in the field. Then I changed my mind. All of a sudden, I realized that I was allowed to do just that - change my mind and change careers. So I did.
And here I am. As I type this welcome newsletter, it has been six months since I walked away from the classroom. It was June 2022 when I made my big decision. The past months have been full! I packed up my classroom, I found a part-time job at a natural wine bar, I moved in with my wonderfully-supportive partner and we built a studio in the backyard (thank you, Dad!), and I have been painting ever since! I did a lot of inner-looking and outward research before I decided I want to reclaim my art-making practice and pursue a creative life. It is my intention to paint paintings, show my work, sell my work, and design products with my artwork on them. I have other creative goals like painting murals and teaching watercolor classes, but right now the focus is on developing new bodies of work. I am so excited that you are here to watch my artwork evolve!
A little more about me: I live in Sacramento with my wonderful partner, José. We love this medium-sized city for its beautiful rivers, proximity to family + friends, access to both the mountains and the ocean, delicious restaurants and wineries, and international airport ease. I love spending time outside, especially making art outside. Hiking and backpacking with friends and family is the absolute best! Reading is another favorite pastime. I spend a lot of time reading feminist science fiction/visionary fiction and I have a collection of vintage sci-fi paperbacks by female authors. Octavia Butler is my all-time favorite author. Ursula Le Guin is a close second. I am a Trekkie. I am a cat person in between cats right now. I am learning to play DnD. I take Spanish classes and still need lots of conversation practice. I love food, especially sushi and fresh fruit. I am all about the healing journey and listening to our wise, wise bodies. I am a Gemini, INFJ, Enneagram 2, and a Hufflepuff. I am close to my family. And I am a proud auntie to two young niblings. Finally, the river otter is my favorite animal and my favorite colors are chartreuse and forest service mint.
This is a fantastic, pleasurable, exciting roller-coaster-journey-of-a-life and I cannot wait to share all the good feels with you, friends! Again, thanks for being here. And cheers! Here’s to YOU, here’s to us connecting in this incredible way through the ethers and Interwebs, building our own web, sowing a new garden, and connecting through our roots. I tip my tea mug to you in gratitude, in community (communiTEA! Sorry not sorry, I am a sucker for puns).
So much love and appreciation,
