Originally from Donegal, Jennifer’s work most recently lit up New York’s Times Square …
Painting is very cathartic for me. It gives me a space to process memories, emotions and experiences, and transform them into something tangible. In that sense, the canvas becomes almost a record of my internal world at a particular point in my life. I would describe my art as an emotional and intuitive exploration of experience and memory. My work is primarily abstract, and I use colour, movement, texture and form to express things that can be difficult to articulate with words.
I’ve always been drawn to creating and expressing myself visually, and some of my earliest memories are of spending summers at art camps, experimenting with different mediums like painting, photography and pottery. Those experiences gave me the freedom to explore, be curious, and discover that art could be a way of communicating feelings and ideas that aren’t always easy to put into words.
Growing up in Ireland, I was also surrounded by different forms of visual and creative expression, including fashion and modelling, which gave me an early appreciation for aesthetics, storytelling and the way we present ourselves to the world.
As I’ve grown, my relationship with art has evolved alongside my interest in psychology and human behaviour. I’m fascinated by the connection between what we feel internally and what we express externally. Looking back, those childhood art camps may have been where it started, but art has continued to find its way into every chapter of my life. From Ireland to San Francisco and now Brooklyn, it has remained a constant thread connecting my curiosity and understanding of people.
In 2008, I attended National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) where I studied Psychology, Political Science and Sociology. Studying those subjects gave me a much deeper interest in human experience, social structures, equality and human rights. I’ve always been curious about the ways our environments and experiences shape us, and I think that curiosity naturally found its way into my art.
I went on to complete a Master’s degree in Psychology at Northumbria University in Newcastle in 2012. Psychology continues to have a strong influence on how I think about creativity. I’m particularly interested in the emotional and psychological layers beneath what we see on the surface – the conscious and subconscious, memory, identity and experiences that make us who we are.
My professional experience also brought another dimension to my creative development. After moving to California, I worked in EdTech in User Experience and Human-Computer Interaction, where I was involved in design and thinking about how people interact with technology. That experience taught me to think very intentionally about visual communication, perception, and how design can influence the way someone feels and experiences something. In many ways, my path has brought together all of these interests: psychology, sociology, design and art. I’m interested in the human experience from both an analytical and emotional perspective, and painting gives me a different language through which to explore it.
Over time, my work has become more personal. I’ve become less concerned with what a painting is supposed to look like and more interested in allowing the process itself to guide me. My background in psychology has naturally influenced this evolution and I think that tension often finds its way into my paintings. Ultimately, I see each piece as a snapshot: not necessarily a literal representation of what happened, but an abstract expression of what the experience meant to me.
Moving to the US was a huge chapter in my life. It’s had a meaningful influence on me both personally and creatively. I moved to San Francisco where I spent about a decade and more recently I moved to Brooklyn. I create from home and tend to paint when I feel something strongly enough that I need to express it. I’m not particularly driven by moodboards or a rigid plan. Usually, an idea will stay with me and gradually build until I feel compelled to put it onto canvas. I might have a general feeling or colour palette in mind, but I like leaving room for the painting to evolve organically.
Having my work screened in New York’s Times Square was an incredibly special and surreal experience. It was in association with Streeters Gallery, which made the experience even more meaningful. I was lucky enough to experience it surrounded by friends and my parents who flew over from Ireland to be there with me. I’m incredibly proud to have my work represented on such a major international stage. I’m proud to be able to bring a little piece of Donegal and Irish creativity to the heart of New York. I’ll be returning to the canvas this autumn to create some new pieces for an upcoming showcase at The Brooklyn Monarch. I’m excited to see what emerges from this next phase. For now, I’m enjoying the momentum, being present in the moment and feeling very grateful for where this artistic journey is taking me.
