Navajo silversmith once said, “Oil painting, like gold, has been for a very long time ‘king of the hill’. And like gold, there appears little chance of it slipping to second place at any time shortly. Finally, one could conclude as our jeweler did, that “it’s too bad it costs so much”.
Jennifer Balkan is an American modern artist who specialized in oil painting, figurative painting, and portraiture. Portraiture is the recording of an individual’s appearance and personality, whether in a photograph, painting, sculpture, or any other medium. What makes it so charming is its ability to depict not solely the physical but also psychological characteristics of a figure. She follows the trends of abstract realism; optical mixing; a realism that knows its painting where the form appears broken up close but holds along at a distance. She says, “There is so much magic in the brush strokes.” And one cannot agree more. Abstract realism is an infusion of two distinct styles of art: abstract and realistic.
The abstract doesn’t commit to depict real objects, because it is concerned solely with the colors, lines, shapes, and rhythms that create the artwork. In a sense, abstract art is art without a concrete, physical construct to work from. Realistic art aims to make realistic interpretations of real objects. When you combine these two concepts, you get a new style of art that tries to depict the emotions behind a specific real-life object. She didn’t realize she wanted to be a professional artist until she was in her 30s. This was after she had gone to lots of schools already where she already got her Ph.D. in sociology. She was so passionate about painting and wanted to learn and explore as much as she can.
She painted all the time, taking an occasional class and fully committing herself to working in her studio. Eventually, she was invited to have an exhibition in her town in Austin, Texas. A true example for, “it is never too late to do something you are so passionate about.” Meanwhile, she was interested in teaching figurative art and portraiture. she was invited to teach a drawing class at the Sculpture Academy. From this point, she began to teach small group classes in her studio. She submitted work to galleries and soon began showing work regularly in a couple of galleries around the U.S. This was in the early 2000s. And from that point, she found more opportunities to show work. Later, she started working on social media platforms. She says, “Being active on social media has made the art world feel smaller.”
She was able to connect across the globe that has been an incredible opportunity for her to socialize as much as possible. And she has been able to find exhibition opportunities and sold work through social media. Then two years ago in 2018, she also co-founded with two fellow artists an art school atelier in Austin, Texas called Atelier Dojo. Her artistry aims to say, “I strive to evoke emotion in my paint. I want my subjects to live and breathe through the paint; for the viewer to engage and feel a painting. I am inspired and moved to make a particular statement with my subject matter but once I begin the painting, the technique and the actual paint take on a life of their own. And sometimes the direction might change. This is what keeps painting alive for me.”
Her artworks are something one can get lost in till eternity. With the strokes and the color combination, each piece sends across a strong message. Her artwork, “Two-Faced” was selected for the ModPortrait2020 Juried Exhibition of the MEAM – Museu Europeu d’Art Modern Special Catalog. The painting is honestly one of the most beautiful pieces. She is proud of the fact that she can always have the drive and excitement to create beautiful pieces and that keeps her going. The message she wants to put across to the fellow artists is,” It takes constant work and undying motivation to be a professional artist. Sometimes it’s tough to stay driven when you haven’t made a sale in a little while and/or when you’ve been rejected from a gallery submission or an art competition. You’ve got to have a thick stomach and be able to keep going, to keep painting. Know that nearly all artists experience this.” with such few sentences she has given such a heavy message to the artists across the globe. Her greatest inspiration is the fellow artist’s mothers who can push their work while doing the best job they can for their kids. She idolizes, Emanuel De Sousa out of Scotland, Lucian Freud, and Euan Glow.
According to her the importance of art from the student’s point of view is, “We need to be creative, as humans. Being creative with our hands is one such way. Seeing art made by humans across time and history teaches us about the thoughts and whims of others across time and space, and this may inspire us to be creative. Making art with our hands, minds hearts and spirits enables us to express ourselves and to use our voice.” The spirit she has towards art is seen when during the pandemic when everyone was feeling overwhelmed and pessimistic, she learned a new technique of using POSCA acrylic paint pens for creating her eye candy creations.