Jennifer Ross
St. Charles, Illinois
Artist Jennifer Ross finds inspiration in gathering and replicating fragments of nature. "Birds, nests, eggs, and horses represent my realization that life embodies a tension between wanting security and the love of freedom," says Jennifer. Through her art, she aspires to convey a healing power inspired by the living world. Jennifer initially aspired to follow her mother and grandfather's artistic path but took a detour and began a decade-long career working in art galleries, selling the artwork of others, and doing framing design. Eventually, her creative soul persisted. She began experimenting with small pastel pieces and later found her unique style in incorporating elements, such as broken eggshells, inspired by the Japanese art of mending pottery with gold called Kintsugi. Jennifer transforms her second-largest bedroom into a studio, immersing herself in the sounds of birds or her son's college radio program while working.
Artist Statement
As an artist, I find inspiration in gathering and replicating fragments of nature, holding
them close for revelations. While ultimately, I want my work to be beautiful, I hope that the study of a careful observer may find a reflection of their own life in my work, even eternal knowledge. In the sublime products of the natural world, we can unlock the paradoxes that pervade every part of life: Nests of birds juxtapose our need for security and structure with the ever-present desire for freedom, flight; eggshells convey the strength we hold within us, but also the constant vulnerability of being alive; The backs of horses represent a universe that is constantly holding us, but only if we come to trust it. These images are born out of experiences that have informed me both practically and spiritually. By bringing in actual fragments of what I find right outside my door, eggshells, or the branches of trees, I aspire for my work to transmit even a fraction of the healing power as the living world.
Subjects of my pieces have included the great multitude of birds of the Midwest, the wild horses that once roamed free here, and the domesticated ones that still exist. Recently, I have expanded my mixed medium pieces to include the use of antique maps from a time of exploration, invoking our still-present need to explore ourselves and the outside world. Other subjects have included abstract landscapes, Japanese-inspired art, and commission pieces representing patrons' family members.
them close for revelations. While ultimately, I want my work to be beautiful, I hope that the study of a careful observer may find a reflection of their own life in my work, even eternal knowledge. In the sublime products of the natural world, we can unlock the paradoxes that pervade every part of life: Nests of birds juxtapose our need for security and structure with the ever-present desire for freedom, flight; eggshells convey the strength we hold within us, but also the constant vulnerability of being alive; The backs of horses represent a universe that is constantly holding us, but only if we come to trust it. These images are born out of experiences that have informed me both practically and spiritually. By bringing in actual fragments of what I find right outside my door, eggshells, or the branches of trees, I aspire for my work to transmit even a fraction of the healing power as the living world.
Subjects of my pieces have included the great multitude of birds of the Midwest, the wild horses that once roamed free here, and the domesticated ones that still exist. Recently, I have expanded my mixed medium pieces to include the use of antique maps from a time of exploration, invoking our still-present need to explore ourselves and the outside world. Other subjects have included abstract landscapes, Japanese-inspired art, and commission pieces representing patrons' family members.
Artist Background
Scottsdale Artists’ School
Savannah College of Art and Design
Press
Working on Eggshells
Artistry in Eggshell: Unveiling Creativity
Northwest Area Arts Council March 12, 2015
Empowering Women Through Creative Expression