Jeanna Jinks

Jeanna Jinks recently relocated from Mississippi to North Carolina, where she paints in her home studio.

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Jeanna's Statement

If you were to ask me what I do, after a long pause and a smile, I would tell you, I do a little bit of everything. There are not too many projects that I wont tackle.

I am a biologist who loves to teach math and science to all different ages. My favorite age to teach math is middle school and my favorite age for science is high school. You will have to call me to ask me why. I am a mother of two growing girls who are wild with creativity. I am a wife to an engineer who can’t be more opposite than me. I am a do-it-yourselfer who has designed and installed a kitchen and master bedroom, tiled floors and bathrooms, built walls, cabinets, dog houses, designed furniture from old leftover scraps, put in fences, cut down trees and made chairs from the trunks. I am a potter of clay and a woodworker. I have carved and cut designs into wood to create screens and signs. I am a muralist and tole painter and a photographer. I have had my poetry published and I have written several children's books with illustrations that are fun and entertaining.

I also have a large part of me that dabbles in the fine arts as a painter. I have worked in many media: watercolor, acrylic, oil, stain, charcoal, pencil, soft pastel, oil pastel, crayon, marker, encaustic (hot wax) printing, papier-mâché, and even grass and berries.

As an artist who loves to experiment, you can see that of the few years that I have been on this earth, I have only tried a small part of what is out there. As artists, we find ourselves concentrating on an area of interest, therefore labeling ourselves as, let's say, a watercolorist. We also find ourselves working in a concentrated subject matter like portraiture. Because I cant seem to find one thing I like more than the others, I have labeled myself an artist and I have concentrated my work on things that inspire me.

There are artists that consider themselves visionaries. They see the world different from the norm. I am one who sees the world differently and I am striving to show my visions to you through my art. I try to explain what I see when I look at someone or something by rendering it in a specific medium and style. As with most visionaries on their journeys, not many people see, yet, what I see in my art. So, I believe either Im not there yet... or they arent.

I have always been a teacher, from the days I helped my classmates at school to the day I decided to become a real teacher. I have a degree in Biology from Mississippi State University and I have been teaching in the public schools since I graduated, except for a few years gaining experience at Marine World. It may appear also I have years of experience in art because I can paint something that looks quite similar to the subject, however, it has only been recently that I have begun to hone my skills as an artist.

I knew from the beginning that I had the potential to be a "good" artist because I come from a family of artists that have given me the talents and courage to pursue my passion. Like most, I had not pursued this passion because I wasnt ready. Still to this day, I look at my art and I see so many things that I would love to do differently the next time and wonder if I am yet ready. However, through the encouragement of family and friends, I share my art and visions with you along the journey as I get "better" and "better" and find myself in the art.

As you look at my art here, think what story lies beyond the painting. What is it that I am trying to tell you? You will also notice that a few pieces of my work don’t say anything.

Have fun and enjoy.


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Explore Jeanna's solo show at LEDE March 2011 here.

Visit Jeanna's website here.