Thank you, Jennifer, for taking the time to join us and share your story. Your figurative abstract paintings are deeply moving, and we’re thrilled to explore the emotions and experiences that shape your creative journey.

Could you share the journey that led you to become a figurative abstract painter? Was there a pivotal moment or experience that inspired your transition from landscape painting to the deeply expressive abstract style you practice today?

Early on I was inspired by nature and would often create work about my travels whether it was hiking through the forests by grandparents’ or our family vacation to Yellowstone National Park. While in college, I lost a close friend to suicide. To help me grieve, I decided to create a piece in memory of her. Unfortunately, every time I worked on the painting, I cried. One day I let go. I let go of the tears. I let go of the words. I let go of everything and painted. I painted how I felt. I simplified the piece to the most basic shapes and colors, to the point where all one could do was feel. Let go and feel. It is through this experience that I began to find and use my voice to connect with others on an emotional level.

“Love is My Strength” was created after the COVID shutdown. Like most people, I struggled. I knew I had to keep going, but I wasn’t sure how. Then I remembered a photograph my grandmother had of her kids, all sitting on the couch sick with the measles. I asked myself how she got through that difficult time. Love. She used the love for her kids to keep going. We may be hurting, grieving, just struggling to get up in the morning, but if we use love as our center, we can get through anything.

The inspiration for “Alignment in Bloom” came during a conversation I was having with someone about personal growth. We talked about the importance of finding balance in our lives, but not just work-home balance. We need to find balance within ourselves. One way is to tap into our chakras, aligning ourselves to our highest good. When we are balanced, we blossom, we bloom into the person we are meant to be.

As a painter who beautifully blends personal narratives into her art, how do roles like being a mother, wife, and teacher shape the themes and emotions within your work, particularly pieces like “A Growing Love” and “Reflections of Me”?

My work definitely tells the story of my life. I believe that when we share our story, we connect with others. Through this connection, we feel that we belong, that we are not alone. “A Growing Love” tells the chapter of my life when we were trying to begin our family. My son would hug my belly, asking when he would be able to be a big brother. Sadly, he was never able to meet his little brother or sister, but through his hug, I felt his love for a sibling and we could grow together as family.

“Reflections of Me” was created in response to a request for a self-portrait. I could have painted a realistic version of myself, but I felt that would only show the surface. It would not show a true portrait of who I am. It would not show a true portrait of how I see myself – as a person who loves deeply, celebrates joyfully, carries grief hidden inside, and tries to find serenity each day.

Looking at pieces like “Grounding Connection … Fire” and “My Father Taught Me … to Have Balance,” your paintings seem to carry a sense of grounding and balance. Could you elaborate on how your connection to nature and personal experiences influence the energy and themes of your work?

My Grounding Connection series shares my exploration of how we can center ourselves especially during busy times in our lives. We can do small things that will allow us to disconnect from the hustle and bustle and reconnect with our inner self. Using the elements of wind, water, earth and fire, we can recharge and breathe energy into our beings.

“My Father Taught Me… to have balance” is a piece that evolved through many trials and errors. The inspiration came when my dad had a “heart attack like event”. To this day, he will not call it a heart attack. Two men went into the hospital that day with the same symptoms. Only one man came home – my dad. The moment took my breath away. It made me think about all the life lessons my dad taught me from how art is in our daily lives to the importance of taking care of mental health (even before mental health was even a mainstream concern). This piece was the first time that I used pinks and reds exclusively. I am just not a pink kind of gal, but I wanted to challenge myself by limiting the palette and still express the deep love my father and I share. It is also through this series I created the simplified shapes illustrating a young child that can be seen in many of my other pieces.

Pieces like “Exuberance” and “Colorful Dreams” showcase a vibrant celebration of color and form. What role does color play in conveying the emotional stories in your art? Are there specific palettes or hues that resonate deeply with certain themes in your work?

I love the description of those pieces as “a vibrant celebration of color and form” because that is exactly how I felt while creating them – a celebration! As I create the preliminary sketches for a piece or series, I begin with simple shapes and think about how I feel. I often describe my feelings through colors. I believe color plays a powerful role in our lives. It can brighten a room bringing joy and happiness. It can create a calming effect that promotes healing and recovery. When we tap into the power of color, we can effectively communicate and connect with others on a deeper level.

Your art has transitioned into a style that is more simplified and expressive over the years. What has this evolution taught you about yourself as an artist and as an individual?

I think the transition of my style reflects the changes in my life. In the beginning of my career, I paid attention to nearly every detail with the hope that I didn’t miss anything. I learned that I didn’t need to focus on everything all at once. I needed to simplify. I needed to focus on what was important and necessary. In my current work, I put my energy towards simplifying the shapes and forms and into only what is important and necessary.

Your work has been showcased worldwide, from Paris to St. Louis, and recognized with prestigious awards. How has international exposure and recognition influenced your artistic journey and perspective?

It doesn’t matter where you live, all mothers go through those emotional moments. All lost loved ones are grieved. All relationships ebb and flow through love and friendship. Our stories are similar. Our stories are similar. Our stories connect us.

It is a humbling experience to have my work go places I have yet to visit. My greatest lesson is how our stories, more specifically my stories as seen in my art, transcend across the globe. It doesn’t matter where you live, all mothers go through those emotional moments. All lost loved ones are grieved. All relationships ebb and flow through love and friendship. Our stories are similar. Our stories connect us. It is my hope that my art will help remind someone they are not alone, and when they see my work, they can say, I feel that.

As an artist who shares such heartfelt and personal stories through your paintings, how has showcasing your work through online exhibitions by Biafarin, Exhibizone, and Gallerium influenced your art career? Has the digital medium changed the way you approach or share your art? 

I am forever grateful to Biafarin, Exhibizone and Gallerium. I cannot thank them enough whenever my work is selected for an exhibit. I was introduced to them at a point in my career where I needed more exposure, but did not have the resources or contacts to gain more exposure. Biafarin, Exhibizone and Gallerium have shared my work with a much larger audience. Although seeing art in person is always recommended, virtual shows allow me to share my work with others who may not have the means or ability to get to a brick-and-mortar gallery. The digital medium has taught me the marketing and business side of my art, two areas I need to learn more about.

Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share about your artistic journey or vision for the future that we haven’t covered in this interview?

My journey really began when I was a little girl. I have fond memories of drawing with my grandfather at my grandparents’ kitchen table. The smell of freshly baked cake filled the air as my grandfather and I filled our papers with various sketches. With a pencil in his hand and a crayon in mine, he would share his art knowledge. Many techniques and lessons he taught me, I now share with my own students and use in my own work. I anticipate my artistic journey will reflect these next chapters of my life as it has so far. I want to continue creating an emotional dialogue with my audience, focusing on the core messages in my art.

To explore more of Jennifer’s enchanting celebration of color and form, visit http://www.biafarin.com/artist?name=jennifer-hannigan-green and follow her creative journey on @jenniferhannigangreen