This week on The Sunday Sunshine, I am happy for you to meet artist JK (Jennifer) Bleeg. I met Jennifer in an online art community. Not only is she a wonderful artist, she is a supportive art community member who creates stunning artwork.

Jennifer is an American artist and writer living in England with her husband and two sons. Her colorful paintings are in private collections throughout the US, UK, Canada and the Middle East, and she has exhibited in juried shows in the US and the UK. Her work is also featured in books including Art Folio 2021 and The Bristol and Bath Art Book, both scheduled to release soon!

Her work incorporates many layers of acrylic paint and touches of other media, creating depth, building texture and developing a backdrop for bold pops of color. Viewers are pulled inside and escorted through a range of emotions.

Can you tell us more about how color has inspired you?

My first and most vivid memories are of color: a canary-yellow balloon my parents bought for me at a parade when I was two, a shimmering aqua swimming pool, my cherry-red tricycle. 

Colors have always triggered a visceral response in me, and in my painting practice I like to examine and experiment with how color impacts mood and energy. Since a color is defined by the colors surrounding it, I like to test the boundaries of a shade on canvas by partnering it with neighbors that can elevate its drama.

Was there original art in your home growing up? 

Yes. My parents valued original art that had a strong personal connection to them. They commissioned portraits of me and my brother, and they also bought some original landscapes of places important to them. We also displayed a lot of things made by my grandmother, who painted, made furniture and was a creator in a number of ways.

How was your creativity encouraged? Did you need permission to become a creator?

Being around my grandmother definitely helped -- I always admired what she did, and aspired to do it myself. And I always loved coloring and painting. Still, it took me a long time to accept painting as a professional pursuit, so I spent many years relegating painting and artistic activities to things I did in my free time every now and then. But painting nagged at me until I gave it the kind of attention it needed.

Yes! I love how you say that! “Painting nagged at me until I gave it the kind of attention it needed.” I absolutely relate to that feeling. But, it is a challenging process. Do you set goals? Many small goals, one large goal, both?

I tend to have a lot of small goals. In addition to my art practice, I work as a freelance writer and have young children, so life can get busy and small goals are easier for me to achieve -- and less apt to be discouraging for me if I have a crazy week or month and don't get to accomplish everything. Each month, I review the goals I have set and try to make a plan to either set new ones or double back and address ones I have overlooked.

How long have you been purposely creating, and have your goals changed over time

About 10 years ago I started painting with the goal (really it was a dream at that point) of eventually selling my work. But it wasn't until about five years later, when both of my kids were in school, that I felt I could devote time to painting consistently. Once I started doing that, I felt I could start setting some goals related to marketing and selling my work.

What made you decide to sell your art?

After a while, my paintings started to take up a good amount of space! And I wanted to have painting be my job at least part of the time -- not just a hobby. When I started selling my work, it felt better and better to let it go, so I kept at it.

Does marketing or creating for an audience impact your creative process?

I think it helps me focus. I enjoy a lot of subjects, palettes and styles but if I followed my every whim when painting, I would make an incoherent mess. Thinking of my audience also forces me to set some boundaries about what I will and won't paint -- and I think that has helped me work more effectively with people who want to commission work. 

Are you ever afraid to share your art?

Sometimes, although the more I share it, the easier it becomes to share it. 

Why do you value your own artwork?

I know how much time, effort, love and years of practice have gone into it! 

This is especially true of my commissions, which have become a bigger part of my practice this year. When I paint those pieces in particular, I am striving to create something meaningful for the collector. That requires not just having a good grasp of the technical aspects of painting a piece but also understanding what art the collector responds to, how they decorate their home, and on a deeper level, what they value in their lives. When I ship the finished work to the collector, it almost feels like I'm sending one of my children off to college. There is a lot of love packed into every aspect of the piece -- and that is valuable!

How do purchases of your artwork benefit you?

They help me decide where to focus my painting and marketing efforts, and inspire me to think bigger with my goals. If someone likes my work enough to spend their money on it, I feel like I have a responsibility to continue to build my skill and create good work. My sales also enable me to give back to the community, which feels great. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, I donated 50% of my sales to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a charity that provides important educational resources and other support to people with breast cancer.

What do you really hope for your artwork?

It is the greatest feeling when I sell a piece and it triggers happy thoughts or memories for the person who buys it. One of my collectors wrote me recently about a piece she had bought about six months ago. She said the painting was her favorite thing and was hanging in a special place in her home where she can look at it every day. When I am lucky enough to have that happen, it feels like a real success.

JKBLEEG.COM

Jennifer has offerred to giveaway a 10x10” print of ‘Sorbet Bouquet’ (framing not included)
To enter the giveaway follow these two steps:
1. Say hello in the comments here on the blog
and
2. Join either of our newsletters: Jennifer’s Collector’s Circle HERE or my Studio Updates HERE
This giveaway has ended. Check my EVENTS link for more giveaways.

Jennifer’s work is featured in two books set to release soon. I wanted to include the links, but they aren’t ready yet! Check back later, and I will update as soon as more information is available. You can also follow Jennifer on FB and IG @jkbleeg.

I hope that you will continue to join me as I learn from more artists on The Sunday Sunshine series in the Artist's Journal. You can also find the dates for current & upcoming giveaways, poossible pop-up sales & exhibitions, and upcoming guest blogs by clicking on EVENTS.

Tia Sunshine

If we haven’t met, you can read more about me in my journal HERE and HERE, or visit my Welcome/About with the button below.

This series is inspired by the Artists Sunday campaign that started last year. While I am not a huge fan of specific shopping days, I am a fan of encouraging individuals to buy from artists. This series is my way of participating in the spirit of the movement. If you are an artist, I recommend joining Artists Sunday - It is free! While you are there, check out my guest blog post: How to Connect with Collectors.

Artists Sunday is "a nationwide art-shopping movement with more than 4,300 members. Participants include 500+ local communities, including arts agencies, cities, counties, state agencies, chambers of commerce, and organizations and 3,800+ individual artists." Their mission is "to encourage consumers to shop with their favorite local artists and craftsmen during the holiday season. Artists Sunday takes place the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Think of it like Black Friday or Small Business Saturday but for the arts. New members are joining daily."

Don’t forget to say hello in the comments below to enter the print giveaway!