The Sea And Other Stories is Studio 61 Galleries April exhibition by artists Nansy ferret and Jenny Aitken following on from Nansys Interview in an earlier blog post we thought we would let Jenny Aitken tell us about herself and her inspirations.
I am…. Jenny
Aitken – artist, singer, mother, wife, friend and van & duck owner. I do what I
do because…. I don’t know how I would do things differently. I’ve always
pursued my dreams and passions with optimism. I always wanted to be an
artist.
My
background… three words sum it up; art, the sea, and change. My grandfather and
great Uncle were both professional artists, and I was always encouraged
artistically, growing up. My family roots are in Alderney, in the Channel
Islands; but I have moved a lot and lived and spent much time by the sea all
along the Western British coastline. Change has been and still is a constant in
my life; I find it utterly necessary for my wellbeing…
The art I
most identify with… my favourite painters are those who deal with light and
vibrant colour. Edward Hopper is my absolute favourite.
My favourite
painting… It’s a tie between ‘Regret’ (above) by Joaquim Vayreda (Barcelona MNAC) which
isn’t appreciable unless you’re stood in front of it – its huge and heavy with
moody light; and The Lighthouse at Two Lights, by Edward Hopper. (below)
What inspires
me… the coastlines. Amazing light. Complementary colours! People, who are
positive, open and bring energy, humour and life. Ducks.
Most
inspirational place…. Ah hard to choose! Places like Tintagel in Cornwall where
ancient stories are so deeply embedded in the landscape; the cliffs in
Alderney, Crich Lighthouse in Derbyshire, in my van anywhere along the A87 in
North West Scotland!
The best
pieces of advice I’ve taken on… Whatever you do, do it with passion; making
mistakes is part of learning; don’t allow fear to stop you growing. I like doing things in the face of irrational
fear – I started working as a life model last year, sang in front of large
audiences, and taught art at a school for excluded kids. They’ve all helped my
confidence hugely which just seems to open up more and more doors in my life…:
D
My dream
project… to paint the internal walls of a school, community centre, hotel,
swimming pool – large scale murals. I’ve done plenty of large murals but I’d
love to be commissioned to do it on a massive scale!
My goal… to live
as fully in each moment as possible. 
Thankyou Jenny! Read More About Jenny Here!
