Oregon-raised Jennifer Harwell, a self-taught painter, emerged on an unlikely art scene in Birmingham, Alabama in 2005. The imagery and mood of her works draw heavily on memories of her picture-book 1960s upbringing… raised by a family of artisans (her father, a printer and her grandmother, a dress designer) against a spectacular landscape that was to become Oregon wine country.

Those impressions, as I rode endlessly on my bike as a child, or played with fabric from my grandmother's scrap box, left a grand life stamp.

Harwell didn’t begin painting on canvas until 2005, at age 49, but her progress was quick. The next year, she opened a small shop-front in Homewood where she painted, sold her works, and launched a highly successful series of painting classes. Nowadays, she operates a busy gallery in Downtown Birmingham's Regions Harbert Plaza and jenniferharwellart.com, Alabama’s largest (and most-visited) arts website.

From the beginning Jennifer Harwell has encouraged others to practice art filled living and has restored hope to blocked and struggling artists. Her goal is to build confidence, courage and dreams through art. Since 2007 jenniferharwellart has been a center for artists to congregate and this has helped strengthen and energize artistic passions in a provide a form of "preventative medicine" for those involved in the arts.

Watch videos of jennifer harwell painting: jennifer Painting Live | Picasso Angels | Boating Boys | Fast Forward Angels | Red Angels

View jennifer's online gallery

Jennifer Harwell reminds us of the care-free days of summer in this new series.

These stark renderings of majestic Pacific Northwest vistas have become a Harwell trademark.

A collection of landscapes carved rapidly in paint from a palette pared to burnt and raw umber, red and alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, cobalt turquoise, and white. These paintings don't require a detailed understanding of the area to be appreciated, but each bold line or hue from a Northwest scene will mean something to those reared there.

Angels are a common motif in popular art, but in fine art, they are most often seen in religious art produced during the Medieval and Renaissance eras. Raphael’s bored-looking cherubs are so familiar they’ve become kitsch. Jennifer Harwell paints angels that are the complete opposite of those abundant cherubs. Her angels are vivid shapes on the canvas, full of energy and life. Harwell believes people see in the paintings what they need to see at that certain point in their life.

They may be interpreted as angels, as nudes, or as elegantly draped women. Leaving the choice open to the viewer is intentional as we all have different beliefs and life experiences that will form one’s emotional reaction to these silent beings. I am humbled by their willingness to appear and grace me with their quiet acceptance and support on my studio walls… until they go home to someone who needs them more.

These original paintings and framed prints in the LeRoy Neiman style are a must for any sports art collector.

 

 

Contact Us | Links

Subscribe