About

The work of Jen Richardson reflects a journey filled with unexpected loss, resilience, strength, hope and joy. With a true kiwi mentality of embracing vulnerabilities and overcoming obstacles, Jen has found her voice through her abstract style of work.

She was artistic from childhood, whether it was drawing swirling designs, colourful creations or sketching portraits of people she knew. However, art became even more important after a medical diagnosis changed her life. 

This freedom began to reflect in her artistic style. Though Jen has been doodling her ‘signature swirls’ since she was a child, the designs have evolved, representing growth. What began as a highly structed, defined shapes have given way to more layered, deconstructed designs. Stepping out of her comfort zone, Jen began incorporating different consistencies of paint and seeing the paints’ natural interactions on canvas and other mediums.

Reconnecting with her intuitive artistic voice, Jen began painting with intention and passion. Additionally, she grew in patience and understanding. “Both my cancer journey and art have helped me recover from my life-long battle of perfectionism”, she expresses.

In terms of process, she begins by making conscious decisions about the colour palette. She then starts mark making based on intuition, expressing what she is feeling at the moment. An excited, passionate mood may give way to wild, free gestural marks while a peaceful mood leads to more subdued, soft shapes and colours. From there, she builds depth and details and starts to make conscious decisions regarding composition and focal point by deciding where she wants the viewer's eye to travel. Attracted to balance and symmetry, Jen incorporates these values, but is no longer focused on being perfectly structured.