Art by Jenifer J. Renzel

I love two distinct mediums and switch back and forth between them depending on how I feel. Sometimes I work with paper, pen, and paint, and sometimes I work on sculptural assemblages. Both forms challenge me in completely different ways, which I find interesting. I started with the assemblages earlier in my career, then gradually expanded into drawing and painting. 

 

Creatures are my sweet spot and a recurring theme. I love creating monsters, odd people, cartoon characters, demons, gnomes, and so forth. I strive to recreate and share the joy of childhood by putting my imagination directly  into a sculpture or onto a piece of paper. For me, there is a magic that comes with that -- I feel it during the creative process and it’s an intense and wonderful thing. I try to cultivate this and share it with my viewers.

 

My assemblage pieces often start when I'm inspired by the character and personality of a particular object. Sometimes an object looks like a face or a body, and sometimes it looks like a little vehicle or perch for a sculpted creature. Lately I’ve been enjoying making miniatures. 

 

When painting, I often use photo references. Certain subjects always draw me ... science fiction, old electronics, weird buildings, and unusual vehicles. Sometimes I do a mashup of several photo references. I take my own photos and use images from the internet -- Ebay is great for pictures of old radios and toys.

 

I start by creating a line drawing with a fountain pen and waterproof ink. After I get some sort of likeness with the photo, I go off script and do what my imagination and eyes tell me to do.  I use paint, pencils, pastels, and some collage elements to add more depth and contrast.

 

I think my best works are those that start off in a particular direction, then swerve into something else. I love the feeling of taking a risk or making a mistake and having a "wow" moment. Of course, there are lots of times where things don't work out. The great thing about mixed media is that you can always block out and recreate parts. A bit of a haphazard approach is what lets me come up with something unique and unplanned .... the magic of randomness. Let’s play!