Paint Party Friday: Week 50, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Jennifer Begay

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 

Welcome to Week 50, Year 2 of Paint Party Friday! This week's featured artist has art in her blood and a passion for nature... It is no wonder that her watercolors wow us weekly. Please welcome Jennifer Begay!

Please tell us a bit about your personal history with painting. (When did you start painting? How has your painting evolved since you first started?)
My Grandmother on my father's side was a Watercolorist. One of the best. She spent years (50+) learning and teaching it. Studying under Clive O'Leary, Lee Weiss, Claude Croney, Zoltan Szabo, Tom Hill, Frank Webb, George Cherepov, Tony Van Hasselt, and Betty DeMaree. My father was an Art Teacher at Alta High School. He learned from his mother as well as taking workshops with a lot of the same people as my grandmother. He was educated in Colorado and Utah and received a B.A. Degree from Brigham Young University. He won many prestigious awards on his watercolors and is represented in many collections throughout the United States and Canada. He taught Watercolor lessons at night in our basement and sold paintings on the side to help make ends meet. We were always taking paintings to, and attending various art shows.

As far back as I can remember I had a set of Watercolor paints. Crayola when I was younger, and on my 10th birthday I got a set of the real deal Watercolors and brushes. (Grumbacher and Windsor and Newton) most of which were hand me downs from my grandma and father (which I still have). I also got a coupon (at said birthday) to attend Watercolor classes in my basement with about 6-8 other people (mostly older ladies). I LOVED it!

I took art classes all through Junior high and High school. In high school we had a block schedule where you have "A" days and "B" days. So you attend half your classes on an "A" day and the other half on a "B" day. My senior year I had it arranged so I spent all of my "A" day and half of my "B" day in Art. I took Painting and had 2 back to back drawing classes and AP (Advanced Placement)Art. I received an Art Scholarship to UVSC where I took 3 painting classes and a couple of drawing classes. I was planning on a career in teaching art like my father but youth and stupidity got in the way. I dropped out and went to work for my uncle in his Dental Lab sculpting teeth out of wax to be turned into crowns. I did that until my first child was born. Didn't do a whole lot of drawing or painting during the next 5 or 6 years mostly due to very young children and the fact that I didn't have a space to do it. I'd always get the paints out to do Christmas cards every year and would hate the fact that I was "no good " at painting anymore.

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay

 

A few years ago we finally moved the kids to a room in the basement and that freed up a room upstairs that we turned into an office/painting room where I could leave my stuff out. I painted more often but not a lot. I started this blog in September of 2010 and I finally had a creative outlet. Even if nobody was looking at it it forced me to create again. 2 years ago I set myself a goal to, every Wednesday, post all of the paintings I had finished that week. It forced me to be painting every week and my art work is showing the practice I've put in. I did this for a little over a year .

A few years ago I found a blog (Paint Party Friday!!!!) where I can link up my art work with other people around the world. It's nice to have a place I can share my art work finally and see other's work and get inspiration that way.

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay

 

What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
Watercolor has always been my paint of choice. Probably because it's what I've always known. I tried acrylics and oil in school but I love Watercolor the best!!!!

 

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay

 

What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?
Nature. It's all around us and is ever changing. Mountain scenes especially. It is breathtaking to say the least. I think nature was made to be painted with Watercolors. My parents installed a great love of nature in me and it goes hand in hand with painting. Anytime I am out, I am constantly thinking to myself, "I'd love to paint that" or "that would make a beautiful painting".
 

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 

What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far?
Being able to feel confident enough in my work to give people paintings as presents has been very self fulfilling. Also my aunt asked me to paint a painting for her that she could display next to one that my father had done for her years ago. He has now passed away. I felt very honored that she would want to hang one of my paintings next to one of my Dad's since I always felt he was so much better than me. 



image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 

What's next in your painting future?
Not really sure. I'd love to maybe enter some contests or sell some paintings. Someday I'd like to be as good as my Grandmother and Father.

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Thank you for sharing your lovely paintings and story with us, Jennifer... We'll be cheering you on as you enter contests and start selling your paintings! We hope you will consider entering one (or more!) into our upcoming auction. ;)

To learn more about Jennifer, please visit her at:

http://jarrettandjennifer.blogspot.com

 

 

**Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? (Of course you would!)
Click here for more details!**

Remember the auction is quickly approaching...

 

 

111 painters and partyers last week!!!! WOW!! Thank you for making this such a fun and hopping party!

 

As always, please make sure to use your post URL address NOT your blog home page URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2 Check-Ins.

Hope you have a marvelous week!