Some new paintings...time flies...

 

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Here's a new painting inspired by my trip to Cambria. My husband and I spent 10 days driving up the coast and stopped at places we've been before, like Cambria, but also some new places! I've lived here my whole life and there are still so many places in California that I haven't been. I think I've been to more than most, living in Weaverville for so many years, but there's so much more to see! We're already talking about another trip! 

For this painting, I want to get back to how I painted in the beginning. I think it does have some of the same energetic brushwork that I used to have but I think I now have a better understanding about color. I may fix the clouds so that they are not so connected. It was actually a cloudless day. Maybe I'll do another one.

I actually like the way this close up looks. I might paint a large one just like it.

available here

This painting was inspired by my trip to Renoir's house in France. I had imagined this scene when I was there. Again, I want to have some thick brushstrokes like I used to and bring a warm palette to the scene. I use Indian Yellow a lot now, which I started doing a few years ago. 

available here

This is one of those paintings that I don't want to sell. I love the glow. That was my goal. Again, I used a lot of Indian Yellow. It really is such a great color! 

These last two paintings are inspired by my trip to Giverny, France. Seeing Monet's gardens was a dream come true. I thought it would be fun to use a few of my older paintings to create new ones. These are from my painting "The Green Chameuse".

available here

available here

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Maybe I used to paint better. I wear glasses now. That only started about 10 years ago. I know it's affected my painting. I try to take them off to do most of the beginning and middle stages but then put them on for the final bits. I wasn't trying to copy the same image, just the same idea. 

Now I'm working on a similar idea but with this old one. "The Forgotten Rose"

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Here's what I have so far...

I think I'll go work on it some more now! 

Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan: Gift Guide!

Update: Something happened to the picture of my painting and the links when I reposted this one so I added it back. This was originally posted 11.23.2011 

Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan: Gift Guide!:   My painting was chosen by   artsbusinessinstitute.org for their  Gift Guide! I'm so honored to be included with these talented artists.

THE EVOLUTION: FROM VULNERABILITY TO POWER

THE NEW DIRECTION: 'ARISE'

Available on Saatchi

I have been painting quite a bit lately, though I’ve been slow to share the results. The truth is, my work is undergoing a profound evolution.

When I first began my series of women in dresses back in 2010, they were often seated, lonely, and vulnerable—waiting for someone or something to arrive. Fast forward to today, and the energy has shifted entirely. My new subjects are strong, independent, and grounded. They aren't waiting; they are moving toward the future with purpose.

In this new series, I am using thick impasto with both brush and palette knife to literally sculpt the figure out of the paint. While materiality has always been part of my work, I am now challenging myself to capture the essence of a subject with the least amount of strokes possible. I want these figures to be vague and obscure—like the future itself—but vibrating with the confidence of what is to come.

I’m also finding new inspiration in the quiet moments of my home and travels. A simple glass of rosé is a stunning study in light and transparency. Much of this shift comes from my recent trip—my very first cruise. There is something incredibly freeing about being on the vast blue ocean with nothing to do but exist and relax. Travel is vital for the creative soul; it clears the air so the new work can emerge.

I am now exploring a bolder, more aggressive style that I call 'Emergent.' In this series, I am challenging myself to capture the essence of a subject with the least amount of strokes possible. Using heavy impasto and an aggressive, one-touch technique, I 'sculpt' the figure out of the light.

In 'Arise,' the figure is no longer just a subject; she is a force of nature caught in a moment of becoming. She emerges from a shimmering landscape where blinding, warm light at the horizon meets the deep teals and blues of the Pacific sky. This vibrating tension makes her feel both ethereal and grounded.

FROM 2012: 'THE MOMENT'

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A vertical palette knife oil painting featuring a woman in a vibrant red dress, seated with her back to the viewer. This piece captures my early sculptural impasto and expressive knife work, conveying a sense of solitude and contemplative vulnerability.

BEYOND THE FIGURE
I’m also finding inspiration in the quiet moments of my home—like the light hitting a glass of rosé—and my recent travels. My first cruise was incredibly freeing; that vast blue ocean cleared the air, allowing this new work to emerge.

I want these figures to be vague and obscure—like the future itself—but vibrating with the confidence of what is to come.

coming soon

THE LIGHT IN THE GLASS

"While my large-scale figures represent a major shift in power, these smaller still life studies are where I practice the 'mechanics' of the shimmer.

I’m endlessly inspired by the way the blinding California sun interacts with glass and liquid. In this piece, my glass of rosé isn't just a subject—it’s a vessel for that same high-heat atmosphere I remember from my earliest days in Redondo Beach.

I’ve applied the same aggressive, one-touch strokes here that I use in my 'Arise' figure series. By using a palette of teals and magentas, I wanted to capture the vibrating energy of the light rather than the literal lines of the bottle. It’s about that moment when the sun hits the table and everything starts to dissolve into a beautiful, vague glow. This is the quiet side of the Emergent energy—finding the extraordinary in the everyday."

coming soon

SCULPTING THE AFTERNOON LIGHT

There is a specific kind of freedom in a single, well-placed brushstroke.

In this piece, Echoes in Glass, I wanted to push the boundaries of my new Emergent style. I challenged myself to 'sculpt' the weight of the flower petals using the thickest impasto possible, while keeping the glass and the atmosphere vague and shimmering.

The blue and white stripes of the cloth are a nod to that vast blue ocean I experienced on my recent cruise. By using a 'hot' orange underpainting to vibrate against the cool blues, I’m bringing that blinding Redondo light right onto the tabletop. It’s not just a still life; it’s a moment of power and peace emerging from the paint.

My work has always been about the California light, but today, I am finally sculpting it with the confidence it deserves! Whether It's a vast landscape or the rim of a wine glass, I am seeking the 'aura' of the moment.

-Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan (The Redondo Original) 

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New Series Release Coming Soon!

 Hi my art friends! You may have seen that I've been working a new series of genre paintings from simpler times. The subjects are women doing laundry, gathering flowers, reading a book. My palette is more muted than what I have painted in the past. That is because I want the warm atmosphere of a sunset or fresh country air. It's also because I have been painting for so many years that my knowledge of color is growing. Although, there will always be my desire to paint bright cheery colors, especially in Spring! I just finished this daffodil painting. I started with muted warm hues and decided I needed something more bold. 

available 

Unbound

 Here's my latest oil painting. Unbound- she represents freedom and power that was earned through her

existence. Click to se the full image and description on etsy! Thank you for being here!

click to see full image 

New Figure in Pink

 

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A New Approach ; Forget About It

 

Available on Jbeaudetstudios

available on Jbeaudetstudios

Available on Jbeaudetstudios

A new approach to my paintings for a fresh start. I've been taking some time to research and develop some new ideas, while practicing the fundamentals. Some of this research has been nothing more than reflecting back on my work over the last 20 years. What stood out? What techniques did I enjoy the most? Can my ever changing focus ever be cohesive? 

I've taken workshops and watched demos with some of my favorite artists, read motivating literature that is geared towards creativity, cultivating and nurturing it. I've decided to take a whole new approach to my art career. Basically, forget about it and just let it happen naturally. I got to the point where I started over thinking everything. If you noticed I'm not posting much lately. It's not so much that haven't been painting. I'm working on some fun new ideas. But I just found that I didn't want to post anymore. It may be burnout, or something else, I don't know. I do know that I still have the desire to create and doing it in a whole new way. Completely for myself. Well, ok, maybe not completely because as I write this I'm thinking, 'I hope you like it' haha! Ok...now back to just forgetting about it and painting for me! 

Happy Holidays! 

Jen 

Quiet Reverie by Jen Beaudet Zondervan

 

available here

It's raining today but should clear up this afternoon in time for a walk. It's a good day for reading in a quiet place though. We don't get a lot of rain here in Southern California and I'm happy for that. I grew up down here and when I moved to Northern California the dreary days were hard to handle. It took me years to adjust. In the end, I did. It gives you a reason to stay in and snuggle up and read a book or watch an old movie drinking tea or hot chocolate. Enjoy your day! 

Angels and more

 I'm not religious but love angels. I believe in their power for healing and protecting. This was a commission I just finished. It's a 16x16 inch wood panel. The original one I did was 12x12 and is a gift for my mom's 83rd birthday coming up. I've done a few angels over the years and I'm sure I'll do more when the inspiration hits. 

This is another commission I just completed and am getting ready to ship it! It's a 20x20 inch canvas done with a palette knife. It was a larger version of a painting I did in 2014(?) or around there. It was from one of my 30 paintings in 30 days. The scene was around Trinity County and the original had more grayish purple mountains but my client wanted more of a blue ridge greenish mountain. She also wanted the red I had on the original one toned down a lot. I actually really love this! 

Doing commissions not only help me financially they also help to have another set of eyes and creativity. I think I said once that I would rather paint freely but I have changed my mind. Commissions give me the push I need right now. I've been struggling lately. For some reason, my art is not flowing out of me like it has in the past. Many things have changed and there's a lot going on which may be affecting it, but for now I'm so grateful for those who have contacted me for a painting. Here's the link to my etsy shop with more information about that! 

I hope you're enjoying this gorgeous time of year! 

Jen

Fresh Art For Changing Times

 Seasons change and bring fresh views and new perspectives on life. The change breaks up the monotony of the day in and day out routine. But while seasons play a role in that, one only needs to see things differently...or...more like, "See" the world that surrounds us. 

We can watch the clouds changing shapes, the leaves turning into bright rusts and golds, the birds flying on their journey south, the light changes, shadows change; change is everywhere and is a good thing.

Even living in Souther California, we can feel the seasons change. It's subtle, so you need to take the time to see it, before it's onto the next one. Time goes by so fast. Take the time to see what's happening around you before it's too late.

available here

Available here

currently on my easel 

I am working on the ballerinas again, adding more layers and playing with the colors. I read someone used India ink over oils, so I might try that next. There's always something new to explore. I really love how the tutus look so I'm not going to change that. Just maybe a little something on their faces but I want to keep them distorted and vague. This isn't about beauty and perfection so much...more about misfits and imperfections. This should be beauty. 

I just finished a large piece for my own home. It's inspired by my trip to Monet's Garden and I'm sure I will be doing more. I just wanted to paint something fun and colorful for my home. Something that makes you smile, but it also interesting to look at. (because it's hanging in my living room I may see something I want to change...but for now, I love it) 

Available here

Sold 2015

Talk to you soon, hopefully before the seasons change! 

New Florals Blooming in my shop...

 

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Here's a new one just list in my Etsy shop. I took the reference photo a few years back at an Armstrong's Garden, nearby. I remember it was a hot day, but in the shade, the light was filtering through the wood trellis and was so beautiful. I got my phone out and captured the light. I don't think I could have painted it like this back then. I've been reading a lot of art books and have done several workshops in the last few years. I feel I have had an aha moment, mostly about color. I'm also thinking about edges, composition, so much. I thought I already knew enough, but the more I learn the more I realize I need to keep practicing. 

This is what keeps me going, keeps me inspired, and most importantly, keeps me happy.

The one below was painted from the same palette but from some flowers I bought. I painted it over a week and now the flowers have wilted. I always seem to place the large flower in the middle. Next time I will spend more time on the composition instead of just jumping in! I do that because my painting time is limited because of my other job. Someday I will have more time again, but for now it's done in increments. 

Available Here...

Thank you for looking! 

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