BIOGRAPHY

Jean has drawn since childhood, with her favorite subjects being horses and people. Living on a farm in northeast Colorado as a child spurred a lifelong love of horses and the western life. Jean was fortunate to study art at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, a scenic cattle ranching town, nestled in the high country of the Rocky Mountains. After college, she entered the business world, because at that time, it was rare to make a living with art. While employed with the National Park Service, she did illustrations and graphics for the park's interpretive programs. Having left the business world behind, Jean's dream to paint full time has now been realized, painting in her rural studio every day.

ARTIST STATEMENT
My paintings portray the story of a simpler life, historical and present, the people, their animals and events, planned and unplanned, that are a part of everyday living.  Models are the sources of inspiration for my paintings, taking me to several states to working Cowboy ranches and Native American lands for source material.  The way sunlight bathes a person's face from a dramatic angle, or a horse lit by light from an emerging sun at day break, makes an impression in my mind that tells me "THAT is a painting!"  Add the rich colors on my palette and each day is an adventure in my studio, recreating the life with paint on canvas that is so characteristic of the west.
EDUCATION

BA Fine Art, Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado

Additional Art Studies
American River College, Sacramento, California
Scottsdale Artist School, Scottsdale, Arizona
Numerous workshops

MEMBERSHIPS

Oil Painters of America (Associate)
American Plains Artists (Signature)


EXHIBITIONS

  • American Plains Artists
    • Museum of the Southwest - Midland, Texas
    • Great Plains Art Museum - Lincoln, Nebraska
    • Loch Vale Fine Art Gallery - Estes Park, Colorado
    • Ellen Noel Art Museum - Odessa, Texas
  • Western Spirit
    • Old West Museum, Cheyenne, Wyoming
  • Western Colorado Center for the Arts - Grand Junction, Colorado
  • ACC Gallery - Alvin, Texas
  • Western State College - Gunnison, Colorado