Jenny Graham-Hougah is a representational painter based in southern New Jersey and holds a BA in Art History. Jenny was the March 2020 Artist-in-Residence at Weir Farm, a National Park Service residency. Her portrait Dadda Sleepin’ was included in the final 100 selected in 2nd round judging for the BP Portrait Award in 2019 at National Portrait Gallery, UK. She exhibited 25 portraits as part of a two-person exhibit at the Duke Gallery in Wallingford, PA while a Collaboration and Exhibition Fellow at the Community Art Center in 2018. She has won awards, including 2nd Place in Community Paint Out 2019 at Wayne Arts Center Plein Air Festival and Honorable Mention in the Art Educators of New Jersey Annual Juried Exhibit. She has exhibited in numerous juried exhibitions, including The Liberty Museum’s Deconstructing Bowie 2022, Studio Montclair's Viewpoints 2019, and Monmouth Museum's Petopia 2019.
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Artist Statement
My work focuses on objects in space and how they interact with the figures within the environment. Objects, interiors and people are painted either from life or from photographs and print media. My current focus, which has expanded beyond portraiture and documenting spaces, includes a network of scenes that intersect and play off each other. In a two-step process, I first create a collage on paper and use it as a reference for a painting in oil or acrylic. Not only do the objects and images relate to create a narrative, but the extra layer of evaluation during the painting process provides the opportunity to simplify or sharpen areas of focus. Pairing items together creates a contrast or a complement, helping to deepen possible connections and interpretations.