About Jen
Jennifer Carlson is an Australian painter based in Northern New South Wales. Working from her studio in the Northern Rivers Region, her deep attachment to her natural surroundings is reflected in her large-scale abstract paintings.
Jen's artistic journey has been shaped by her background as a hair and makeup artist in the entertainment industry, as well as her deep love of colour and textile design. These influences provided an invaluable foundation for cultivating her art practice.
After studying textile design in Sydney and attending printing workshops in India, Jen's perspective is grounded in years of behind-the-scenes experience, which continues to shine through in her current work.
Artist Statement
My inspiration is always filtering through from the natural world.
Meditation has been an integral part of my life since my mid-thirties, and this practice influences both the process of making and the resulting aesthetics of my work - a desire to feel beyond the physical.
My influences range from vintage textiles and stained glass windows to the Japanese art form of Sumi-e, where brush strokes find the raw essence of a mark.
When I step into the studio, I engage with the work, being guided as much as I guide. I work spontaneously, making marks intuitively, following the energy as it emerges. I work without a predetermined outcome, responding to each mark as organic forms reveal themselves. The resulting paintings are atmospheric, layered and abstracted impressions of nature, which lend themselves to individual interpretation.
My hope is that the viewer can take a moment to breathe in the joy of nature.
Group Exhibitions
2026 - Selected works - Empire Revival, Murwillumbah
2025 - Hibiscus on the River - Ninbella Gallery, Bangalow
2022 – Less is More - Art Lovers Australia, Gold Coast
2018 - Flowers in Motion - Cafe Dbar, Gold Coast
Solo Exhibitions
2021 - The In-Between - Finite Art Gallery, Brisbane
Education
2022 – Masterclass – Design Techniques, Firebird Studio, QLD
2022 – Advanced Clay Techniques – A Potters Journey, QLD
2021 – Masterclass – Hand Build, Firebird Studio, QLD
2021 – Masterclass – Wheel, Firebird Studio, QLD
2020 – Design Principals, Nicolas Wilton, USA
2017 – Intensive Colour Relationship Workshop, Merv Moriarty, QLD
2015 – Folk Art Workshops, QLD
2007 – Blocking Printing Workshop, Jaipur, India
2007 – Indigo Dye Workshop, Jaipur, India
2001 – Diploma in Textile Design, East Sydney Tafe