Abstract Emotions

“Creating these vibrant, colourful, textured pieces allows me to express myself in a way that I can see my emotions on the canvas.“

After making the decision to leave the teaching profession at the end of 2022, local abstract artist Jenni Stuart set up camp in her Bishopston home in order to fully invest her time in her true passion, art. We headed to her home studio to find out more.

Originally from Cornwall, Jenni studied Fine Art at Bath University, before falling for Bristol and its unique creativity. “Bristol is just such an accepting city and community. My previous work over the years had been heavily focussed on lino printing, which I still love, but using the brighter colours and textures in my latest pieces feels like I am really allowing myself to be as creative as I want, and Bristol is a place that I feel allows people to express themselves with no judgement.”

Walking around their beautiful Bishopston home, filled with nods to her Cornish roots all around, we wanted to learn more about her heritage and how that influences her work. “My dad actually played a big part in me really getting into art and believing in myself enough to pursue it as a career. I remember him taking me to Newlyn Gallery in Penzance and it had this amazing light coming in from above, which even as a teenager, I picked up on. I remember my dad saying to me, ‘that’s why you’re going to be such a good artist, you can see the colour’, and it was at that point that I knew I wanted to be an artist. Naive art from Cornwall is something that I have always admired and those artists still give me inspiration. Having self-belief is such a big part of my work and something that 
I definitely feel more comfortable with now.”

"I approach each piece differently, sometimes just creating a base and then walking away, before layering and adding depth using different materials and brushes."

With art playing such a prominent role in her life, leaving teaching to embrace the artist life was a simple choice for Jenni to make. “For me, creating art is a necessity, I have to create, not just as a hobby but as a way of me functioning from day to day. I am dyslexic and so for me, I don’t want to read or write to relax, it actually causes me more stress and staying focussed can be exhausting for me. I genuinely see art as therapy for me. Creating these vibrant, colourful, textured pieces allows me to express myself in a way that I can see my emotions on the canvas. I approach each piece differently, sometimes just creating a base and then walking away, before layering and adding depth using different materials and brushes.”

With two young daughters, a supportive husband and Larry the gorgeous black lab at home, involving the family in her art is important for Jenni. “My girls are actually amazing little artists, and they give me advice and pointers on my work. My eldest, Ruby, loves the neon pink acrylic I use, and even points out the faces and shapes she can see in my work. I would say that they have inspired me since working from my studio, and my pieces are so fun to create. Having the family support for me was a game changer in making the decision to become a full-time artist. My husband has been so understanding of my needs and what this means to me, and so this just made the transition a little easier. It wasn’t that I didn’t like teaching anymore, it was just that I knew I needed to focus on me and my mental health, and what makes me happy,” 
says Jenni.

With a spot at this year’s Upfest, Jenni is working on several pieces, and with time now on her side, her creativity and inspiration are more free-flowing than ever. “Every artist wants their own handwriting and style I suppose, and I feel like I have really established that for myself now. Instagram has actually played quite a big part in how I work as it’s so visual and ever changing, and so having my work received so positively on there and then being involved in events like Upfest give me a bit of a boost in confidence. It’s such an investment having artwork on your walls, and for me, when I see my pieces in people’s homes, it’s such a compliment and something that continues to inspire me.”