Jenny R Johnson is a Canadian artist, whose work combines influences of Realism and Impressionism. Jenny’s subject matter ranges broadly from figurative to landscape, but the underlying theme of her practice is an ongoing exploration of light and colour, and how each impacts and informs our perceptions of the world around us. She has a particular interest in capturing contemporary photographic subjects in the classical medium of oil painting.
Jenny’s most recent body of work, Scenes from the Multiverse, is an ongoing love letter to the sci-fi and genre characters and moments that have inspired her imagination as a self-described “lifelong geek.” In Scenes from the Multiverse, Jenny continues her exploration of light and colour, and endeavours to capture character, narrative, and a sense of shared nostalgia in large-scale oil paintings.
Born and raised in Baddeck, on Cape Breton Island, Jenny grew up in a family of creative souls, who encouraged her interest and talent in a variety of artistic media. Her subsequent pursuit of artistic happiness led her to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with concentrations in painting and art history.
Jenny currently maintains a studio in her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she continues to develop and expand her painting practice. Her work has been featured in a number of exhibitions and galleries in Nova Scotia, and can be found in numerous private collections, in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia.
“These iconic moments in our favourite shows and films are experiences that we share: we all have so many memories attached to these characters and stories. By monumentalizing these scenes in traditional oil paintings, I am creating a tangible record of that shared nostalgia, its significance in our lives, and the ways we connect with each other.”