The voice of the mother is strong in my domestic scenes; she is an omniscient force, a conductor, or a referee. Chaos and clutter are represented with repetition and an
uncomfortable relationship with perspective. The drama and disruption are tempered
with an overt appreciation for the physicality of the act of painting and the closeness of
family. Building the domestic environment with color and pattern, and representing the
daily conflicts and developments with symbolism and metaphor are some of the ways I
tell the story of the evolution of the family.
The unexpected crisis has become a distinct character in my paintings, an insistent, loud, and powerful figure. Relationships shift and strain under the weight of the addition,
creating opportunities for growth, and causing each member to adjust expectations held
dear for the future. The unappealing and frightening moments are as beautiful as the
peaceful and happy times, and require people to reevaluate their priorities.
Jennifer Combe is an artist and Associate Professor of Art at The University of Montana where she teaches art education and foundations. In 2016 she was awarded the Montana Art Educator of the Year. Within the National Art Education Association she served as the Community Arts Caucus president and founded a digital PK-12 curriculum portfolio with The Caucus on Social Theory in Art Education. Her visual work has been exhibited locally and nationally, and is featured in the Journal of Social Theory in Art Education’s 2016 edition.
I am a painter working primarily with oils and gouache creating abstractions with saturated colors, geometric patterns, and natural forms. Art making, particularly painting, has long been an integral part of my identity. I've chosen to hold space and time in my life for painting repeatedly because it functions as a vehicle for introspection, meditation, and exploration. Making patterns by repeating simple shapes requires patience, commitment, and faith in many small gestures to build the whole. I use recurring motifs inspired by personal experience, Judeo-Christian religious spaces, and mother nature herself. Often my pieces will start from direct observation like a moonrise, a meadow in late fall, or the wind moving grasses. As the paintings grow, I intuitively add layers of abstraction and symbolism such as the flower of life, the star of David, and phases of the moon. My painting has explored the intersection between my desire for the familiarity and community of organized religion and being drawn to a more solitary spiritual practice rooted in nature. Currently my work is turning to explore themes of motherhood, breastfeeding, and creating life.
I have always painted my immediate surroundings in an effort to decipher the world around me. Often my works depict familar domestic scenes with simple yet layered narratives. My most recent works are a thinly veiled attempt to navigate my journey through the convoluted dynamics of parenthood and the unavoidable life transitions inherent on this journey.