Jennifer Shuey - Signature Member

What made you choose pastels as a medium? and how long have you been using pastels?

I think the reality is that the pastel medium chose me. Around 2005 at one of Susan Nicholas Gephart’s Hameau Farm Artists’ Retreats, she urged me to borrow and try her pastels. In that first pastel painting, I really was hooked.

What are your favorite subjects to paint?

I enjoy painting the lands and waters of central Pennsylvania. Hedgerows and marshes appear pretty prominently, along with streams, trees, and open vistas. I love to capture the beauty and tease out the colors of our vernacular landscape.

I studied landscape architecture at Penn State, which laid the foundation for my artistic journey that complemented my career in conservation and nonprofit management.

How has your practice changed over time?

I am only now becoming more intentional about my artistic practice. I usually only paint sporadically when I carve out some time for a workshop or a retreat or a demo. To work on changing that, this year I have taken on my first “big project.” I am collaborating with ClearWater Conservancy and their Centred Outdoors program. My goal is to paint each week’s featured destination to raise awareness of ClearWater and their conservation efforts. I am working towards an end-of-season art exhibition at State College Framing Company & Gallery in October 2023. I hope to unveil 12-16 of these paintings there, with 20% of sales benefitting ClearWater Conservancy.

I find that having a project motivates me, and developing this project has helped me to both get outside to hike and experience these natural places more often and establish a more consistent painting schedule for myself. I’m trying to kick start some habits and make them stick!

What is the best art-related advice you’ve been given?

Don’t try to tell the whole story in your painting. Always leave room for others to find their stories in it, too. Their connection is the spark of wonder that I am seeking as an artist.

What do you wish you’d have known from the beginning, but took years to learn?

Values! I’m still learning, but correctly capturing the values is so important to a successful painting. I feel like this is my biggest ongoing struggle.

Where do you find inspiration?

The beauty of nature is where I find my subject inspiration, but I really seem to get into my best groove when I am painting almost as performance art. I enjoy demonstrating and experiencing people’s delight as I turn a blank piece of paper into a finished painting over a few hours. I like demonstrating at Art a la Carte for Bellefonte’s Friday in the ‘Fonte events and painting for the folks attending ClearWater’s Centred Outdoors adventures.

When is your favorite time of day to create?

I’m not sure I have one, but I probably do most of my art work in the afternoons. I’m definitely not a night owl!

How do you develop your art skills?

I love to take workshops from other artists, both in-person and online. I am looking forward to my third year of Pastel Live sessions in August. There is so much to learn from each artist’s demonstration and the wide variety of techniques and tips that they share. But it is also really helpful to take a deeper dive with one particular artist. I love that the Central Pennsylvania Pastel Society brings in artists each year or so for our members to learn from. Some of my favorites have been Richard McKinley, Desmond O’Hagen, Terri Ford, and Marla Baggetta.

How do you define success as an artist?

I don’t aspire to be a full-time artist, so when I think about it, I’m kind of in the sweet spot right now and enjoying it. I get to paint what I love for an audience who also cares deeply for the central Pennsylvania landscape. I sell enough to cover my costs and make a little money, which has allowed me to reduce my hours at work a bit. My art complements both my career and my volunteer interests, and I can help promote and raise funds for causes that are important to me. I feel very blessed in my life to be healthy and able to do all of this right now. That is success for me!