Jean Lea-Artists in Action Gallery

Jean

Artist Biography:

Jean Lea has lived in Oregon her entire life. She currently lives on the edge of a wetland reserve that she and her husband own and he manages. She attended Oregon College of Education majoring in art. Although she left formal college art education early, she continued to attend art classes from various college professors and nationally known professional artists.

She has been an active member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon since 1993 and a member of the Salem Art Association, Artist in Action, Keizer Art Association, Oregon Coast Council for the Arts (OCCA), Nortwest Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, and International Society of Experimental Artists. Jean has shown in multiple exhibitions and has artwork in the Art in Agriculture permanent collection at Oregon State University and the Salem Public Library Foundation’s Salem Reads art collection.

Artist Statement:

My art is influenced by the varied environment in which I live. The proximity to the ocean, wetlands, farmlands, and mountains are often the inspiration and stepping off point for my work. I primarily paint with acrylic, watercolor, and gouache to create abstract and semi-abstract interpretations of nature and people. I also enjoy printmaking to produce monotypes,, etchings, and relief prints.

My artwork is on archival paper (sometimes primed with gesso) and canvas, or cradled panel surfaces. For my acrylic and mixed media paintings, I begin by choosing my primary color scheme and lay down a loosely painted base for subsequent layers of contrasting and harmonizing colors. Painting in this manner becomes a dance and an adventure in which a paintings can often take on a life of its own. I enjoy the journey and adventure and I hope others will too when viewing my paintings.