Jenna von Benedikt

So, who is Jenna?

I grew up in Buckinghamshire and moved to the Rocky Mountains in 2000 when I was a teenager. I now live up a canyon on a 50-acre farm in Idaho that we share with wild pheasant, mule deer, coyotes and elk. Right now, it is covered in snow. I am married to Joseph who is a well-known outdoor writer and a big influence on my paintings. We have four teenage children together – Henry, Sophie, William and Audrey. 

We are very much an outdoors family and enjoy hunting, fishing, and horse riding. I did not grow up with fieldsports – I was only introduced to it after I met Joseph. Nowadays my go-to is always clay shooting – it is such a sociable sport and it is something the whole family can enjoy together. We are also passionate about eating game – it features in most of our meals. There’s nothing quite as mouth-watering as gathering around and diving into a steaming venison roast. 

Tell us about your artwork.

I hope my artwork is inviting in the sense that it creates an atmosphere and an experience with the animal rather than placing it in its natural habitat which maybe some people haven’t actually been to before. There is something quite magical and ethereal about seeing a moose or an elk in the wild for the first time. It stops you in your tracks. It makes you gasp. I hope that my work connects the viewer to that animal in a magical way. Every painting seems to have a contrasting light/dark theme, lots of texture and layers as well as featuring gem colours. Many of the animals are depicted at nighttime, with star-filled skies. Creating abstracts, for me, has been heavily process-based and design-oriented, rather than trying to sell conceptual ideas for others to interpret.

I enjoy translating the idea of creatures as ethereal messengers bridging the gap between heaven and Earth. Incorporating patterns and designs with the various subjects found in the days of the creation story is a way I connect symbolism and my personal beliefs with my surroundings, as seen in my Sainted Birds, Sainted Beasts and Sainted Bugs series. My goal is to capture the story and soul of my subjects against an atmosphere that entertains both human and wild beauty.

Who have been your influences?

The work of American abstract painter Rothko has always intrigued me. His use of a bold colour palettes, blocking, texture and thin washes definitely caught my eye as a fine art student at Brigham Young University in Utah. 

I am in awe of Dutch Master Rembrandt. Someday I would like to be able to emulate his incredible glazing, and his use of light and dark contrast.

Another influence is Brad Kunkle, an American figurative painter that uses gold leaf. He merges realism and fantasy in his compositions of women in nature. 

Describe your studio.

While the children were little, I painted in the kitchen. The countertop and the island would be covered in canvases and brushes. There would be paintings lining hallways. It was chaotic, but it worked. It wasn’t until we moved to Idaho that I had a studio built. It’s an angular place full of light and organized chaos and character. 

After my third child was born I upped output and turned painting into a career. I like having work separate to our home. Having a dedicated space allows me to work on multiple pieces at once as I have to wait for oil layers to dry. It is a bit of a conveyor belt. One day I would love an even bigger space with a showroom but for now, my studio is perfect. It is my sanctuary. I always listen to music – either instrumental cello or gospel and even some country music.

As an artist what gives you most satisfaction?

When I hear that a viewer – someone I have no connection with – can pull something from my painting and express their feelings to me. What can give more satisfaction to an artist than knowing my paintings bring others joy. Viewing original artwork can evoke physiological reactions in people. The smell, the colours, the subject matter will make people feel different things. Everyone feels some connection to wildlife or wild spaces and has a story to tell. I’ve built up countless memories and experiences with those I love whilst among it, camping, hiking and fishing. I want to share that with others.

Creating a great painting is exciting! It’s rewarding when art emerges from wood and paint and brushes and scrapers and becomes something real… Physically moving paint on a wood panel surface, working out a method to conceal and reveal the subtle patterns mirrored in nature, is fulfilling.

Tell us something about yourself not many people know.

I love singing and music. In another life I would have been a gospel singer, or perhaps on Broadway. 

One other thing not many people know – it wasn’t until I moved to Utah from England that I really learned to appreciate—and started missing—deep green: the kind that comes from days of drizzling rain and belongs perfectly next to rich chocolate soil—two colours I love but rarely use now.