An interview with the talented artist Jenna Waldren (Instagram: @jennawaldren) and her art which focuses on the casual magic in every day.
Tell us about yourself: I am originally from London but am now based in Edinburgh, having recently graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA (Hons) in Painting. I currently occupy a space at the artist-run Mutual Co-Op Studios, where I continue to develop my art practice. Alongside this, I help to run the ALT-D Collective- a platform which aims to provide opportunities for recent art graduates (@alt_d.show).
What’s it like being an artist today?
I would say the experience greatly varies from artist to artist and is an ever-changing journey. At the moment I am in a particularly transient period, attempting to find my feet as a newly graduated artist. The reality of this means I work a few days a week at a Picture Framers, allowing me to subsidise my artistic endeavours.
As I continue to develop my practice I aspire to exhibit across the UK, in hope of meeting an array of like-minded artists with whom I could hopefully build meaningful connections. I feel community in the art world is such a precious thing and is extremely encouraging for those of us just entering the art world.
Why did you choose the pieces that you’ve given the edi magazine? The three pieces selected are taken from a new series of paintings I’m currently working on. My work records the glimmers of everyday life, attempting to find beauty in the simplicity of mundane moments. The passages captured are mostly centred around the domestic, with the subjects frequently caught mid gesture, performing everyday activities. Alongside these figures, I attempt to include a strong sense of interior, using sharp horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines to divide the composition and to create a sense of space. Visually within my work, I am continuously playing with the balance of the graphic versus the painterly, through means of colour, distillation of imagery and the use of bold line-work.