Jenna Star Friedman
I am a passionate painter of nature and I am happiest when outside painting (known as painting en plein air). I am fascinated with the natural world and inspired by the beauty of the landscape. I am very much affected by the quality of light and I try to record the way it makes me feel.
I have been painting most of my life. I need to paint! Each painting is a learning process and a journey. Sometimes I feel I am just starting to figure things out and sometimes I think I'll never really get it. But sometimes a painting just flows and everything comes together almost without effort. Those are the zen moments I hope for. The rest of the time I just try to enjoy the journey.
I paint in many different mediums: oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic. When I go outside and paint what I see, I feel centered and connected to the world. Thirteen years ago, I started up a local plein air painting group - West Coast Plein Air - a chapter of Plein Air Florida. We paint weekly around the Nature Coast area.
I've been a teacher for most of my life. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Masters Degree in Education. I have worked in New York, Connecticut and Florida public schools. My area of expertise was in teaching learning and emotionally-disturbed children, with a special focus on autistic-related disorders. I always found it very beneficial to integrate art with traditional subjects and was often able to succeed with formerly "unreachable" students by having them express themselves in artistic and creative ways.
After retiring from traditional classroom teaching, I taught art and painting classes at the Pasco Arts Center and at Pasco Hernando State College for eight years. Currently I teach a couple of small painting classes in my home studio.
People often say that they wish they had the talent to draw or paint. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a natural -born talent for art. I believe it can be learned. The most important thing is the desire to learn. It takes focused observation and the willingness to try. Mostly it takes lots and lots of practice. And more practice. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. That's a good thing.
"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart." Vincent van Gogh
I have been painting most of my life. I need to paint! Each painting is a learning process and a journey. Sometimes I feel I am just starting to figure things out and sometimes I think I'll never really get it. But sometimes a painting just flows and everything comes together almost without effort. Those are the zen moments I hope for. The rest of the time I just try to enjoy the journey.
I paint in many different mediums: oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic. When I go outside and paint what I see, I feel centered and connected to the world. Thirteen years ago, I started up a local plein air painting group - West Coast Plein Air - a chapter of Plein Air Florida. We paint weekly around the Nature Coast area.
I've been a teacher for most of my life. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Masters Degree in Education. I have worked in New York, Connecticut and Florida public schools. My area of expertise was in teaching learning and emotionally-disturbed children, with a special focus on autistic-related disorders. I always found it very beneficial to integrate art with traditional subjects and was often able to succeed with formerly "unreachable" students by having them express themselves in artistic and creative ways.
After retiring from traditional classroom teaching, I taught art and painting classes at the Pasco Arts Center and at Pasco Hernando State College for eight years. Currently I teach a couple of small painting classes in my home studio.
People often say that they wish they had the talent to draw or paint. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a natural -born talent for art. I believe it can be learned. The most important thing is the desire to learn. It takes focused observation and the willingness to try. Mostly it takes lots and lots of practice. And more practice. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. That's a good thing.
"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart." Vincent van Gogh
