II
I am haunted by imagery.
From the moment I wake until my mind drifts to sleep; my thoughts are ever held captive by beauty. Beauty within every aspect of our existence; the raw, the ‘ugly', the minute - these moments, these gifts encapsulate what it means to be human. Assembling the broken pieces of our stories, our souls, our bodies … embracing, rather than rejecting the reality of death, decay and loss. These are the driving forces beneath my work and the elements to which I am perpetually drawn. Whether this be a discarded object, experience or emotion, honouring the inherent beauty within these elements is redemptive … sacred. The beautiful weight of stone, the exquisite hue of a weathered saw, the texture of a discarded railway tie. These are stunning and yet it is only when these seemingly disparate elements are combined that a truly gorgeous experience is achieved.
These experiences are never truly ‘solo exhibitions;’ while it is my vision, handiwork and concept, a beautiful aspect about the way I work is that it always necessitates a team of like-minded individuals. Framing, printing, welding expertise (my skills are rudimentary), instruction in working with new materials; these necessitate the input of others. An artist never stops reaching, learning and seeking to expand their creative tool belt. These skill sets, tools and supplies incur considerable costs and so my gratitude for the crews of volunteers who have helped transport, maneuver and assist in capturing select performances knows no bounds. I would not be where I am today without a village to support, mentor and encourage my studio practice. In this respect, my work assembles not only experiences, but the most unlikely individuals.
Thank you for joining me on this creative path; art is not a luxury for the wealthy, but the foundation of any healthy individual, community and society. If you have access to any deceased wildlife, antler sheds, feathers, nests, bones or discarded material; please let know via email (jenniferpeters@acanadianartist.org) or D.M. and I will pay you a visit. Anyone who chooses to donate an item will receive a small token of my gratitude and the opportunity to share their story. I am currently on the hunt for Western antiques, horse tack and used tablecloths or sheets.
With Gratitude,
Jennifer Peters
I
It all begins with an idea.
JENNIFER PETERS
September 21, 2025. - Foothills County, AB.
I have the deepest respect for any artist who chooses to tackle the enormous feat of going pro. It is not a journey for the faint of heart, especially for those who choose to tackle this feat without a partner in life. The work in studio is only a fraction of the massive amount of effort, time and hard work that goes into creating and presenting a given body of work. To create on a daily basis demands a ruthless devotion; there is no space for fear, doubt, turmoil … as with any entrepreneurial venture, there exists a single-minded focus and countless hours of delving into a given process before any genuine pockets of brilliance can arise. I find this process effortless, as an unceasing flow of ideas constantly bombard my mind, however finding the patience to channel and harness my insatiable creative drive was a definite and necessary challenge.
To truly master anything, one must carve out the necessary means and time to explore a given direction. Despite a promising debut, including a contract collaboration with internationally renowned artist Eloy Morales and my first international show back in 2018, my professional career came to a grinding halt when my son Anthony suddenly died while on a camping trip on July 2, 2018. I continued working, but chose to step off the professional track for a season while I grieved his loss.
I came back onto the public scene with an exhibition several years later entitled ‘The Room Upstairs.’ The show was exhibited on the top floor of CSpace during the pandemic in the year 2021 and caught the attention of writer Jeff Volmers. He came to visit the show and after an initial interview, proceeded to write and publish an editorial in the Calgary Herald on my work. My gratitude to this man and my mentor of many years, fellow artist Paul Van Ginkel, for his recommendation and support remain steadfast.
Despite this success, the reality of pulling it all off while caring for my four remaining children was too much. I could not successfully tackle marketing, showing and selling my work, on top of my studio practice without neglecting their needs, so I chose to once again step out of the limelight and focus on my children and studio practice for a season while they were still young. I slowly put the necessary pieces back into place and was able to launch a full-time studio practice in September of 2024.
Choose to pursue what gives you life and your passion will give life to those who surround you.
Jennifer Peters
My children must always come first and they do, but depriving them of my best self serves no purpose. Children emulate what they see, not what is said. Who are we to tell our children to pursue their dreams if we refuse to do the same? Self matters, as do the God given desires of your heart. I could not, nor can I ever stop creating; commercial success or not. It is who I am, who I am meant to be and what flows naturally from every aspect of my existence.
Thank you for your patronage as I once again tackle the slow ascent to garnering a platform for my work, both locally and abroad.
With Love & Gratitude,
Jennifer