Jennifer Francis Fearon
Jennifer Francis Fearon, a long-time resident of Marin County, spent her childhood in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she developed a fascination for Asian art and design. Following her MBA from the University of Houston, Fearon pursued a career in finance while raising her three children, including one with severe autism. The profound engagement and sustained attention required for an intimate relationship with her nonverbal child informs her approach to art.
Fearon’s artistic journey includes foundational studies at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco and continued mentorship with various accomplished artists around the country. In 2018, she shifted her art practice toward sustainable materials, leading her to explore Nihonga, a traditional Japanese painting style, and studied under Judith Kruger in Connecticut. She appreciates Nihonga’s use of metallic leaves and translucent layers of mineral paints to capture the essence of nature in a luminous, magical way. The materials include natural minerals, soils, plant dyes, and metal leaves. Her use of natural elements results in captivating artworks that celebrate nature’s patterns and light. Fearon’s work has been featured in juried exhibitions and galleries over the past decade.
“Drawing from my experience in western watercolor and oil painting, I expand on the traditional techniques and materials to create unique contemporary imagery I find making paint with my fingers from natural clay, plant dye, minerals and found materials to be a lovely ritual. I touch the materials from the earth to create imagery about deep connection to place. The process is tactile, meditative, and meaningful. It is slow art that includes earth, time and much of the maker’s hand in every piece.” Fearon expresses.