Featured Artist at Catching Stars for the month of June, Jenna Smillie is a freelance artist from British Columbia, Canada. She graduated from the prestigious Emily Carr University with a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts. Jenna lives and works in the Greater Vancouver area with husband, two wonderful children and Golden Retriever Sage.

Drawing inspiration from the diverse landscape of the Pacific Northwest, the majestic mountains, lush green forests, tranquil lakes and rocky coastlines offer unlimited inspiration in bringing my vision to life. I create with a spontaneous yet instinctual process, tapping into my intuition and the freedom of the present moment; exploring life through my art.

Creating on a fresh canvas, with an open heart and mind, allowing each piece to guide me. I feel the art with my soul, letting the work emerge from deep within through gentle manipulation of layer after layer of translucent colour. The journey of creating something unique and beautiful fills my heart with genuine delight.

I value being fully present in every moment of my life. Feeling the sand beneath my toes, hearing the unrestrained laughter of my children, or noticing the sound of the birds singing a tune in a nearby tree. Life has offered me many opportunities for self-discovery and experiencing the broad spectrum of the full human experience. Losing my childhood home to a fire, going through a divorce, and the tragic loss of my father to cancer have shaped my life in a way I could never have anticipated. The grief, the loss have expanded the capacity within me for love, compassion, and humour in even the darkest of times. I strive to bring the fullness of myself to all of my work, and imbue my art with a sense of balance and peace, even in the midst of life’s inevitable turmoil.

https://jennasmillie.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jennasmillieart/