Jen Slofstra-Tinsley
Duncan, BC
“I have loved art and creating for as long as I remember. My parents' house is still adorned with both wall and door murals that can attest to this. I have a B.A. in Art/Secondary Education and have taught in the USA, Ukraine and Canada. I have also painted murals in each of these countries!
After five years in the Ukraine (and three kids) we decided to move back to Canada, our country of origin. We moved to Duncan, B.C. - a small town. I have always wanted to live on "The Island." This was where my grandmother lived and I remember my mom telling me about her visits and stories about dolphins, whales, purple starfish, moss covered trees, and endless beachcombing. To me, "The Island" seemed magical. I have done a lot of traveling in my live and Vancouver Island is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to - and I get to LIVE here! I am continuously inspired by the beauty I see around me.
When I go exploring, I always bring my camera. The photos I take are my research. I print out the photos that I find inspiring and I work from them in my studio at home. I love to play with colour, shape, and movement. I aspire that my end result will not just be a depiction of a location, but this it will also contain the emotion of what it feels like to be in that place. I also enjoy painting art for children. My little bird character that I have is always getting himself into interesting situations! I love to sketch out ideas for my next bird paintings and see what he's up to next. I have also been creating name paintings for over eleven years - ever since my first niece was born and I wanted to make a unique gift for her.”