Jen Oldknow | Contemporary Abstract Painter

I’m a contemporary abstract painter with a love of colour, and a passion for creating art with a positive and joyful vibe.

Born near the seaside in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England, I was lucky to be raised in a family of artists, painters, poets, writers and musicians – all of whom encouraged my creativity. I have always loved drawing and started ‘borrowing’ my dad’s oil paints in my early teens, after seeing a major Monet exhibition in London. I never looked back, and never stopped painting! I now live in landlocked Derbyshire, with my husband, three children, a black Labrador and a ginger tom cat.

Over the years I’ve struggled with mental health issues, and painting has become a vital emotional outlet for me. I use the medium of paint to express emotion through a spontaneous and intuitive language of bold gestural marks and vibrant colour. I always aim to convey hope, joy, and positive energy in my paintings.

Abstract art often provokes a personal and emotional response in the viewer… my hope is that sharing my art will evoke the same happy feelings that I experience when creating it.