Artist Spotlight: Jennifer Redstreake Geary

Savannah in Blue, Watercolor on Aquabord™, 8" x 10"

Jennifer Redstreake Geary had known about her own talent for art making before kindergarten, but was noticed for her choice of color for a school project, impressing her teacher.  She kept her head buried in drawings, graphite, and oils growing up and through high school until college where she studied fine art, graphic design and marketing.  

Her fulltime work now in web design and raising three boys has kept her busy, leaving little time for making art.  But, when she finds time on weekends and in the evenings, the watercolors she turns out are simply stunning.

Jennifer noticed early on in her watercolor career that using poor materials could easily turn one away from making art.  She attempted her first watercolor class with flimsy paper, poor brushes and a cheap watercolor pan, per the instructors suggestion.  "I had no control over the paint on the paper, the colors were just not right, the pigments weren't strong enough, and I hated the brushes I had to use.  I was so completely unsatisfied with the class, I never took another," she explains.  It was only a few years ago when a friend and admirer of Jennifer's pastel work encouraged her to try painting again.  She gave Jennifer the quality materials that became a staple in her own work and the classes she teaches.  The brilliant color, translucency, and detail Jennifer attains in her work is partly due to using the best materials on the market -- brushes, paints and substrates.

Had a Ball, watercolor on Aquabord

For Jennifer's brush work, she is a dry on dry watercolor painter.  This gives her the control she prefers in her portraits, animal work and still lifes.  Because Jennifer works very small and detailed, she doesn't do a lot of washes, but rather prefers smaller brushes.  Primarily she uses rounds, shaders, filberts and sometimes liners for horse manes or tails. 

Her inspiration comes from many modern day artists and friends around her, growing her own collection of paintings, and taking in the work of other watercolorists, like Ali Cavanaugh, Steve Hanks, Paula Ford and Mary Whyte.  Jennifer is also an avid photographer, grabbing the world around her on camera for much of her work.  Her fastidious painting routine, committment and generous outlook have given resulted in a beautiful portfolio and caring instruction.

Jennifer teaches watercolor classes at the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center in Huntsville, AL.  To join the class or learn more about her work and commissions, contact her via her blog or website: www.redstreakeart.com.

Keep Painting, 

Karyn 

For more brush information, check out the Dynasty Brush website.