“I felt like art was pure magic as a child and I still feel that way…”
Jennifer Allnutt is a young artist based in Melbourne, Australia. Art has been a pivotal part of her life since childhood nurtured by her grandfather but it was 2007 when she first discovered her love for oil painting and since then she hasn’t been able to put her paintbrush down. She graduated from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (First Class Honours) in 2011.
Jennifer constructs images which straddle the line between realism and illusionism. In her surrealistic portraits she explores the uncanny, the unconscious mind, transformation and identity. Her works often grapple to find a way to visually express feelings and desires that we repress. Finding inspiration in dreams, mythology, personal experiences and conversations; Jennifer creates portraits that operate as carriers for her musings. There is unquestionably a drive in her work to tell a story or weave an ambiguous narrative. This is found by the subtle hints in symbolic objects, clothing, facial expressions or even a small gesture. She uses juxtaposition to consider divisions between the mind/body, man/nature and reality/representation. The works themselves are often bold figures or busts, seemingly suspended in time with small surrealistic interventions and a deep, penetrating gaze.
Recently she had been in the spotlight with a brilliantly creepy series she created. Rocks painted to look like human eyes. And the best part? She returns the rocks, once painted, to the landscape where she found them. T be found by others or just remain there. I think most of us can imagine a terrifying encounter with one of these little buggers on a night walk, right? Just minding your own business and suddenly realize that a giant eye is watching you?
 in 2011.){kind=link}