ALittle Bit About Me

I wasn’t always an artist. In fact, I don’t even have a background in ceramics. If you met me prior to 2018 I had a very different story to tell.

Back then I only dreamed of being an artist. I was a wife, a mother and a business owner. (I had my very own picture frame shop for 28 years)

The funny thing about life: it goes by even if we are not paying attention.

When I turned 50 things shifted. I lost my mom and realized when people say “life is short” they might be right.

I took a pottery class in town, failed at making things on the wheel and began creating my figures. Once I started I never looked back. I create whatever I want.

No boundaries, not editing. No criticism.

As a self-taught artist, people respond to a certain refreshing naivete and freedom in my work.

I work with kiln-fired paperclay, a blend of ceramic clay and paper fibers. During firing, the paper burns away, but while it's in the clay, it makes the material more forgiving.

You can make mistakes, experiment, and even know very little, yet still find success. The clay allows you to break the rules and discover new possibilities.

This was crucial for me as a self-taught artist. The flexibility of the material helped me learn, explore, and ultimately find my own voice.

My inspiration comes from the storybooks and comic strips I loved as a kid. My first exposure to art was through those simple line drawings, often in just two or three colors, where each frame had to capture a big part of the story. I see my sculptures as illustrations too—just in three dimensions.

The colors I use are tied to my childhood: the yellow comes from my mom’s Ford Pinto, and the avocado green is the color of the fridge in the house I grew up in.

I age my pieces with underglaze washes to give them the feel of objects from a forgotten time—comfortable and familiar, like they’ve always been a part of the past.

My work is like a found object or secret doorway inviting you into an entire world.

You can see some of my work and the stories they inspire here on my Blog

Education

Arts Students League, NYC

Mason Gross School of Art, Rutgers University

Work

Owner, Frame of Mind Gallery, Holmdel, NJ

1994 - 2017

You can see my figures in person at Gallery Piquel in New Hope, PA

If you are interested in or have any questions about my works or my process, feel free to contact me.

Jeanine Pennell Briant

908-797-9356

bonetownstudio@gmail.com