“I don’t typically go to garage sales, but one morning I saw a sign for one and thought, ‘Well, I’ve got a little extra time today, I’ll go.’ And there it was, my inspiration: a box of color Kodachrome slides from 1947 that showed a family camping, fishing, and just spending time together. I was so drawn to the pictures of these people, even though they were strangers; it felt like I was pulling my own family close together again. I think we all have a need to belong, to feel connected to a time and place, and that's what those photos did for me. I loved that they were from the 40's too. The fashion, the authenticity, the lack of vanity, and even the naiveté really appealed to me. For instance, people didn’t really know how bad smoking was for you, so a lot of the people in the photos were holding cigarettes in their hands. I used the pictures I found that day as a beginning point and I’ve continued to paint using images from that time period.”
Jennifer Wilson grew up in Memphis. Although she now lives in Little Rock, AR, she comes back often to visit her parents who still live in the house where she was raised. Her work is currently on display at RS Antiques & Art, 700 S. Mendenhall.
- Website: http://jenniferwilsonart.com/
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