Dylan Haviland – Arts & Entertainment Editor
The painting of the mayfly only focuses on the face of the insect: its bulging red eyes and bright yellow antennas enlarge the otherwise miniature creature. A majority of Jennifer Crowley’s oil paintings engulf the canvas and provide a closer look into the surreal and imaginative.
Crowley, a senior and art major with a focus on painting, began her passion for art while drawing different animals such as birds and horses in high school. Over the course of her college career, her artwork has developed into a love for oil painting. Crowley is also actively involved on the campus art scene.
“I love doing oil on wood panel,” said Crowley. “It’s just such a sweet finish and the colors blends in nicely. I love it, it’s beautiful.”
Crowley mentioned that oil paint takes considerably longer to dry than acrylic paint, creating challenges while doing her pieces.
“You really have to know what you are doing and be in control to really get [the oil paintings] to come out good.”
One of her favorite painting subjects have been a mixture of surrealism and human figure. Crowley used oil paint in one piece to create a warped purple tree blending into a fiery sunset overlooking the mountain. This piece exemplifies her ability to blend the oils together smoothly into a continuous picture.
Accompanying her membership in the sorority Delta Phi Epsilon, Crowley reaches out to students on campus as the president of the art club, a group at SCSU that she’s been an active member of since her freshman year.
Her responsibilities in the art club include workshops with the other members, focusing on different creative styles and holding demos.
“Sometimes we watch art related movies. We watched one on Frida Kahlo a few times,” said Crowley. “We try to talk about our thoughts on other artists in the art world.”
In her career as an artist, Crowley is workings towards a profession in art therapy at grad school.
“It’s a form of therapy where you just help people explore their own feelings and emotions,” said Crowley, “then cope with them through their own artistic expression so you can facilitate that.”
While describing the field as still being in its early stage, she said she wishes to help out with it as it grows.
“You’re helping [people] but they are still doing a lot of healing on their own,” said Crowley.
Other works by Crowley include two separate pieces of a man and women. In one, the man is blocking his face with a detailed hand, his face covered in shadows. The other work shows a woman evaporating in smoke, her face also shrouded. Both pictures use a strong combination of black and white to make the figures stand out.
Along with art therapy, Crowley wants to get her work exhibited in the art community.
“I want to dabble around in other things too, like try to be a gallery artist on the side; commission work,” said Crowley. “You know, just make a mark in art history.”
Photo Credit: Josephine Englund
