A Deeper Dive Into My Artistic Process

Why I Paint the Way I Do

For me, art isn’t about achieving a flawless final product, it’s about expressing something from within. My process is messy, intuitive, and constantly changing. I don’t carefully plan palettes or mix my paints – I find the colors as I go, digging through muddy values and chaos until something clicks. Even after years of training, I couldn’t tell you if my technique is traditional, modern, or correct - it probably isn’t. What I do know, is that I’ve built a relationship with my medium, and we understand each other.

How I Found My Way Back to Art

I grew up surrounded by creatives – painters, quilters, landscape designers – so it was easy for me to embrace that side of myself. In school, I earned scholarships for art, but it wasn’t until college that painting became my anchor. After returning from eight months in the Netherlands, I struggled with reverse culture shock and isolation. That’s when I changed my major to art and began using painting as a tool to process my experience. For the next two years, my work explored themes of disconnection, identity, and belonging.

Acrylic on canvas - part of a series from college

What Inspires Me

People quickly became my favorite subject. Though often considered the most difficult to paint, I find people and the emotions they evoke, fascinating. Over time, I’ve leaned into my imagination, drawing from my sketchbook and creating pieces that weave in mythology, symbolism, and the feminine narrative.

Oil on canvas - one of my favs from college.

How a Painting Comes to Life

I usually start with a sketch or reference photo, but once I start painting, everything evolves. I often begin with a burnt sienna wash over the canvas, then block in my sketch with oils or acrylics. Oils remain my primary medium because of their depth and forgiving nature, but experimenting with acrylics has loosened my perfectionist tendencies and opened me up to more abstract, expressive work – finally embracing the painterly style my professors once encouraged.

Acrylic on canvas - abstract landscape of Sedona

Sharing My Work with Others

My paintings have always felt like journal entries, which is why I never considered pursuing art as a career. I couldn’t imagine the business side of something so personal. But I’ve learned that my work can hold meaning for others too. Painting the Templeton Feed & Grain showed me that art can preserve not only my memories, but my community’s as well.

Oil on canvas - Templeton Feed & Grain - 2025

What’s Next

Right now, I’m focused on building my business and creating a cohesive body of work for a show. I have more ideas than canvases, which is a good problem to have. My goal is to continue painting historical landscapes and supporting my community through art, preserving places and stories before they slip away.

Stars, Stripes, & Stagecoach. Acrylic on canvas. 1st place in Acrylic Realism - Advanced Amateur 2025 California Mid-State Fair

Coming Home to Myself

This year has been one of the hardest of my life. In August 2024, I decided to explore a career path outside of higher education, but just five months later, I found myself at a crossroads and realized I had made a mistake. I tried to return to higher ed, but the doors I expected to reopen remained shut.

I was left asking: Who am I without my advising career? At first, it felt like a complete failure, but I’ve come to recognize it as redirection. For so long, my identity was tied to my advising role in higher education, but the universe was nudging me to remember the person I was before getting my master’s degree, before choosing the “safe” path.

And before all of that, I was an artist and a writer.

Though this year has been financially, mentally, and emotionally challenging, it has also brought me back to myself. I’m embracing the gifts I was given, refining my skills, and allowing myself to build a life that reflects who I am, not just what I do - a life that brings me joy.

My art has been an ongoing journey, one that reflects my experiences, emotions, and growth. My hope is that when you see my work, you not only witness my story, but also recognize pieces of your own within it.  

Studying Art at UC Santa Cruz - 2008/2009

In the end, art is a reflection of who we are. To quote one of my favorite authors in the world:

“You are an artist and your masterpiece is your life. Your world is the canvas. Your desires and ideas are the sketches. Your thoughts, words, and attitudes are the paint. Your body is the brush. Your actions are the strokes. Your beliefs are the skills you use to apply the paint. Your faith and gratitude determine how extraordinary your work of art is.”

―Jen Sincero