Artist Jenny Lanna
Jenny Lanna: Capturing Life's Essence on Canvas
Born and raised in the Sunshine State, Jenny Lanna discovered her passion for art at a tender age, unleashing her creativity by capturing the world around her on paper. Influenced by her Japanese heritage, she found solace and inspiration in the enchanting beauty of her grandmother's garden. With each stroke of her pencil, she breathed life into the flora and fauna, preserving their essence on the pages of her sketchbooks. The dedication she poured into filling every page of her sketchbooks bore fruit when, at the age of 13, Jenny received her first portrait commission—an early affirmation of her artistic talent.
As Jenny embarked on her college journey, she was introduced to the formal study of art, and her love for the creative process deepened. Immersing herself in various artistic avenues, she explored new techniques and mediums to refine her craft. While attending art classes during the day, Jenny embarked on a transformative journey as a tattoo apprentice by night, delving into the world of custom body art.
Graduating with a fine art degree, Jenny emerged as a full-fledged licensed tattoo artist. For years, she skillfully balanced her work in the fine art world with the captivating culture of custom tattooing. Her artistic endeavors spanned from the intricate and expressive designs on human canvases to the larger exploration of painting and visual storytelling.
In recent times, Jenny has turned her attention to painting, devoting her creative energy to canvases that allow her to express her innermost visions and emotions. Through the strokes of her palette knife, she weaves narratives that encapsulate the essence of life, inviting viewers to experience the world through her unique perspective. Her works exude a sense of depth and authenticity, revealing the culmination of years of artistic exploration and growth.
Jenny Lanna's artistic journey continues to evolve, as she explores new techniques, themes, and artistic expressions. Her work is a testament to the power of passion and dedication, a testament to the transformative impact art can have on our lives. With each stroke of her palette knife, she strives to capture the intangible, to reveal the hidden beauty that exists in the world around us.
As Jenny embarks on this new chapter of her artistic career, she embraces the freedom and endless possibilities that painting affords her. She invites us to join her on this creative odyssey, to experience the richness and diversity of her artistic vision, and to be inspired by the beauty that can be found in every corner of life's canvas.
The Maple Leaf collection
I grew up with a close connection to my Grandmother and the Japanese heritage we shared. She immigrated from Japan, and with that, she brought the history and the culture into my life. Flowers, plants, and how the seasons affected them were something to be admired. Much of my artwork has ties to nature and the Asian imagery I was influenced by as a child. Every year, throughout the seasons, family and friends from Japan would send letters enclosing the flowers and leaves featured at that time. One of my favorites included the vivid red Japanese maple leaf of Autumn. After my Grandmother passed away, I missed seeing them. Years later, the idea hit me: to get a hold of these leaves and incorporate them in to my artwork in a way that would preserve them forever. Soon enough I had branches of maples leaves in my hand directly from Japan. I preserved different groupings of them using a combination of methods to achieve the different shades of red I would need. Once I complete the original painting on canvas, I apply the real Japanese maple leaves and seal them in with resin. I predominately harvest the maple leaves in the fall, when they are at their best and brightest.
Not long after I began working with the maple leaves, I started creating works with other natural beauties, such as real bamboo leaves and a variety of flowers and foliage. These natural elements are applied to acrylic paintings on canvas and coated in resin as a modern relief painting.