Jennifer Wielt - folk artist

Artist Statement

As I child I loved to draw, especially underwater scenes with lots of whales and sharks, but somehow throughout my schooling I absorbed the message that the things I liked to doodle and draw weren’t real art and that I wasn’t truly artistic. Thankfully, as an adult, I decided not being artistic was no reason to not create art if I wanted to create it, which I did! Now I happily paint as often as possibly, in a primitive style I enjoy and admire in other artists, several of whom became artists in mid-life (like me) and beyond. Except for a few painting classes and tips from my mother, who was an accomplished painter, I’m self-taught. In addition to artwork by Grandma Moses, Ralph Cahoon, Marion I. Ross, and Kolene Spicher, I’m inspired by 20th century paperback romance illustrations, particularly gothics. While I have a few gothic- and countryside-inspired paintings (and will be painting more of them in the near future), my current collection largely features coastal and marine themes including whales, ships, and mermaids. All paintings are framed in vintage and repurposed frames, many of which I embellish with seashells. The frames are an integral part of each artwork.

Artistic Process

While I study actual places, figures, and creatures when planning each painting, the specific interpretation and rendering of each element and how I place it in a scene is based entirely on fantasy and subjective memory. Most paintings begin with a pencil sketch, either directly onto the painting surface or first on paper before being transferred to the board or canvas. Many of my paintings have a strong narrative element in which the painting is one scene within a broader story you’re invited to imagine. I work in oils and paint on canvas board or gesso board that is cut to fit specific vintage or repurposed frames. The seashells embellishing or entirely encrusting many of the frames for coastal and marine paintings were largely sourced from second-hand shops and family trips to the seashore, although I do procure some specimens from vendors committed to ethical harvest.

You can see more of Jennifer's work at her website jenniferwielt.com/art-gallery/.

©2026 Jennifer Wielt. All rights reserved. Duplication is not allowed without permission.