
Jenever Graham is a self-taught painter, printmaker, and photographer working and living in Madison, Wisconsin. With a background in anthropology and archives, Graham has strong interests in themes related to memory, time, place, and history which are reflected in her artistic practice. She has been creating art in one form or another for most of her life and recalls drawing as an integral part of her self expression from a young age.
Graham started painting seriously in 2019 at a time of transition when she was seeking a new challenge in a creative outlet. Having recently moved into her own house with her partner she began gardening around the property intent on rewilding a significant portion of their yard. Within a few years these two artistic practices converged and formed the basis of investigation in Graham’s work utilizing what she learned in terms of relinquishing control and practicing mindfulness. Like gardening she finds that painting requires her to slow down, to be observant, to trust in the process, and allow for mistakes.
Graham creates colorful and expressive layered abstract paintings in acrylic paint and ink incorporating distinctive mark making with pencils, pastels, oil sticks. She relies first and foremost on her intuition in painting. By remaining open to possibilities and letting go of the feeling of trying to control the outcome of a painting, Graham selects colors based on mood and responds to accidental and uncontrolled marks in the process of layering. It is a form of mindfulness practice where curiosity and experimentation are important to the work. As forms and shapes emerge, Graham watches, waiting to discover what the painting wants to become. In this way, Graham’s paintings represent a nonlinear visual language connecting fragmented memories, subjective realities, and subconscious thoughts to reveal a dreamlike sense of time and place.
Graham regularly shows her art locally in group exhibitions and maintains an active studio practice in her home. She works part-time as the Exhibitions and Outreach Coordinator for the James Watrous Gallery connecting people with art.