Painting En Plein Air

Artist Bio

I earned my BA in fine arts and philosophy from Hamilton College, and have pursued numerous art workshops and courses, studying under various accomplished and award-winning artists throughout my adult life. Having recently retired from a career in marketing, communications and event planning, I am now enthusiastically and gratefully embracing painting full-time.

Raised in Chester County and inspired by the poetry in landscapes from New England to the Rockies and beyond, I currently work from my New Hope studio and en plein air, where I am able to marry my love of the outdoors with my passion for capturing the beauty and wonder found in nature. I create representational paintings in a loose and impressionistic style, and aim to capture moments and memories that invite viewers to pause and appreciate their surroundings.

oil painting of sunlight shining through oak trees and casting shadows on train tracks

Artist Statement

Nature as my muse…
Mark-making fleeting moments:
color, texture, reflection.

- Jennifer Gorman-Strawbridge

I am an artist with an impressionistic, loose, painterly style. I work primarily with oils because I love their vibrancy, malleability and durability.

I have always loved and prefer to be outdoors immersed in nature. My senses were trained to find the beauty around me and painting is my attempt to translate my impression of this beauty onto canvas.

Art-making in any form has always been an important outlet for me and an area of continued study and growth. Ever since I can remember, creating has been a source of joy and sustenance, and I am particularly drawn to the myriad light, shadow, and reflections found in the natural world. When something strikes me as beautiful or interesting, I immediately begin the process of translating what I see and how I feel into art. I often take photographs to preserve the moment, as it is not unusual for me to think about an image or scene for months, or even years, before attempting to express it in a painting.

I moved to New Hope in Bucks County in 2017 and am captivated by the beautiful farmland and alluring river scenes that surround me. My work is evolving and is a reflection of my interests, my travels, and my life experiences. My goal is to consistently produce original art that expresses my vision of beauty as well as my love of, and respect for, nature.

If you are interested in purchasing any of my available works, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at jgs.studio@icloud.com

Awards & Exhibitions

  • 2025 Yellow Springs 52nd Juried Art Show, Chester Springs, PA
  • 2025 New Hope Arts Members Exhibition, New Hope, PA
  • 2024 “Winter Impressions” Exhibition, Hicks Art Center, Newtown, PA
  • 2024 Bucks County Wine & Art Trail Exhibition, Hicks Art Center, Newtown, PA
  • 2024 Artsbridge Exhibition, Angelico Winery, Lambertville, NJ
  • 2024 Phillips’ Mill 95th Juried Art Show, New Hope, PA
  • 2024 AOY Arts Center Member Show, Yardley, PA
  • 2024 A&C Small Works Show, The Art Walk, Doylestown, PA
  • 2024 “Endless Summer” Exhibition, Hicks Art Center Gallery, Newtown, PA
  • Honorable Mention for “Intersecting Paths” – 2024 Art & Cultural Council of Bucks County Member Show, Doylestown, PA
  • 2024 Paint Our Towns Plein Air Exhibition, AOY Arts Center, Yardley, PA
  • 2024 12th Annual Juried Show, AOY Arts Center, Yardley, PA
  • 2024 Juried Selection “30 Days of Inspiration” Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County
  • 2024 Spring Salon “Art Across the River”, New Hope Arts & Artsbridge, New Hope, PA
  • 2024 Phillips’ Mill Members Art Show, New Hope, PA
  • 2014 Shipley School Alumni Show, Artist House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Art Associations

  • Artists of Yardley Art Center
  • The Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County
  • Artsbridge
  • Chester County Art Association
  • New Hope Arts
  • Phillips’ Mill Community Association
  • Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill
  • Wayne Art Center

Art Education

  • 1980-1984 Hamilton College – Fine Arts (with a focus on oil painting)
  • 1984 Rhode Island School of Design – Graphic Design
  • 1993 Main Line Art Center
    • Foundations in Watercolor
  • 2011-2016 Chester County Art Association
    • Transfer Printmaking with William Earle
    • Screen Printing with Chris Mckinney
    • Watercolor Painting with Sarah Yeoman
  • 2014-2016 Wayne Art Center
    • Oil Painting with Daniel Shipley
    • Portrait Painting with Georganna Lenssen
  • 2019 Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill
    • Plein-Air Painting with Larry Horowoitz
  • 2024 Artists of Yardley Art Center
    • Oil Painting with Dorothy Hoeschen
  • 2024 Miscellaneous
    • Plein-Air Painting with Matt DeProspero

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