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Jennifer Harper
I am a native of Florida; grew up in Mount Dora and now live in Eustis, the next town over. I grew up learning to love tools in my fathers’ workshop. While most girls were looking at teen magazines I was pouring over tool catalogs, imagining all the things I would design and build.
My BFA is in drawing, with secondary interests in both sculpture and ceramics. I took one semester of intaglio printmaking in college, but it wasn’t until 2008 that I took up printmaking as a full-time passion. From 2005-2008, I taught art in a small international school in China. It was a lesson I gave to the students on linoleum carving, that really stuck with me once I returned to life in the states. My father carved in the round till the end of his life, and it felt natural for me to carve in relief and combine that skill with my drawing and all the other skills taught by lots of seemingly unrelated jobs touching on art, but not actually being art.
This time in life, I make what intrigues me enough to see it through to the press. Prints take on a life of their own and many changes occur throughout the process of carving and printing. The constant surprise is what keeps me going. That, and the people that share my presses with me. Harper Printmaking studio is open to the community and we have Open Press Group meeting a few times each week. Seeing everyone open to the same element of surprise, makes it very worthwhile for all of us.
My family has been a tremendous source of support and given me tons of reference material to boot. My marriage is 42 years young and my 2 wonderful girls are nearly grown and off to college. Running the studio for my own art and for the use of other artists, makes for a terrific balance.
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