Jen Raven is an independent fine artist with experience in painting, mixed media, concepts for photography, costuming, technical theatre, and more. To see her full CV please visit http://www.jenraven.com
"Jen Raven's work is whimsical with a dark symbolic narrative. The 'whimsy' aspect of Raven's art has much to do with what is socially taught and expected, the things of children's dreams, songs,
stories and myths. But the dark symbolic narrative of her art is about facing a reality . . . a reality that the world, and the mind, are much different places from what we are taught . . . filled with contradictions, lies and deceit. Life is not a dream, but a war, and the fight is on!" ~A.S. Ashley
"Jen Raven's work is a strange sort of realism. It's a realism of desire denied: The need for a voice, to matter, to love and to be loved. Her style is inviting enough to draw the eye back again and again, even though the message hurts. And isn't that what desire really does?" ~Adam Cosper
Biography:
Jen Raven was raised a military brat in Denver Colorado, Tucson Arizona, Wasilla Alaska, Edwards California, and Lago Patria Italy. Raven moved to Bakersfield California in 1995, where she attended Bakersfield College and California State University, Bakersfield. Raven is a self-taught fine artist, with an academic background in both writing and theatre. This confluence of interests has resulted in a skill set uniquely suited to her work as an arts activist in Bakersfield, where she has helped to create and support theatre spaces, art galleries, arts publications, and arts-related non-profit organizations. Locally, she is most noted for her leadership through the outsider arts movement, “Burn the Witch.”
Raven resides in Bakersfield with three cats, two sewing machines, and her husband of sixteen years, photographer Todd Powers.
