I majored in art in high school and continued my art education in college with a minor in fine arts. More recently, I lived in Sedona, Arizona for seven years where I studied with a variety of nationally known artists and was a faculty member of the Sedona Arts Center. My award-winning art has been shown in a variety of juried and invitational exhibits and is in several private collections throughout the U.S. For me, a successful painting of mine, or of any artist, has to evoke emotion ... an AAAH moment when I am captivated by not only WHAT is expressed, but HOW it is expressed. I am turned off by the trite, the ordinary, and bored by the derivative which has been created over and over again. I'm excited by the unusual - the unique idea, the interesting combination of shape, color and texture. That is one of the reasons I am challenged by and attracted to abstract and non-representational expressionism. I love working with layers in my work, and usually try to incorporate a focal point that will entice the viewer to look closer and to examine the surface to see what lies beneath. My art is frequently a metaphor for the human spirit which is comprised of layer upon layer and a central core (or focal point) that resides in each of us that is our unique self - not always obvious to the world, but always there, nonetheless. For me, the journey is more important than the destination (final product), and I try to push the edges in order to express some inner part of my own reality - which I continue to create and recreate through my art and my life. For any artist, I think what they create is a journey of self- discovery as well as a creative journey. Contact Marne e: marnejensen@aol.com click on an image to view a larger version