Jennifer Mondfrans

In this ongoing painting series of historical women scientists, I explore the idea of individual memory transforming history. Each portrait integrates the scientist’s work and includes a fictive letter about their work in science and the challenges they faced. History is made through memory. By reading the letter, you remember who she is and her work is remembered. History becomes recast.

Portraits of artists, dancers and actors I admire. Included are commissions I have done for patrons.

Inspired by Joseph Campbell, this series explores the idea of mythological archetypes, using a narrative of color and characters to create an emotional connection to the unconscious. Campbell defines myth as "an organization of symbolic forms, images, and narratives that are metaphoric of the possibilities of human experience and fulfillment in a given society at a given time.”

The titles are from Campbell's book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The portraits are of people who have influenced my journey. And the figurative paintings are my friends as subjects, where we collaborated in a performative process to create scenes that convey the metaphoric possibilities of our own mythology.

In the 1930s, the photographer Brassai would roam the streets of Paris at night, photographing the scenes played in public as well as the underground; from the brothels, to his artist and writer friends, who would become famous icons. These 20 paintings are Inspired by his exquisite black and white photographs. All work is oil on board, 12" x 16".

30 portraits of cultural influencers. Water-soluble wax pastel and acrylic on 18" x 24" canvas.

Portraits of my friends overlaid with a binary code sentence that reveals a hidden truth about them.

Landscapes from Paia, Maui, where I visited in January 2017. Inspired from views of the oceanfront bungalow where I stayed, to the scenery of walking the mile of beach and trees through Baldwin State Park and in my exploration of the abandoned sugar cane factory. I wanted to capture the feeling of the wind and the waves and the ever-changing clouds and shadows of this beautiful place.