Watercolor Painter Jennifer Rehberg is VIVA’s Guest Artist for July!
Artist Statement
Watercolor can be unpredictable, which makes it both challenging and beautiful to use. Over the years, I've practiced and learned from other artists who specialize in watercolors. I've come to understand the importance of composition, effective use of colors, and creating various textures. This has helped me develop my own unique painting style.
I find inspiration for my paintings from many sources. The Driftless region, where I live, offers beautiful landscapes that I love to paint. I also create scenes from my travels to different places. Besides landscapes, I enjoy painting familiar birds and animals. When people look at my artwork, I want them to see the world through my eyes. I hope they can experience how light, color, and shapes interact in watercolor paintings, which makes this medium so captivating and visually interesting.
Jennifer answers some fun questions:
Can you articulate what draws you to a particular composition?
Often what I paint has an emotional attachment. It may be a favorite place I visited or a moment of joy. I paint mainly from photos that I have taken. If I am drawn to an image, but the subject matter is not balanced, I will add or subtract a part of the scene.
What’s the most indispensable item in your studio?
The most indispensable item in my studio is my desk. It was originally a machinist’s workbench. It is well-worn, has a ledge to rest my feet, and holds all of my tools. Best of all it was a gift.
Why did you decide to work in your chosen medium?
I started using watercolor to illustrate books that I made for my grandchildren. I continued to watercolor paint, because I find it exciting in its versatility.
-Jennifer Rehberg
Jennifer’s Biography!
Creating art has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. In high school every spare moment was spent in the art room. As an adult, I attended UW- Whitewater with a major in Art Education. Time demands did not allow me to finish the program, and I pursued a career in general education. The dream of being an artist has always stayed with me, and with the encouragement of family and friends, I have stepped outside my comfort zone to share my watercolors with others. In 2022, I started small, selling at local stores and farmer’s markets. This led to participating in art festivals, winning Inspired by La Crosse 2025, and a space at a gallery. I find pursuing dreams is much like watercolor painting- both require persistence, inspiration, and timing.