I was born in Milan, TN and grew up in KY in a very large family. Before it was trendy, we used found objects and recycled materials in our art. The resourcefulness that I learned as a child was once again part of my life when living in Alaska for twenty years. I have continued to use reclaimed and salvaged materials in my mixed media work. Currently I live and work in Raleigh, NC.

Most of my adult life I have been self-employed. All of my work has contributed to who I am today and the art I create. In the past I have managed a bed & breakfast, an arts and crafts co-op, antiques and collectibles shop and have been a general contractor in the building maintenance and remodeling industry.

For me, life and art are inseparable and I find inspiration everywhere I look. Experimenting with various techniques and materials is part of the lure of art for me. I am a self-taught artist and I enjoy the process of creating - the journey - as much as the end product. With the passage of time, I find myself devoting more and more time to my art. I fully expect to die with a paintbrush in my hand and a smile on my face.

I find inspiration in nature, colors, patterns, fractals, photomicrography, life experiences and the very act of creating. I usually approach my artwork with an idea and then find techniques and materials to capture the concept.

I am currently painting with inks on various substrates including acrylic laminate, metal, Plexiglas™, polymer clay and Ampersand Claybord™. These surfaces and the inks allow for a wide range of effects that are reminiscent of microorganisms, the arctic tundra, cave formations, mudflats, terraced earth, the cosmos, sea life, flowers, and surrealistic landscapes. All of these ink paintings are one-of-a-kind and no prints are made from these paintings.

My mixed media works are made from found or salvaged materials. As a collector of unappreciated, unloved and seemingly useless and worthless items, I often use them in collage or assemblage. These works of art often tell a story. All collages and assemblages are one-of-a-kind.

My sculptures are often made using a variety of earth and synthetic clays. Some of the clays are fired in a kiln and some air dried while others such as polymer clay are cured in a home oven. A few sculpting mediums are cured through a process of chemical reactions between two different parts. My large sculptures are one-of-a-kind. My smaller works may be in series, but no two will be the same.

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Jeanne Rhea 3519 Baugh Street Raleigh, NC 27604

Phone 919.850.9278 jrhea@nc.rr.com