Jennifer Brewer Stone

Open Sunday, #25

Jellyfish Rising

I did In Vitro Fertilization for 5 years and now have a beautiful baby boy, Gabriel, just over a year old today. Through this arduous, pricey and painful process, and especially after the throes of the pandemic, I am all the more driven to show him what is precious: the amazing world we live in, full of natural wonders wherever you turn, if only you take the time to look. He is helping me see as much as I am helping him—he turns at the sound of each bird call; he sees the smallest fallen petal and bends to explore it. What I feel and wish the most for now is grace: the gracefulness of these creatures swimming through the ocean, grace that they exist. Grace for myself as a new mother, finding time to paint between baby naps and weekly crises. Grace for us all, because continuing to create and experience others’ creation is a lifeline that lifts us all from both the mundane and the unthinkable. In this new series called Grace, I paint the exotic forms of oceanic creatures—jellyfish & nudibranchs. It’s amazing that something in our world can look so fantastical, but it really exists. I finished my painting Jellyfish Rising (above) a few weeks before my son Gabriel was born, and I've since completed 8 paintings of nudibranchs (sea slugs) in the same style. Watch my progress on Instagram or Facebook, or sign up for my newsletter through my website. September is just around the corner--hope to see you!