About

The frog song you hear when you enter this site was collected at Huntley Meadows Park, in Alexandria, VA. It is one of my favorite places on the planet. I have been going there for almost 20 years, watching the seasons change, the creatures come and go. Most of my art from the past few decades has been inspired by what I see there, and a lot of my writing too.

If you are lucky, when you go to Huntley Meadows, someone will be looking at something through binoculars, a camera lens, or their own eyes as they crouch down on the boardwalk for a better view. And if you are me, you will be compelled to draw close and see what they are seeing. The world is vast; there is so much to experience, it's nice to have someone point out the wonders you might otherwise miss.

I think that is the best way to describe what I try to do through my creative endeavors. I like to share what I see because sometimes a unique perspective can open our eyes to a different way of thinking, or a different way of seeing. And my own life has invited me to see the world differently.

I grew up loving language, art, people, and nature, and these loves have persisted throughout my life. They have grown in depth and experience through:

my two sons, Leal and Oli, who opened my eyes to true wonder;
the death of Oli in 2019 and the endless evolution that comes with learning to live with that reality;
extended family whose care for my own has sustained us;
tremendous friends who share their worlds with me;
the beautiful flora and fauna of the 6 different states that I've called home;
hundreds of teachers and students from whom I've learned over decades of work in education;
a marriage and divorce that continue to teach me about forgiveness and authenticity;
and an emerging understanding that the power of love is greater than anything we can comprehend.

There is so much about this life that I do not understand, but there are also great mysteries of the human experience for which I have gleaned a little wisdom. Mostly, I am just curious. I want to experience as much as possible with whatever time I have left here, and where it is useful, I want to share what I learn, what I have come to see, with those for whom that perspective might be useful.

With a grateful heart,

Jenna Fournel