About Jen

Jen Carlson is an Australian painter based in Northern Rivers NSW - a move she made in midlife, choosing a life closer to nature.

Her background includes textile design and a career in hair and makeup for the entertainment industry. Her studies took her from Sydney to printing workshops throughout India, before she transitioned to painting.

She works from her studio creating large-scale abstract paintings that explore pattern, nature, and lived experience.

Available Work

Artist Statement

I work with the patterns, textures and marks of nature. What begins as technical exploration becomes something more. The paintings transmit lived experiences in ways I can only understand afterward. For me, painting is where the unknown becomes known.

Meditation has been integral to my practice since my mid-thirties, shaping both process and outcome. My influences range from vintage textiles and stained glass windows to the Japanese art form of Sumi-e, where brush strokes find the raw essence of form.

My approach blends technical skill with intuitive practice. The resulting paintings are atmospheric, layered, abstracted impressions that invite personal interpretation.

My hope is that people find their own connection within the works.

View Gallery

Group Exhibitions

  • 2026 - Selected works - Empire Revival, Murwillumbah

  • 2025 - Hibiscus on the River - Ninbella Gallery, Bangalow

  • 2022 – Less is More - Art Lovers Australia, Gold Coast

  • 2018 - Flowers in Motion - Cafe Dbar, Gold Coast

    Solo Exhibitions

  • 2021 - The In-Between - Finite Art Gallery, Brisbane

Education

  • 2022 – Masterclass – Design Techniques, Firebird Studio, QLD

  • 2022 – Advanced Clay Techniques – A Potters Journey, QLD

  • 2021 – Masterclass – Hand Build, Firebird Studio, QLD

  • 2021 – Masterclass – Wheel, Firebird Studio, QLD

  • 2020 – Design Principals, Nicolas Wilton, USA

  • 2017 – Intensive Colour Relationship Workshop, Merv Moriarty, QLD

  • 2015 – Folk Art Workshops, QLD

  • 2007 – Blocking Printing Workshop, Jaipur, India

  • 2007 – Indigo Dye Workshop, Jaipur, India

  • 2001 – Diploma in Textile Design, East Sydney Tafe