Jenny Kenny

Jen Kenny was born in 1975 and raised in Whanganui. Jenny descends from Ngāti Mutunga ō Wharekauri and Te Roroa iwi.
Jens creativity developed from being part of a family regularly involved in arts and crafts, including Māori design. During her school years Jen enjoyed experimenting with different techniques with art assignments often featuring bold designs and colours. At 17 Jen realised her affiliation for art featuring Māori culture and design. She was inspired when she was shown Robyn Kahukiwa’s book ‘Wahine Toa’ containing paintings and drawings of Māori women. This was a turning point for her and she has since practiced in a range of styles and media. Jen has studied tertiary art part time and gained valuable learning from the tutors there.
Jen reflects social aspects of her life in her art. Part of her 2016 – 2017 work is a series of paintings entitled ‘Food, Wine & Company’, exploring how our social interactions are often driven by these elements. You will see the passion she has for art making in this extended series and in more recent works or art pieces.