Born in San Antonio, Texas and raised in Cullowhee, NC, a small college town in the Appalachian Mountains, Jenna Marie Kesgen spent the majority of her childhood surrounded by natural beauty.  The forests and rivers that she grew up with have had a strong influence in her life and her art.  Jenna received her B.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of North Carolina in Asheville.  It was during her time here that she began painting.  Upon graduation, she moved to Spain where she worked as an English teacher.  A year later she moved to Ecuador and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Since then, she has returned to the United States and has lived in New Orleans and along the East coast.  She then moved to Ashland, Oregon and received her Master's degree in Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University as well as her teaching license..  Throughout her traveling, she has continued to make art a forefront to her life, using her painting as an expression to the cultures and natural environment she has encountered.   Recently, Jenna has returned to her roots in the mountains of North Carolina where she continues to observe and create.

Virtually self-taught, Jenna has used her keen sense of observation as the driving mechanism for her artwork.  She approaches a painting by first finding the image.  Almost always it is something that has made some sort of impact in her life, a place she has visited, a familiar part of her routine, or something that stands out as interesting as she passes it by.  Repetition, balance, and a strong presence inspire her, as does nature and beauty. Her paintings can be described as representations of real life, but exaggerated in color and contrast to more clearly symbolize their true character.  The use of color is intended to be intense and palpable, as its own character, demanding the viewer to stretch his or her comfort level quickly.  In this way, she tries to give the objects their voice.