Clouds Over the Cape - 16x20 Acrylic Painting

Jaquelin Perry hails from Colerain, NC, a rural town in the northeastern corner of the state just west of the Albemarle Sound. The area offers no shortage of inspiration, from dilapidated barns to scenic fields of what Perry calls "the usual suspects": cotton, corn, peanuts, soybean, and sage. Her husband grows it all on the couple's farm.

"My paintings are about life," Perry says. "During the summer, I can get outside and paint every day. The winter just doesn't speak to me in the same way, so that's when I am going to the grocery store to buy fresh flowers, and fruits and vegetables to set up my own still-life scenes. I don't really like to paint from photographs."

It's not just Perry's surroundings that inspire her, though. Creativity is in her bloodline, most immediately with her mother, Jaqueline Jenkins. Though her mother's life tragically ended at a young age, Perry is quick to credit her as a muse, along with her grandmother.

"I feel so blessed to live in beautiful eastern North Carolina. Everywhere I look there are endless possibilities for new paintings. My goal is to paint daily, and I am striving every day to improve my painting skills and find my own path as an artist. I try to paint exclusively from life when I can, and truly love the experience of en plein air painting.

"I hope my paintings are exclamations of happiness and expressions of appreciation for our beautiful landscape. Painting is certainly a wonderful journey that gives me tremendous gratification. I am so fortunate to have a close circle of painting pals and mentors that I get together with on a regular basis for painting outings and support."