2021 Senior Exhibition Artists

Jenna Ruel

Art + Design: Illustration

About Jenna Ruel

Jenna Ruel is an illustrator born and raised in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. In 2021 she earned her BFA in Illustration. She is creative and eager to learn from the world around her. Ever since high school, she has had an interest in exploring human nature through portraits. This is what has inspired her to become a storyteller.

Statement

Growing up agoraphobia and anxiety were a constant challenge in my life. One of my greatest fears had been other people. By drawing portraits I overcame my fear of other people. Now, rather than being scared, I feel inspired by them.

Through the series Dear Younger Self, I challenged myself more than I ever have before. Tasks like finding participants, hosting interviews, and brainstorming ideas gave me challenges I worked hard to get through. Between my own personal battles and COVID, getting to know people has been difficult. An important part of this series is allowing the viewer to know the participants on a personal level. Using “What Advice Would You Give to Your Younger Self?” as the leading question allowed the participants to self reflect to see their own growth while also achieving a unique feel to each piece.

Once the interviews were held the next step was to brainstorm. The participants provided me with photos of them and their young and current age. Using all of the information provided I used the photos and advice to create a dynamic and interesting interaction. Bringing the past and present together was such a fascinating challenge. The composition and colors were decided using digital rendering. Using colored pencils I created a base drawing on watercolor paper then added color using watercolor paints. The process of creating this series was incredibly fulfilling and I am so glad I get to share it with others.