Biography
jenniferacheek@gmail.com
Jennifer Cheek was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She lived her early life in Lutherville playing recreational sports such as basketball and lacrosse. She continued on to attend Towson High School. Later in high school, she became interested in the arts, focusing on figurative oil painting and drawing. With the encouragement of her teachers, Jennifer applied to Maryland Institute College of Art in the fall of 2005. She continued to pursue painting after entering MICA in the fall of 2006.
During her time at MICA, artists Lucien Freud, Frida Khalo, Franz Marc, Chuck Close, and Alex Katz have influenced her in her mixed media drawings and paintings. Subject matter and the style of paint application are what draw Cheek to these artists. Now living in Charles Village, Baltimore, the surrounding city has become major influence. Her aggressive mark making and bold color palette can be compared to the conflicting architecture and culture that exists in the city. Graduating as a painting major in the spring of 2010, Cheek’s oil paintings and drawings are meant to be uplifting experiences for her viewers and are a direct response to the positive influence of her family and environment.