Short Bio
Jeni Bate paints the sky in many different media - to bring to your life joy, and the realization that the sky is where we live.
Statement
"I paint the skies with peace and passion, because that's the way they paint me."
Clouds are much maligned bringers of unpleasant weather, but rain is a necessary part of the ecosystem and the clouds that bring them can be a beautiful composition of art. In fact, the sky is where we live – we just live there at ground level. It is the most important part of our world, the most changing, the instigator of most physical changes. My skies and abstractions thereof aim to help us realize its significance.
When we look at something, we don’t look at it all at once, but focus on this bit, that bit, this bit…. so, my refracturing method (my term recognized by the international collage magazine Kolaj in 2016) presents the art in the way that the observer would process them. Writing poetry for the work and painting it in, is not only one of the ways I have found of combining that other half of my creativity but also a guide to the emotion, the soul, of the particular painting.
Biography
Jeni Bate lives in Salton City, California – though she grew up in Wales. As a child, she enjoyed painting, but as a teenager art gave way to academics.
In 2001, Jeni was working on photography but soon had an epiphany: “Now, you have to paint!” She subsequently studied in evening classes and at a teaching studio to hone her skills. One of the things that allowed Jeni to develop her voice quickly was having teachers who taught materials handling and composition, but not style; why, not just how. These are important aspects of her own teaching.
The sky is her primary subject – both now and in childhood paintings.
Jeni began painting in watercolor, subsequently adding acrylics and oils. A series of errors progressed into her signature refractured watercolor technique. She later met quilters who likened her reorganized images to ‘refractured quilting’, so she stole the word. The use of that terminology for that technique was recognized by the international collage magazine ‘Kolaj’ in 2016.
Poetry was part of her Welsh cultural heritage and writing poetry for the paintings and painting it into them is one of three ways that she puts the two sides of her creativity together.
Jeni believes that her role as an artist is to make people think twice about the sky. How it works, how we underappreciate and pollute it, and how it is ultimately, where we live.
Resume / CV
Selected shows or galleries:
Jun 2024: Solo Show, HoltXPalm, Ontario, CA.
Apr-May 2024: Solo Show, Art Depot, Fontana, CA.
Nov 2023-Jan 2024: Solo Show, Yuma Fine Arts Center
Oct-Dec 2023: Solo Show, Chaffey Community Museum of Art
June 2023: Solo Show, Metro Gallery, Pomona, CA
Aug-Sep 2022: Solo Show, Gallery Valerie, Crocket, CA
Jun 2021: Online representation, Alessandro Berni Gallery, NY and Italy.
Oct-2021-Jan 2022: Group Show, Monrovia Community Center, Monrovia, CA.
Sep 2021: Group Show, Glass Outhouse Gallery, 29 Palms, CA.
Feb 2020-Sep 2021: Group Show, Ontario Airport, Ontario, CA
Oct 2019: Two-person show, Glass Outhouse Gallery, 29 Palms, CA.
June 2019: Solo Show, Escondido Municipal Art Gallery, Escondido, CA
Sep-Dec 2018: Group Show, La Quinta Art Museum, La Quinta, CA
Aug 2018: Solo Show, Vanguard Gallery, Moreno Valley, CA
Jan 2018: Two-person show, Glass Outhouse Gallery, 29 Palms, CA.
Aug 2017: Solo Show, Vanguard Gallery, Moreno Valley, CA
Apr-Jul 2017: and Jul-Oct 2019Group Show, High Desert Medical Center, Joshua Tree, CA
Feb 2017: Solo Show, 29Palms Gallery, 29Palms, CA.
Nov 2015: Solo Show, Carmen Durazo Cultural Center, Calexico, CA.
Sep-Oct 2015: Solo Show, Yuma Fine Art Center, Yuma, AZ.
May-Jul 2015: Gallery Representation, Orange County Creatives, Laguna Beach, CA
Jul-Sep 2014: Solo Show, Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, CA.
Jul-Aug 2012: Group Show, Red Brick Gallery, Ventura, CA.
Jan 2012: Solo Show, Ojai Art Center, Ojai, CA.
Oct-Dec 2011: Group Show, City of Palm Desert, CA.
Apr -Jun 2011: Solo Show, Yuma Fine Art Center, Yuma, AZ.
Feb 2010: Solo Show, Whittier Gallery, Whittier, CA.
Jan 2010: Solo Show, Pioneers Museum, Imperial, CA.
Nov 2009: Solo show, City Hall, Fontana, CA.
Jan 08 - Apr 09 : Gallery representation., Crossroads Gallery, Tehachapi, CA.
Feb 05-13 05: Solo Show, Camarillo Art Center, Camarillo CA.
Jun 03-Aug 04: Little Gallery, S. Montgomery St, Ojai, CA.
Public Art:
Feb-Apr 2022: Five+ vinyl wrapped traffic signal boxes for Calexico and El Centro, CA
Nov 15: Three vinyl wrapped traffic signal boxes for Desert Hot Springs, CA.
Dec 2013: “Fred’s Skies”, Traffic Signal Box Mural, Indio, CA
Oct 2012: “Tranquility”, reproduction of “Tranquility with Tree” on canvas for Kaiser Permanente
Apr 2011: “Marilyn’s Morning”,Traffic Signal Box Mural, Indio, CA
Apr 2010: Historical Mural, Chamber of Commerce, Salton City, CA.
Collections:
City of Fontana, CA.
City of Palm Desert, CA.
City of Indio, CA.
Kaiser Permanente, San Diego and Riverside, CA
International Museum of Collage, Assemblage and Construction, Fort Worth, TX
Private collection in 25 states and 6 other countries.
Selected Commissions:
April 22: Joel’s Wave I and II for Joel Delma, La Quinta, CA
May 21: Rainflowers II for Marlene and Brian Lynn, Palm Desert, CA.
Feb 17: Joshua Evening, for Ernie Alvarez, Franklin, WI.
Jul 16: TL and JL’s Honeymoon, for Tina and John Lai, San Diego.
Jun 15. “Yesterday’s Tomorrow” for Les and Marilyn Widd, Rosarita Beach, Mexico.
May 15. “Gwen’s Solstice” for couple in Indio
Dec 12 Joan Elliott and Gloria Knapp, Palm Springs, CA, “Pioneertown Evening”
Dec 12 Hugh Clairmonte and Steb Rohrbach, Palm Springs, CA “Hugh and Steb’s Sunrise”
Mar 12 Jane and Ed Merino, Freeland, WA. “Mutiny Bay Sunset”.
May 11 David Nolan, Desert Hot Springs, CA. “Vista Nuevo”, mural.
Jan 10 Laura and Scott Strickland, Mission Viejo, CA. "Colorado Lake".
Apr 09 Rob Cerqui, Fife WA. "North Shore Sunset".
July 08; Ruben and Maria’s Apples, Residential Mural.
Dec 08 ArtReach San Diego. "Kiting, a sport for all Seasons".
Jun 08 Roger Lewis, San Diego, CA. "Roger's Moon Dawn", "Moon Life".
Dec 07 ArtReach San Diego. "Jacob's Bench".
Sep 07 "Ocotillo VII". Jenny and Alan Vath, San Diego, CA; mural.
Apr 06 Carlene and Dean Ness, Desert Shores, CA "Santa Rosa Moonset"; mural.
Publications:
2017 Interview and article, Art Reveal Magazine
2016 Kolaj Magazine – quoted article
on ‘refracturing’.
CSUSB poetry class – class of 2013 anthology – cover art.
April 2013, Featured Artist, Poetic Diversity Litzine.
Feb 2005. Art Calendar: “Emerging Artist”.
Selected Awards:
Women Painter’s West “Raise your Brushes” judged show,2023. 3rd Place.
Women Painter’s West “Everyday Things” judged show,2022. 1st Honorable Mention.
Moreno Valley Chalk Art Festival 2018. Second Place.
Indio 10th annual Chalk Art Festival, 2018. Third place.
Imperial Valley Winter Fair. 2018 three 1st place one 2nd place, four 3rd place.
Imperial Valley Winter Fair. 2017 three 1st place three 2nd place, four 3rd place.
Imperial Valley Winter Fair. 2015 one 1st place three 2nd place, two 3rdplace.
Thousand Oaks Art Walk 2014; best of category Mixed Media.
Imperial Valley Winter Fair. 2013 two 2nd place, two 3rd place.
The Arts Colony, Corona, CA. 2012. 2nd Best of Show.
Imperial Valley Winter Fair. 2010 two 2nd place, two 3rd place.
Imperial Valley Winter Fair. 2007. one1st place, two 2nd place and one 3rd place.
Summer Solstice and Midsummer Mists, Jun 03, Thousand Oaks Art Gallery. Honorable Mention.
Ongoing.
Art Fairs in Southern and Central California, Arizona and Nevada.
Borrego Art Institute, Borrego Springs – books, cards, classes.
Yuma Art Gallery Gift Shop, Yuma, AZ – books, cards, artwork, classes.
Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA – books, cards.
Classes
Painting for Absolute Beginners – 1 day intensive. Taught at locations in the desert and privately.
Education
2001-2004: Studied in extension classes and a teaching studio in the Thousand Oaks area.
I am largely self-taught, but have had and still have, many, many valuable mentors along the way, mainly through demos and collaboration with other artists.
Signature Memberships
Women Painters West. National Association of Women Artists
