Jennifer Sutton

About Jennifer Sutton

I like to make things, I have been making things all my life. My work is inspired by nature and the human experience. I use a variety of different materials and techniques to achieve an idea. Sometimes my work is about telling stories, atother times it is just to reflect on the beauty of the world around me, to take pause, to observe, to record.

Before going to art school I had the opportunity to work for a Toronto printmaker. This experience led me to work for two other printmakers, during and after graduation from Ontario College of Art, OCA. This was an amazing learning experience for a young art student, having the mentorship of professional artists. After graduation from OCA, I went to the University of Guelph to earn a BA. Upon my return to Toronto, I worked as a gallery guard at the Art Gallery of Ontario, AGO, which gave me time to look at art all day. I later worked as a preparator, assisting in the installation of exhibitions in the gallery, and framing works on paper.

Later in my career I worked part-time at Harbourfront Centre and the AGO, teaching art to children, before going to Teachers College at OISE. While teaching art full time for the TDSB, I continued to work at the AGO for over 20 years. Teaching at the AGO was an amazing experience, having immediate access to the collection; and behind the scenes, was an education in itself. Teaching art to high school students was a challenging yet rewarding experience. I learned as much from my students, as they did from me. Solving artistic problems everyday for 22 years, informed my own artistic practice.

Now as a retired high school art teacher from Toronto, I have found a community of like-minded artists at PAF. In the hills of Gatineau, living with nature all around has grounded me, inspiring a new artistic chapter in my life. This is quite a change from living in a big city, but now I have time to make art full-time - how great is that.