Jenny Mathews – Artist & Performer
Jenny Mathews is a multi-disciplinary artist and educator with a passion for sharing creativity. Armed with a Master’s degree in Art Education and 15 years of experience teaching elementary art, she has devoted her life to nurturing artistic expression in others. Outside the classroom, Jenny shines as a festival performer and artist, having brought her vibrant touch to music festivals and large-scale productions. She effortlessly blends painting, dance, and music into her artistry, making her truly an artist at heart with a flair for the theatrical.
At the Figure, Fruit & Field retreat, Jenny channels her boundless energy into leading interactive art performance experiences. She is the creator of the signature “Jenny Party” – an immersive late-night dance-and-art celebration under the stars. In this joyful after-hours gathering, Jenny encourages everyone to let loose and express themselves. Don’t be surprised to find her dancing with a paintbrush in hand or serenading the crowd with flute melodies while live-painting a canvas. Whether you’re an avid dancer or picking up a brush for the first time, you’ll feel welcomed by Jenny’s playful approach. She turns the dance floor into a living canvas, inviting participants to create, move, and celebrate in unison.
Jenny’s philosophy of art-as-healing infuses everything she does. A strong advocate for mental health, she believes that “art saves lives” and has seen firsthand how creativity can heal and connect people. Her warm, approachable style (she might even greet you with an “aloha!”) helps everyone feel at ease as part of the FigFruFi community. Jenny has a special talent for bringing people together – be it through collaborative mural-making or spontaneous sketch circles – and she embodies the retreat’s spirit of camaraderie and creativity.
