Watercolors Inspired by Nature
Jennie Kilcup Watercolors burst with life, color, and character,
each one demonstrating her talent for capturing the extreme
detail and essence of her subject, whether it be scenic natural
beauty, preserving family nostalgia and memories, pet portraits,
iconic images, wedding packages, or commercial design. Much
of this Idaho and Wood River Valley native’s art is influenced
and inspired by the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful landscapes and
prolific wildlife. A self-taught artist, her work expresses a
delightful fusion of real life and whimsy, embracing a rich color
palette and deeply personal mountain-living motifs. Her medium
of choice is watercolor on paper, enhanced with pen and ink
etched outline.
My name is Jennie Kilcup, and I am a watercolor artist based in Boise, Idaho, known as the City of Trees. I’m proud to call myself a fourth generation Idahoan, born and raised in world-famous Sun Valley. It was there, surrounded by the mountains of central Idaho, where I played, explored, was home schooled, and fell in love with all of creation. Countless family road trips cultivated my sense of the outdoors, and provided inspiration that nestled as memories until I took up painting full-time.
As early as I can remember, I was always coloring or drawing. When I was eight, my mother enrolled me in art lessons, where I became acquainted with watercolor. We became fast friends, and I grew in that relationship, knowing I’d discovered something special.
I sold my first painting when I was 11 years old at an artisan fair at which my art teacher had a booth for her work and that of her students. When the teenage years crept in, life got busy, sports took over, and my interest waned. My mom would prod me from time to time to paint her a picture, to no avail. It wasn’t until college when I took a pencil drawing class, that the old relationship began to kindle. About the same time, Instagram was flourishing and I tested the water (colors) with a few posts. The support was overwhelming and encouraging. After several years of working in the world of politics and then getting married, I launched my art business in 2016.
I love a lot of things!
I love steak and potatoes (true Idaho girl), a good yard sale or thrift store (raised on ‘em), golfing (a scholarship paid for college) my darling husband, Luke (met on the college golf team), our two beautiful children (IVF miracle babies), Stanley and Emmett, (two impossible, untrained, but lovable Goldens), Ace (the cat), and gardening (obsessed!)
I love living in this big beautiful bustling city of Boise. It’s full of vibrant life and iconic inspiration. It is wild yet metropolitan Idaho, and close enough to the mountains that we can quickly escape to inhale the scent of pine and mountain air. And I love pine trees. Oh, I do love pine trees. They are my favorite thing to paint.
These days, I’m squeezing studio time into Mom life, and I couldn’t be happier with both. It’s a season of life I have always dreamed of and that which fills my soul with joy.
I hope you find something here that brings you joy and makes you smile. I am grateful to God for the ability to paint and share it with others.
Thank you for stopping by!!
