Born into a family of artists on the island of Jamaica in the Caribbean, Jennifer Woolcock Schwartz attended the Jamaica School of Arts and Crafts then after a year transferred to the Ontario College of Art in Toronto and finally to the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Her meticulously crafted oil paintings expresses her love of color and movement. Her goal is to present a purely visual space in which color and line create an illusion of movement and rhythm that envelop the viewer, eliciting a visceral response.
She begins with several small drawings on paper, trying out various color combinations. One drawing is chosen as a starting point, leaving room for improvising as it is transformed into a large painting. Taping is used to achieve precise edges and to delineate colors. The surface is built up by applying several thin layers of oil paint on a background of tinted, acrylic primed linen.
Woolcock Schwartz has exhibited nationally and internationally. Her wok has been reviewed in local and national publications including the New York Times and listed in Art Forum Magazine. She is also the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Woolcock Schwartz’ work can be found in the public collections of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington, D.C. and the Library for the Performing Arts at the New York Public Library in New York, NY, as well as in private collections.
She is a citizen of the United States.