Articles: Jen Pontti
Meet the Artist: Jen Pontti
For Jen Pontti, becoming an artist was never something she planned—it was something that gradually unfolded. A native of Livonia, Louisiana, Jen took her first painting class around the age of nine or ten with local art teacher Anita Badgeron. Although she would go on to build a 26-year career as a registered nurse, creativity continued to weave its way through her life until she began selling her artwork in 2018.
Jen’s path to becoming a professional artist has been deeply connected to her faith. She describes painting as something God placed within her long before she understood how it would become part of her story. Over the years, she painted for friends, created pieces out of necessity, and experimented simply because she saw something she loved and thought, “I could make that.” Eventually, she began embracing the idea that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Her work is vibrant, abstract, and full of experimentation. Jen considers herself a “color girl” and enjoys working with a variety of mediums and textures, including acrylics, craft paint, watercolor, pastels, spray paint, paper, and unconventional materials. She often begins without a strict plan, allowing the piece to develop organically through layers, marks, textures, and movement.
Abstract art gives Jen the freedom she loves while also giving the viewer room to find their own meaning. She may begin with one idea, only to have someone else see a jellyfish, a leaf, a bird, or something entirely different within the finished work. For Jen, that exchange is part of the magic: the artwork becomes a shared experience between the artist and the person looking at it.
The layers in Jen’s paintings carry a deeper meaning for her as well. She often paints over areas she doesn’t like, leaving traces of what came before underneath the final piece. Those hidden layers create depth and richness, both visually and symbolically. Jen sees a parallel between that process and life itself—the experiences we might wish we could erase can ultimately become part of what gives our stories depth and meaning.
Being surrounded by other artists at The Foyer has encouraged Jen to keep experimenting. She draws inspiration from watching fellow artists work and seeing the techniques, tools, and materials they use. That creative community has pushed her to try new things, take risks, and occasionally look at a piece she thought was a disaster only to discover that someone else sees something they absolutely love.
Jen has been part of The Foyer since the early days of her art career. She remembers arriving with her artwork in an old Saturn whose back door didn’t even lock, hoping someone would give her poured-art pieces a chance. The Foyer did—and Jen says the gallery has been an incredible advocate for its artists ever since. She especially values the family atmosphere among the artists, the support from the staff, and the way the gallery continues to promote and connect its artists with the community.
For Jen, the most rewarding part of being an artist is knowing that one of her pieces has found its way into someone’s meaningful space. Her paintings have become gifts for new mothers, memorial pieces for families grieving loved ones, and additions to homes that hold personal memories. When someone chooses one of her paintings, she says it still feels a little like being a child proudly showing a parent something she created and hearing, “This is it—we’re putting it on the fridge.”
Jen hopes her work brings that same sense of happiness, comfort, and connection to the people who see it. Her art is colorful and expressive, but beneath the color are stories, memories, faith, and layers of life—both the beautiful ones and the unexpected ones.
Visit The Foyer at 3655 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 12 to 5 PM to see more of Jenn's work .
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