Jean Frey was born and raised in Beaver, PA where art was her favorite subject throughout her school years. She made her career in education in Fairfax County, VA as an elementary general education teacher, reading specialist, and principal. As principal of Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, she worked with teachers to use art to help students learn in all subjects. After retiring, Jean moved back to Beaver and began studying painting in Carol Begley’s Atelier. She currently lives in Fayetteville, PA with her husband of 50 +years.
Jean paints in both oils and pastels. She paints in her studio and en plein air where she enjoys the challenges that the changing light and weather provide when painting outdoors. Jean likes to explore light and shadow in her paintings both indoors and out. She prefers to paint from life whenever possible because she feels it she is working with true colors and light situations. Jean hopes her use of color and composition in her paintings tell a story to the viewer.
Her work is influenced by the Impressionists, the Expressive Realists, and the teachers with whom she has been fortunate to study: Carol Begley, Laurie McKelvie, Kathleen Denis, Thomas Kitts, Tara Will, and Michelle Byrne.
Jean’s work has been featured at the Chambersburg (PA) Council for the Arts, Waynesboro (PA) Gallery 42, and Gallery 50, Chambersburg (PA) Hospital, Grove Family Library, Midland (PA) Arts Council Summer Gallery, Art and Frame of Falls Church (VA), The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, MD.
Jean has received awards in the following exhibits:The Waynesboro Studio Club Clothesline Exhibit: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023The Franklin County Art Alliance Annual Exhibit: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023The Art Guild of the Purple Isles Annual Exhibit: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022
Jean’s work can be found at The Foundry (Chambersburg, PA), The Cumberland Shop (Shippensburg, PA) Carlisle Arts Learning Center (Carlisle, PA). And on her website at jeanfreypaintings.com
