Jonelle Summerfield

Jonelle graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2001 with a Bachelor's of Science in Interior Design. Although she has no formal art education her mother was her art teacher. She had exposed Jonelle to art since childhood, and then in high school Jonelle took a drawing class for extra credit and discovered that she actually enjoyed producing art. After she graduated from college her mother taught her how to paint with oils. Her mother had taken a lot of workshops with Pittsburgh area artists, yet she also had not studied art formally. Jonelle had worked for eight years as a kitchen designer and is now a full time artist. "I paint in the realistic style partly for the challenge of it, partly because I want to capture moments, days, and events that will perhaps never occur again."

The Princess
Oil painting
$175.00

Cream Puff
Oil painting
$150.00

The art world is saturated with oil painters, each vying to be bigger and better than all who came before. In this sea of large, attention grabbing paintings, Jonelle's work stands out in a different way. Her paintings are not only precisely executed, but also very petite in comparison to some of the other work in our gallery. The two paintings featured here only measure about 6x8 inches. Achieving Jonelle's level of realism in such a humble space is quite a feat. By choosing a small canvas, an artist can connect with an individual viewer on a more intimate level. With her charming subject matter and selectively muted colors, Jonelle produces an elegantly understated, pleasant moment in each of her pieces.

As always, visit the Artists Hand Gallery to see Jonelle's work in person, as well as the work of over 60 other local artists. While you're at it, why not enjoy an iced coffee or another tasty drink from our espresso bar?