Jenny Eggleston is a visual artist, poet, and teacher. Her work is often inspired by nature--and its many forms and feminisms--to create mindscapes that are emotive, sensual, sometimes disturbing, and quirky. Jenny often titles her works with poems, moving between the expressions in a separate but co-creative act.
Her recent work responds to concrete scenes of shame, silencing, and taboo, with a surreal and unafraid imagination. She is an advocate for reproductive justice, full dismantling of rape culture, and equitable health care for all.
Jenny Eggleston has exhibited throughout North Carolina and Virginia. Her work has been shown at the Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro, the Muscarelle Museum of Art in Williamsburg, and most recently at the Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University. She is the owner of Egg in Nest Art Studio, a private art studio providing instruction in drawing, painting, and art appreciation. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary, and her graduate studies were at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also studied abroad through the University of Georgia.
Recent Work
State of the Union
My recent work is in response to the crisis of democracies across the globe, particularly in the United States. While insidious assaults on democratic ideals have been experienced by BIPOC communities since the inception of this country, citizens the country over found themselves in shock and disbelief over the assault on our Nation’s Capitol on January 6, 2021. The subsequent attacks on voting rights, reproductive rights, and attacks on the LGBTQ+ communities have intensified in the last year. State of the Union is a body of work that depicts these ongoing threats to our civil liberties through symbolic imagery that is at once visceral and unrepressed. The mixed-media works in this show employ taboo imagery of the KKK, funhouse mirrors, and flags while using mud, dirt, and gauze as some of the mediums. The symbols and materials composed are meant to be stark reminders that there cannot be democracy when there is only one dominant narrative and made under the blanket of White Privilege.
Solo and Invitational Exhibitions
State of the Union, VAE Raleigh at So & So Books, Raleigh, NC, May-July 2022
COSO 2021 Biennial, VAE Raleigh at The Hub, Raleigh, NC, October 2021
Flora [FEM] Fauna, The Gatewood Gallery, UNCGreensboro, Greensboro, NC, April 2021
Skipping Stones and Wishing Wells (A Sister Act), The Halle Cultural Arts Center, Apex, NC, May 2021
Flora fem Fauna, Frankie G. Weems Art Gallery, Meredith College, Raleigh, NC, February 2020
Durham Art Guild 65th Annual Juried Exhibition, DAG's SunTrust Gallery, Durham, NC, August 2019
(In)Visible Organ, Rubenstein Arts Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, February 2019
The Nasty Woman Art Show and Fundraiser, The Carrack, Durham, NC, January 2017
Solo Show, Mute Music, Drawings and Poems, The ArtsCenter, Carrboro, NC, February 2018
Solo Show, Halle Cultural Arts Center, Apex, NC, October 2016
Solo Show, Durham Art Guild, Golden Belt, September 2016
Featured Artist, Frank Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC, July 2016
Furballs and the Quiz-o-matic Cherries, Recent Paintings and Assemblage, Artspsace, Foyer, Raleigh, NC, March – May 2016
Head in the Clouds, Drawing and Paintings, Holly Springs Cultural Center, Holly Springs, NC, October, 2015
Fate and Fortunes, Assemblages and Drawings, Artspace, UpFront Gallery, Raleigh, NC, February 2015
FRANK Graphic: Drawings and Prints, Frank Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC, May-June 2014
Fortune Boxes, Assemblages Inspired by Freaks Shows and the Circus, Halle Culture Arts Center, Apex, NC, April 2014
Solo Exhibition of Recent Drawings, Guest Artist and Speaker, Trinity School Gallery, Trinity School, Durham, NC, April 2014
Twisted Tongues, Surrealistic Drawings and Poetry, Durham Art Guild, Durham, NC, January 2014
Reconfiguration, Guest Artist and Speaker, Ravenscroft Gallery of Fine Art, Ravenscroft School, Raleigh, NC, September 2014
Twisted Tongues, Surrealistic Drawings and Poetry, 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC, July-August 2013
A Field of Teacups, Surrealistic Drawings and Poetry, Halle Cultural Arts Center, Apex NC, April 2013
Reconfiguration, DeBerry Gallery for Botanical Arts and Illustration, North Carolina Botanical Gardens, Chapel Hill, NC, January 2013
Reconfiguration, Rocky Mount Imperial Arts Centre, Rocky Mount, NC, Sept 2013
Carbon Load, Solo Installation, Artspace UpFront Gallery, Raleigh, NC, July 2011
Earthly Musings, 3 person exhibition, Block Gallery, Raleigh, NC August 2011
Tulips, Artspace Lobby Gallery, Raleigh, NC, April 2010
The Nature of Being, Gallery Nomads, Flanders Gallery at Green Hill Center, Greensboro NC, 2009
Figuratively Speaking, M. Street Gallery, Raleigh NC, April 2009
Recent Juried Exhibitions
Peeling In the Years, Group Exhibition, Peel Gallery, Carrboro, NC, Dec 2021
64th Annual Juried Exhibition, Durham Arts Guild, Durham, NC, July 2018
N.E.W. Never Exhibition Work, Visual Art Exchange, September 2015
N.E.W. Never Exhibited Work, Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC, September 2014
Rocky Mount Imperial Arts Centre 2014 Juried Show, Rocky Mount, NC, Summer 2014
Berserk! Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC, April 2014
Durham Art Guild Juried Exhibition, Durham, NC, Winter 2014
ArtSpace Collectors Galla, Artspace Raleigh, NC, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
The White Show, Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC, October 2011
Oxidation, Halle Cultural Art Center, Apex ,NC, October 2011
Unfettered, Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC, April 2011
For the Love of Art, VAE Juried Exhibition, Auction and Gala, Raleigh, NC,2011
Art on Paper 2010, Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC
N.E.W. Never Exhibited Work, Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC, 2010
The Party, Coordinated Exhibit, United Arts Council, Raleigh, NC, 2010
Upfront Exhibition, Artspace , Raleigh, NC, 2010
New Works Exhibition, Artspace, Raleigh, NC, 2010
Exchange Gallery Exhibition, 2 person show, VAE, Raleigh, NC, 2009
Eve’s Threads, ArtSPARK POD Installation, SPARKcon, Raleigh, NC, 2009
Gallery Artists Exhibition, M. Street Gallery, Raleigh, NC, 2008
Unfettered , Visual Artists Exchange Raleigh, NC, 2008,
Love In the Air, Halle Cultural Art Center, Apex, NC, 2008
N.E.W. Never Exhibited Work, VAE, Raleigh, NC, 2008
Spark Con’08 Exhibition, Vintage 21 Gallery, Raleigh, NC, 2008
American Drawing Biennial II, Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, VA
Juried Exhibition, 1708 Main Street Gallery, Richmond, VA.
Awards and Reviews
2016 Winter Residency at Penland School of Craft, Penland NC
2015 Winter Residency at Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2014 Acquisition Award, Maria V. Howard Gallery, Imperial Arts Centre, Rocky Mount, NC, June 2014
“Honorable Mention” The White Show, VAE, Raleigh NC, 2011
Reviewed by the Independent Weekly as “White Show highlight” http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/two-new-shows-at-visual-art-exchange/Content?oid=2684973
Independent Weekly Magazine “Artist Pick” for Carbon Load Exhibition, Artspace, Raleigh NC, August 2011
http://teachingyourmiddleschooler.blogspot.com/2011/08/exhibit-you-dont-want-to-miss.html
“Merit Award”, For the Love of Art 2011 , VAE Exhibition, Auction and Gala, Raleigh NC
“Merit Award” N.E.W. Exhibit, Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC 2010
NC Art Blog Review, The Birds and the Bees Jenny Eggleston at Artspace, May 2010
15-foot wildlife mural commission, Stevens Center in Richmond, VA
“Critics’ Choice,” American Drawing Biennial, Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg VA
“People’s Choice” Small Works Exhibition, On the Hill Art Gallery, Yorktown, VA
Book cover and poster design award , “Virginia Endangered Species”, Virginia Wildlife Agency
“Everyone has a Song” painting commission, Western Wake Hospital, Cary NC 2009
Education
Bachelor of Arts, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 1986
Graduate Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 1990
Studied Abroad, Cortona, Italy, University of Georgia 1985 under John D. Kehoe