Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeri Abel.
Hi Jeri, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My creative journey began long before I called myself an artist. I was the person who filled boxes with photographs of flowers and landscapes — images I hoped one day to turn into paintings. Even when life was busy, my instinct was always to notice light on petals, the curve of a canyon wall, or the way water moved over stone.
After a significant life change, I returned to school and immersed myself in art and business studies. That season led to teaching art at a private school, where I refined my skills in painting, drawing, and printmaking while learning to guide others in their creative expression. Teaching deepened my understanding of both craft and discipline.
As digital tools emerged, I studied computer graphics just as Photoshop was in its early days. What began as curiosity became a decade-long career in graphic design, where I created scenic books, postcards, and merchandise — including materials connected to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. That chapter strengthened my design sensibility and technical precision.
Later, after remarrying and stepping away from corporate work, I built a home studio and returned fully to my own artistic vision. Travel throughout the United States, Alaska, and Mexico rekindled my love of landscape photography. A class in digital photography finally brought everything together — traditional art training, design experience, and emerging digital tools. I discovered that I could create painterly photographic images that reflected the work I had always imagined.
Today, my focus centers on floral still life and landscape photography. I grow many of the flowers I photograph, gathering them from my cutting gardens and arranging them in my studio with intentional light and composition. At the same time, I continue to seek out the grandeur of the natural world — from Utah’s Wasatch canyons to the lush forests of Oregon and the dramatic coastline of Big Sur.
Looking back, every chapter — painting, teaching, graphic design, travel — prepared me for the work I create now. Through my art, I seek to share the beauty and healing presence of nature. My guiding phrase remains simple and sincere: Surround Yourself with Nature’s Beauty.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Beginning in 2018, my life shifted in ways I could not have anticipated. My husband suffered a stroke, and in the years that followed I walked through a season of profound loss — saying goodbye to my husband, my parents, and even my beloved little dog. At the same time, the world itself slowed during the pandemic, and life became tender and uncertain.
In the midst of that season, my garden became a sanctuary. Tending flowers each day — planting, watering, watching them unfold — reminded me that life continues in quiet, faithful ways. There is something deeply reassuring about a bud opening to the light.
My faith, my art, and the steady rhythm of growing things sustained me. Creating still-life florals in my studio gave structure to my days and peace to my heart. Light falling across petals, the individuality of each bloom — these small wonders became daily reminders of hope.
Looking back, I understand more clearly why my work centers on restoration and healing beauty. It is not simply a theme; it is something I have lived. The flowers carried me through grief, and through them I learned again that beauty is not fragile — it is resilient.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create fine art photographic still-life and landscape work that celebrates the beauty, wonder, and restorative power of nature. At the heart of my work is a deep love of flowers — from seedling to full bloom — and the quiet joy they bring into our lives.
Much of my inspiration begins in my own cutting gardens. Throughout the growing season, I nurture dahlias, roses, gladiolus, and seasonal blooms, gathering them at their peak and bringing them into my studio. There, I arrange them in thoughtfully composed still lifes, often incorporating heirloom vessels, hand-painted backdrops, and carefully shaped natural light. The process is slow and intentional. I am drawn to the subtle magic within each bloom — the way light reveals translucence, texture, and iridescence — and I work to capture not just the appearance of a flower, but its presence.
While my foundation is photography, many of my pieces carry a painterly sensibility shaped by years of study in both traditional and digital art. The result is work that bridges realism and atmosphere — grounded in detail yet luminous and expressive.
My images are created as invitations. In a fast and often overwhelming world, I believe beauty is not indulgent — it is restorative. My tagline, Surround Yourself With Nature’s Beauty, reflects my desire to bring the experience of the garden and the landscape indoors. For many collectors, especially those who may not easily access wild places, my work becomes a daily window into stillness, wonder, and seasonal change.
Living in Utah has profoundly influenced my artistic vision. Utah’s dramatic seasons and shifting light have shaped my understanding of contrast, resilience, and color. I am continually inspired by the beauty of the Wasatch canyons — their forests, waterfalls, and mountain light — as well as the bold forms and textures of the red rock desert. My landscape work honors both the intimacy of close observation and the awe of expansive space.
I am deeply honored that my work has been recognized both locally and internationally. In 2025, my still-life Crimson Cascade received Best of Show (Professional Category) at the Utah State Fair — a moment that affirmed years of dedication to craft. I have also been selected for inclusion in the international juried publication Arts to Hearts Project: 101 Photographers.
What sets my work apart is the integration of garden, studio craft, and fine art refinement. I grow many of the flowers I photograph. I design the compositions. I shape the light. I carefully refine color and print to preserve vibrancy and depth. Each piece is cultivated from beginning to end — seed to final print — resulting in a recognizable style that blends botanical intimacy with painterly atmosphere.
More than anything, I am proud of having built a body of work that feels authentic and deeply personal. It reflects both quiet grace and joyful celebration — the elegance of a single rose and the exuberance of a field of bloom. My goal is simple: to create art that allows people to live with nature, to feel its presence daily, and to remember that beauty is a powerful and sustaining force.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories is camping with my family at a lake in Idaho. My father always encouraged us to truly observe the world around us — to notice the trees, the water, the changing light. My mother could name nearly every flower and most of the stars. Nature wasn’t just scenery in our family; it was something to pay attention to.
On that trip, I remember sitting near the water with a small watercolor set, trying to capture the reflection of the trees on the lake. It was the first time I attempted to truly “paint” what I was seeing. I wasn’t thinking about becoming an artist — I simply wanted to hold onto the beauty of that moment.
Looking back, I can see that everything began there — observation, wonder, and the desire to preserve what feels fleeting.
Pricing:
- Open edition fine art prints: starting at approximately $95 (depending on size and finish)
- Framed fine art pieces: typically range from $450–$1,200
- Limited edition works: beginning around $350, depending on size and edition
- Original artwork (when available): individually priced
- Commissions: available upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jeriabelphotoart.com/shop-art
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Lovenmyflowers
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/JeriAbelPhotoArt
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeri-abel-440216120
