My name is Jennifer Dale Stables (a.k.a. Jenny Dale).  I am an artist, an educator, and a mother to two beautiful boys. I have a cat named Stretchy-Cat, I collect rocks, and I love Back to the Future. I grew up in a small prairie town called Bow Island, which has a population of about 1500 people. Currently I live in the town of Okotoks, Alberta, Canada (just south of Calgary, Alberta, Canada). I create artwork primarily for children’s rooms and nurseries and I write poetry to accompany each one.

Art has always been a part of my life and I have been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember. I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2001 and my Bachelor of Education in 2005 from the University of Calgary. I taught kindergarten for nearly 10 years before starting Jenny Dale Designs.  I continue to teach art in schools as an Artist in Residence.

Creating illustrations for children’s rooms and nurseries allows me to be creative and express love in all of my work. I feel a sense of freedom in making this kind of art. I can allow my mind to dream up the most fantastical characters and I bring them alive through the poetry I write to accompany them. I like to tell people that I play with paint to create the images, and then I play with words to create the poems. My art is about love and joy, and I couldn’t think of a better audience to share that with than children.

When I paint I am able to lose myself in the moment. I lose all track of time and I feel immersed in it. There is something satisfying and magical when you are able to sit back and look at a completed piece and think, ‘yesterday this didn’t exist…now it does!’ Art has always been a way for me to express myself and to restore my soul.  It is my joy and my peace.

Becasue all of my artwork is so special to me, I want people to know that each illustration is created with love, care, and joy. The poetry I write to accompany each piece helps bring the character to life. I am not only telling the story of the character, I am sharing a piece of myself through the poetry. Some poems are an outpouring of love and emotion, while others are simply playful rhymes. My hope is that they become a way for children and their parents to engage with the artwork.  I want them to be both a window and a mirror– you can see a bit of me inside them, while recognising a bit of yourself reflected back.  

To learn more about my educational background please visit JennyDaleDesigns.com

To learn more about my Art Residencies please visit my Art Residencies Page on my JennyDaleDesigns.com site.