Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Jensen.
Hi Brad, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Art is one of the longest relationships I’ve had in my life spanning more than forty years. It began with my father, who painted signs and race cars. From the time I was six years old, he made space for me in his shop, inviting me to create alongside him. Making art became our shared language, a way of staying close that lasted until the early 2000s, when he passed away.
After losing him, I leaned more deeply into my art as a way to preserve that connection. Over time, what began as remembrance evolved into a deeper understanding of my own artistic voice. Somewhere along that path, I became not just someone who made art, but an artist in my own right.
At an art show, I was fortunate to meet renowned Fort Worth artist Judy Sager. That meeting grew into an apprenticeship and a lasting friendship. Under Judy’s guidance, I learned the craft of sculpture and developed a deeper understanding of three-dimensional form. Her mentorship profoundly shaped my work and my way of seeing. This relationship continued until her untimely passing in 2023.
Through the 2010s, I had participated in numerous exhibitions and gallery events throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Today, I continue to create in my studio, and have been fortunate enough to been commissioned by Edo Ferdinand Popken Champagne to create a series of paintings for his brand the past couple of years. I am invited to stay at his château where the pace of life is slowed down and everything is intentional, from the land to the light to the history in the walls.
Being immersed in that environment allowed me to paint from a place of presence rather than production. Edo makes Champagne that is about time, patience, and refinement, and I wanted the paintings to carry that same energy. They weren’t just decorative pieces they were meant to reflect the soul of the brand: celebration, legacy, and a quiet kind of luxury.
It was one of those rare moments where the client fully trusted the process, and that freedom allowed the work to become honest and deeply connected to the place it came from. I carry forward these lessons, relationships, and history that have shaped my practice to this day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced as a visual artist has been self-confidence. Making the work has never been the hardest part but believing in it enough to put it into the world has been. Like many artists, I’ve struggled with impostor syndrome, questioning whether I truly belonged in certain rooms or if my work was “enough”, even after years of experience and exhibitions.
Another ongoing challenge has been learning how to build and present my own brand. As artists, we’re often trained to focus on process and creation, not on how to speak about our work or advocate for ourselves. Finding a balance between authenticity and visibility took time, and it required me to step outside my comfort zone.
Over the years, I’ve learned that these obstacles don’t disappear they evolve. What’s changed is my willingness to move forward despite them. I’ve come to understand that doubt is often part of the creative process, and growth happens when I keep showing up, trusting the work, and allowing myself to be vulnerable.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a professional visual artist specializing in figurative and portrait painting, working primarily with oil, acrylic, and mixed media. My work focuses on capturing emotional depth and human presence, often exploring what exists beneath the surface rather than just physical likeness.
I’m most proud of my original works, including “Artist Tears”, as well as my current series, “Vulnerabilities”. This body of work explores themes of emotional exposure, identity, and the quiet strength found in allowing oneself to be seen. These pieces reflect both my technical growth and my willingness to lean into honesty and introspection.
What truly sets me apart isn’t a single technique or material, it’s my story. My journey as an artist has been shaped by lifelong creative relationships, loss, mentorship, and perseverance. That lived experience informs every piece I create, giving the work its emotional authenticity and personal voice.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’d just like to remind people that art doesn’t have to be understood to be felt.
My work is rooted in vulnerability and lived emotion. It’s a reflection of love, loss, faith, and the quiet moments we don’t always have words for. If my art allows someone to feel seen or less alone, then every piece has done exactly what it was meant to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bradjensenart.store
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradjensenart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.jensenart
Image Credits
Dylan Van Dusen
