Jenny Aitken
Artist, author, and teacher living and working in the English Peak District. My work focuses on light, sparkle, and atmosphere, with an emphasis on big seascapes and rolling hills.
Painting Light and Landscape
With strong family roots in the Channel Islands, I grew up with an enduring love for the sea, as well as a fascination with light and how it changes a landscape. As an artist, I’m always looking to capture that effect. I work both in the studio and en plein air, chasing light and hazy atmosphere with a contre-jour painting style which has become my signature.
About Me
I graduated from the seaside University of Aberystwyth in 1998 with a Joint Honours degree in Art and Art History, and have been working as an artist ever since. I have exhibited across the UK and Ireland, won the Baltic Exchange Award in 2023, and was elected a member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists the same year.
Teaching is a natural extension of my work as an artist, and I’m deeply passionate about sharing what I’ve learned with others. I run painting retreats throughout the year, which you can find here, and I have online video tutorials available here. I’ve also written two books on painting.
Living in the Peak District, I’m inspired by the landscape around me, with dramatic cliffs, hills, and rolling valleys. I post work regularly on Instagram and Facebook, and you can view my gallery representation here.
BIOGRAPHY
Jenny Aitken is a British artist based in the Derbyshire Peak District. She graduated from the University of Aberystwyth in 1998 with a BA in Art and Art History, and exhibits her work across the UK and Ireland. She is a member of the RSMA, a winner of the Baltic Exchange Award, and author of Painting into the Light and A Beginner’s Guide to Plein Air Painting, published through Search Press in 2024 and 2026.