About Qala Qriti
Hi I am Jen. Welcome to my online gallery! All of my work is inspired by the beautiful world in which we live—everything from a rolling vineyard in Italy, to historic architecture in India, to a simple sunset in my own backyard. Each original moment is first captured in a photograph and then relived through the process of recreating the awe-inspiring scenes in acrylic or watercolor. This allows me to share with you two of my passions: painting and traveling.
What does "Qala Qriti" mean? Qala Qriti is a play on words of the Hindi phrase for "Art Work". Normally you might see it written as "Kala Kriti", but my middle name is Quinn and I couldn't resist the chance to add a few more "Q's" to the world.
I have been an artist for as long as I can remember, but for most of my life it was a side hobby: something I did to relax and let out my creative side. Now, however, I have the unique opportunity to make it my main pursuit. I am ever grateful to my mother for teaching me that “there are no rules in art”. Her wisdom has encouraged me to find my own creative path. Thank you to my husband, Swapnil, for unfailingly supporting my dreams. And thank you to all art patrons. This world would be a much darker place without the creation and appreciation of art.
(Wedding - Pune, India, 2017)
Jennifer Christensen is a landscape painter with a background in Museum Education. Jennifer has a BA in Comparative Religions with a Minor in Art History from the University of Virginia (Class of 2010) and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Museum Education from George Washington University (Class of 2012). After graduating, she returned to her childhood home near Toledo, Ohio and worked in the Education Department for the Toledo Metroparks until 2018. Since then, she has been working full-time as an artist and informal educator giving presentations on Women in American History and Travelogues from around the world. Between 2018 and 2024 Jennifer and her husband have lived in five different states, but Minneapolis has become the couple’s new home base.
When not painting, Jennifer keeps busy in other creative pursuits. She loves cooking and trying new recipes, especially traditional Maharashtrian dishes like her husband grew up eating in his native country of India. She and her husband also love to travel, which provides ample opportunities to go hiking, visit museums, try new cuisines, and explore local culture and artists—as well as capture the images that inspire her paintings. So far they have visited countries on three continents including Canada, Belize, Italy, Spain, and India. Finally, the couple loves spending time with their lovable rescue-dog, Hugo, who has also found himself recreated on a canvas from time to time.