Jenny Pearl, often going just by "Pearl", has been an artist ever since she could hold a pencil.
Pearl grew up in the small town of Luray, VA. In grade school, she would get in trouble for drawing in class—but some teachers saw it for what it was: imagination taking shape. Pearl created her own comic book characters, and her classmates couldn’t wait to see what kind of mischief they’d get into next. By high school, she was taking portrait requests, designing tattoos, and finishing art assignments early just so she could help others with theirs.
Pearl received her Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts at James Madison University, where she studied graphic design, photography, and figure drawing. During college, she landed a job in the marketing department at a local cable company. There, she learned to shoot and edit video, producing content for the local community channel. Eventually, Pearl stepped out on her own and built an art business focused on portrait photography and hand-drawn caricatures.
For a side quest, Pearl had the rare opportunity to learn from a world-famous leather craftsman who pushed the boundaries of what was possible with that medium in the heyday of his career. He taught Pearl how to tool, condition, and paint leather with the patience, precision, and perspective of a grandmaster. His tutelage refined her understanding of texture, depth, and surface—how even the toughest materials can be coaxed into something supple and expressive with the right tools and care. That experience deepened her appreciation for detail, for how light interacts with texture, and for the quiet discipline behind true artistry.
Pearl has always had a deep connection with faces—their expressions, their symmetry, their quirks. She was fortunate to study under a top caricature artist from MAD Magazine who taught her to treat drawing the face like a mound of clay: something to shape and mold, exaggerate and celebrate, while still keeping the essence of the person intact. She spent years learning how to see what makes someone unique—and how to bring that uniqueness to life.
That same creative energy fuels how Pearl shows up in the world. She loves experimenting with hair color, bold fashion, makeup, and especially cosplay. There’s something magical about transforming into a character—turning the whole body into a work of art.
Pearl currently resides in the Friendly City of Harrisonburg, VA. She works part time in a medical spa as a spa technician, providing hydrafacials, medical-based skin treatments, and educating clients about skincare. In her spare time, Pearl loves reading fantasy novels, watching movies and TV while cuddling with her tiny dog, and cruising in one of her two purple Mustangs. You can often catch her at live music shows and costume balls. On occasion you might find her at a festival or brewery with her easel, drawing live caricatures of her willing victims. Or perhaps you'll see her drawings on the walls of local businesses from time to time.