Artist on the Rise: Jensen Twite

Capturing a moment of sheer energy was Jensen Twite’s entry point to art. And detailing the reality of a moment, from the satisfying strum of an electric guitar to the nostalgic whimsy of a playground, is at the heart of the Tea native’s craft—whether drawing from life or photographing a subject.

Jensen Twite

“I had this thing in my head saying that I wanted to be able to draw a person and make them look real, and I couldn’t do it for the longest time” Twite said. “And then I just started doing portraits—this series of musicians playing guitar—and that dynamic pose where they’re just rocking out is really fun to capture.”

Inspired by her mother’s affinity for musician-inspired art, and in particular a series of portraits she’d drawn of stars like Eddie Van Halen when she was in high school, Twite channeled her own love of musicians into the early days of her work.

“I was always kind of socially awkward and didn’t really like to go out, but I could just sit down and draw for hours,” she said, “and it made me feel like I didn’t waste my time—I really accomplished something. Self-expression.”

This journey led her to University of South Dakota, where she had every intention of studying graphic design and in addition found a passion for photography—particularly the process involved with film photography.

“Shooting film and developing and exposing our own pieces—I just loved it,” Twite said. “Working with your hands, dodging and burning—you really control your image, so it still feels like you’re truly making something.”

This two-lane pursuit has continued beyond her time in Vermillion, where photography and drawing continue to hold equal parts of her attentions. She credits this confidence in creation with her collegiate exposure.

“That environment—being around other people who want to dedicate their life to art—really changed things for me,” Twite said. “Having other people talk to me about my work and notice things I didn’t even notice—it’s such a community of artists.”

“Beabadoobee” by Jensen Twite (2020) (Submitted Photo)

Since moving to Sioux Falls and joining the growing community of local artists, Twite has dabbled in putting her work out there in more public settings, including the Backartigans pop-up art shops in 2021.

“For someone to walk by and appreciate what you’re doing—that’s great,” she said. “And to sell a few pieces and know that someone might decorate their home with one of my pieces—it’s really cool.”

As she continues her work with portraiture, Twite’s goal is often to create something as close to reality as possible, perhaps informed by her interest in photography. And her go-to medium is pencils with the ability to blend.

“Colored pencil and blending and softening tools—it’s almost like painting,” she said. “But you can have more precision. I’ve always struggled making a piece that has some deep meaning, in that I like to draw things that look like what they are.

“I want someone, like a little girl, to be able to look at one of my pieces, especially with my female guitar player series, and feel empowered. Feel that warmth.”

The outlet has served Twite well through the years, and she has no intention of abandoning the pursuit that gives her life.

“When I’m drawing, I will sometimes leave some things out—kind of isolate something within an image. I’ll get something stuck in my brain and I want to celebrate it. I have a lot more exploring to do.”