About

 

Sweet-art by Jenni Rogers Australian Surface Pattern Designer & Artist

 

About Jenni

Jenni Rogers is an Australian artist and chef living in the beautiful Byron Bay Hinterland. Her work is a joyful fusion of her two greatest passions: cooking and art.

Jenni’s journey began at just 16, when she bought her first café, The Chelsea Teahouse in Avalon. Years later, she discovered her love for painting – a discovery that would lead her to create artworks celebrating the beauty of food. Whether it’s a layered cake, a delicate pastry, or a nostalgic dessert, Jenni brings her kitchen creations to life on canvas with heart and flair.

For Jenni, food is deeply emotional. “I often associate memories with food,” she says. “When I bake bread, I think of my dad baking huge loaves for our family. I remember making sweet jam mushrooms with my grandma, and completely trashing the kitchen with my mum while decorating cakes – every appliance and bowl in the house was used! Our favourite recipes connect us to loved ones, and when we recreate them, it’s like they come back to us. My paintings are my way of capturing those memories.”

Jenni recalls the moment she first felt the spark of artistic confidence. “I’d just finished my first oil painting class at our local hall in Empire Bay. On the walk home I thought, Wow… I can paint! I’d never believed I had any talent – but that night, I dared to think, Maybe I could be an artist.”

After the birth of her two daughters, Jenni took folk art classes in Singleton, then went on to complete Certificates II and III in Fine Art & Contemporary Craft at TAFE. “That training gave me the foundations – how to draw, experiment with new materials, and explore different styles.”

Over time, Jenni expanded her practice to include illustration, surface pattern design, and animation. Her hand-painted artworks now feature across tea towels, kitchen and homewares, children’s aprons, and prints. With a playful style and love for storytelling, Jenni also brings her art to life through whimsical short animations and creative content for social media.

Her creative process begins with emotion and memory. Inspired by still life, photos, and plein air settings, Jenni lets her senses guide her brush. “When I bake, I’m drawn in by the textures and colours – there’s endless inspiration. Food is life. It connects us. You simply can’t live without it.”

Jenni is also a proud member of Illustrators For Hire, a curated collective of professional freelance illustrators from around the world.