My name is Jennifer Mygatt Tatum. I live in Petaluma, California. My origin box is a story of Legacy.

The origin of an idea begins as a seed, carried through generations, shaped by the hands, stories, and landscapes that have left their mark. My work is a continuation of this lineage—of hands in motion, of presence instilled through creation, of self-worth forged in the act of making. From my grandparents in Downingtown and Perkasie Pennsylvania to the lessons learned from my parents, siblings, friends and mentors, every connection forms a thread in the larger tapestry of my practice.

Each step of my journey—rivers swum, mountains climbed, and spaces inhabited—has shaped my understanding of form, material, and meaning. I am drawn to the quiet moments of reflection, the pauses by the river, the clearing of space to listen deeply to what is being asked to emerge. My work is an exploration of cycles—of life and death, of resilience and transformation. It acknowledges the echoes of those who came before—their struggles, their choices, their labor—woven into the unseen threads that connect past to present, self to ancestry.

Whether through printmaking, sculpture, painting, or mosaic, I seek to embody the truth of these experiences. Plexiglass sheets layered like the years, the grain of wood holding the memory of time, charred bark transformed into pigment—all are invitations to consider the unseen forces that shape us. Each layer represents the moments that define us—the rivers crossed, the homes that confined, the spaces that freed.

At the heart of my practice is an offering: a recognition of the past as a living force within us, an honoring of the present, and a gesture toward what is yet to come. My work is a bridge between generations, a dialogue with the land, and a testament to the power of creativity as a way of knowing, remembering, and becoming. It is an invitation to pause, to consider what we carry, what we release, and how the stories of our lineage shape the way we move through the world.