Artist Bio
Serena Van Antwerp

After studying privately with fine artists such as Bob Beck, Sue Kelleher, and Charles Viera, Jessica began teaching at Hunterdon Central Regional High School, where she became the art advisor of the online magazine, Electric Soup. During this period, she established her own soft-sculpture art business, Van Antwerp Bears. Serena’s miniature teddy bear designs have been sold internationally, and she was the recipient of a 2000 “The National” Award at the National Teddy Bear Convention in Pennsylvania.

The success of Van Antwerp Bears led to Serena's expansion of the business to include her abstract watercolor and acrylic abstract  interpretations of human and animal forms. She specializes in capturing the essence and personality of domestic animals and abstract expressionism. Her work has been sold at the L.A. PAWS auction, a Los Angeles-based fund-raiser to provide animal therapy for AIDS patients. She has also participated in many fund-raiser auctions for breed rescues and seeing-eye dog providers.

Her work can be found online at the ChicArtTees.com and on her own sites, www.bluepoodles.com and www.VanAntwerpBears.com

Her work has recently been featured in and seen on the cover of the publication,  THE PET GAZETTE, of Sacramento and San Diego California and in Teddy Bear Review magazine! She is also a Golden Teddy Bear award nominee and the author and illustrator of THE WOODLAND BEAR SAGA published by JessicaRobynLLC