Artist Statement
I was born with a tremendous fascination with stories. That fascination became ever more present in my adolescence as I witnessed my own mother's hero's journey back from an addiction to meth. Artistic mediums became my place to process and express big emotions in those years, devising experimental dance and movement in the theater, and picking up my grandmother's camcorder to make movies in my garage. Art-making, has remained the format by which I process the world and stay in conversation with it. I'm passionate about a pursuit of fearless work that doesn't apologize for its queered lens - it is, after all, the only one I have. My work is as queer as I am, every piece of it fighting to assuage convention and carry us, at times through a back door, toward our our own softness - that tender curious part of us that above all wants to connect and to feel seen.
My goal, is to create art offerings that might shake loose a feeling as nuanced as the people who possess them. The process of art-making and the indelible mark it leaves on its makers is worth fighting for in an increasingly computer generated world. For me, the finished project is but a receipt for all that was shaped, pondered and felt in the process of setting a story free. I believe it is a sacred act to gather with our finest limited resource, the living moments of our lives, our time, and choose to engage in the unique, playful, introspective, bizarre, and life-giving process of art-making.
Biography
Jennifer Parkhill, "JP", is a first generation Cuban-American artist, born in Southern California. They received their BFA in Drama with minors in Creative Writing and Film Production from the Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. They received their 3-year primary training from the Atlantic Acting School with additional training at The Experimental Theater Wing, Amsterdam, Stonestreet Film and Television Studios, and NYU Tisch, Berlin, where they studied with global conservatory students at the FIND Festival, led by German director and the Schaubühne artistic director, Thomas Ostermeier.
Jennifer is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild, AEA, is a former ensemble member of the Bats!, resident acting company at the Flea Theater, is the writer/lead actor of the short films Honey & Milk, directed by Dash Donato (recipient of the 2022 Inside Out Re:Focus Fund & Winner of Best Pride Short: Deadcenter Film Festival, and Best International Short Film: Female Eye Film Festival, Torronto) and Far Rock, directed by Peter Pascucci (recipient of the Russell Hexter Film Committee post production grant).
Additional acting credits include LOCKED UP BITCHES!, (The Flea Theater NYC), Women and Sometimes Men, (feature film), Chelsea International Film Festival; Bound, (episodic), Chain Film Festival NYC; Dance Nation, (Atlantic Theater Company) workshop performance directed by Lee Sunday Evans; The Seagull, (Atlantic Acting School), directed by Adrienne Campbell Holt; The House of Bernarda Alba, (Atlantic Acting School), directed by Lauren Keating; Bones by Dael Orlandersmith, (The Flea Theater), directed by Niegel Smith.
JP has worked extensively as a director of commercials, documentaries, music videos and short films. Most recently, they directed a series of BL Vertical Dramas for the Platform, Reel Short, Including, "Waterboy", winner of the 2026 Drama Love Fan Award for Best Vertical of the Year as well as Best Queer Vertical of the Year. Their previous Reel Short Series, "Pool Boy" took home the award for best LGBTQ Vertical of the year at The Vertical Drama Circle Awards.
Additional directing credits include The Blowback, (Documentary), Sound Unseen Film Festival ATX; Just Believe (Music Video for Ruthie Craft), Best Music Video: Austin Spotlight Film Festival, Berlin Music Video Awards; Very Well Mind's Winter Issue featuring Wayne Brady; Girl Next Door, Brunch Theater Co, Lady from the Sea (Atlantic Stage 2); a series of commercials for the innovative sofa company, Burrow; Dream Big, Princess for the Disney Channel; Medical Marijuana Miracles, (docu-series), 420 TV.
JPs writing has appeared in a variety of literary magazines, including BrUNch Mag, Eggy Pan, and Mercer St. for which her essay, “Repairer” was selected as Editor’s Choice. Her poems have appeared in the films Far Rock and 100 Years or Less, among others. Their poem, "Yellow" is the grand prize winner of True Colors Challenge sponsored by Moleskine + Vocal.
A global artist, JP thrives on creating work that carries them between coasts and beyond, fostering stories that possess the potential to create radical change in our world.