Jen G

Who’s the artist?

Artists Jen Gauerke and Steve Hosch are high fiving above their collaborative artwork - Altar to Existential Joy

Detail of Altar to Existential Joy, showing the offerings left. There are a few coins, fortune cookie fortunes, dried Queen Anne’s Lace blossoms, small plastic animals, an In-n-Out Burger sticker, etc.

Altar to Existential Joy
Dualities Exhibit at Mainframe Arts
Des Moines, Iowa.
Viewers are invited to leave objects of devotion at the altar and many have participated.

Whether we know it or not processes are ongoing and we are a part.

This is another work from my archives, when learning printmaking in high school. It’s bizarre to see it’s so old it’s yellowing. Definitely in need of an acid free mat.

A print by Jen Gauerke, a background aged with hundreds of small marks, worn corners, with angular lines and a circle, an organic line. At that time, it was about trying to understand relationships, I had so little idea of what a healthy relationship was as a young adult. Yet I was married just two years later, still not knowing how much I didn’t know.

Geometric Mean
intaglio print
1990

The copper plate was prepped with ground, ready for my design but I hesitated. Put it in the drawer then found it later. All the beautiful marks that denote age, making this feel like an ancient drawing are from a process.

#art #collage #analog #mixedmedia #nostalgia #memories #BlueSkyArt #artyear #gouache #painting

The paisley pattern is from vinyl kitchen chairs in my home growing up. Nostalgic, memories, reframing in beautiful ways, after dealing with the overarching trauma. The bad things pop up like Whack-A-Mole, I want to remember the good too.

Artwork by Jen Gauerke with vintage collage elements (computer ad, photo of people on a boat and a handwriting worksheet named ‘Rules for Play’). A yellow and green paisley pattern moves from the top right towards the bottom, with blue emerging from the photo.

A detail of the artwork, close up view showing the text on the computer ad: using computers to solve problems…

Rules for Play
8”x 10”
collage and acrylics

After finishing this I realized it’s heavily influenced by Firelei Baez. There was a major exhibition of her work @desmoinesartcenter and they have a few of her works in their permanent collection. Not surprised it came out of me after viewing it so much.

#watercolor #painting #BlueSkyArt #leaves #autumn #star #art #color #artyear #BlueSkyArtShow #nature #natureart

A watercolor painting by Jen Gauerke of colorful autumn leaves arranged in a star pattern.

Painting in progress from an angle

Beginning of a watercolor painting by Jen Gauerke of colorful autumn leaves arranged in a star pattern, initial layers of paint in reds and yellows.

Autumn Star
watercolor

The leaves this autumn were unique because it was warm, until it froze. I picked up a few on a walk and created a leaf star. Painting it over the last week has been a refuge in the holiday chaos.

A cemetery in Autumn, center is a tall stone with a circular opening with a cross, creating a window effect.

A headstone with a carved dog, who looks very sad.

A white stone mausoleum.

A red brick mausoleum with white stone accents, likely limestone as it’s prevalent in this region.

A few things for #TombTuesday from Eastern #Iowa cemeteries, Dubuque. Photographed in 2016. Cemeteries are full of art, history, and expressions of devotion.

A flyer that reads: FIRST FRIDAY DEC 5 5-8PM 5 floors of Open Studios & MAINFRAME'S MONTHLY FIRST FRIDAY Special exhibitions Food, Drinks & Entertainment Always Free & Open to the public 900 KEO WAY DES MOINES, IA 50309 MAINFRAME STUDIOS BRAVO GREATES PIS MOINE REGIONAL ARTE COUNCIE PRAIRIE MEADOWS

Next month I’ll have 3 artworks in the show Dualities at Mainframe in Des Moines, Iowa!

A sunset sky, a tall modernist church spire and a golden tree on an autumn evening.

A tree with golden leaves just outside a stained glass window with similar colors.

It was a beautiful night in Quincy. Just passing through. Found a great furniture/antique/hot tub store!
#autumn #quincy #Illinois #midwest #photography #goldenhour

A black and white image of a girl’s face.

The Girl
8”x 10”
Intaglio print

Looking through storage and came across some works from the early days. I made this print in high school, 1990.
#intaglio #handmadeprint #printmaking #BlueSkyArt #art

A pair of worn white baby shoes with a black high heel painted on the side.

A pair of worn white baby shoes with a black high heel painted on the side. The box they are sitting on has this text: YOUNKER 'S Sample No. Size MRS. DAY'S Ideal Baby Shoe TRADE MARK REGISTEREE DANVERS, MASS. 308 LACE LAST 4C. C WAT

A pair of worn white baby shoes with a black high heel painted on the side, nestled together. This artwork by Jen Gauerke satirizes recent statements normalizing intimate acts with children.

Epstein Shoes
2025
found objects, acrylics

This new work will be available @p_s_won Surreal Emporium as part of Dada Prom in Iowa City next month.

#believewomen #epstein #child #woman #feminist #feministart #dada #surreal #shoes #adult #heels #BlueSkyArt #politicalart

Blues, greens, white and a hint of orange denoting trees at night and fireflies with halos of light.

I focus on the beautiful parts of life.

#BlueSkyArt #acrylics #painting #sunset #nature #art #color #magicalrealism #magic #comfort #beauty #bench #fireflies #artyear #artist #dandelion #sitwithme

Blues, greens, white and a hint of orange denoting trees at night and an edge of the bench.

Blues, greens, white and a hint of orange denoting trees at night and a small dandelion puff.

Blues, greens, white and a hint of orange denoting trees at night and the white bench in center, highlighted grass illuminating your path forward to sit.

Blues, greens, white and a hint of orange denoting trees at night with bits of the sunset sky peeking through.

details, Bench
48”x 60”
acrylics on canvas

The shift in the content of my work is about providing comfort in these times. I thought it was for others, whoever buys it, but realized through the process of painting that it’s also for me. While I’m painting I get to immerse myself in magical realism.

They’re great! How do you do highlights? Friskit? Gouache? I cannot keep a spot clean on the paper for the!

#BlueSkyArtShow #pleinair #nature #watercolor #creek #stream #fishing #artyear #BlueSkyArt #art #create #painting

A watercolor sketch of a creek by Jen Gauerke, with the creek in the background.

Coon Creek, Nov 2025
Watercolor sketch
4” x 8”

Shadows dancing on one of my canvases, in progress.

It’s hard to celebrate a man who stole the work of others, Camille Claudel and Medardo Rosso. The art is amazing but every work needs to acknowledge all the artists involved.

Why is it so upsetting?!?😩

A painting of a white bench in tall grass, trees in shadow behind it, backlit by the sunset. It is hanging on a wall next to a door. 48”x60”

A painting of a white bench in tall grass, trees in shadow behind it, backlit by the sunset. 48”x60”

Work in progress
Kept the door knob in the pic for a sense of scale, it’s a doozy!
Decided to add fireflies, next to add their glow. Also working on the trees. So close!

Love the color! 😍Nature is keeping me going at this point.

A wood folding chair is flat on a wall, with an abstract geometric painting (in greens and oranges) where the seat would be.

Folding child’s chair from a thrift shop, hardwood with steel pins (don’t make ‘em like they used to). Considering using it as a frame for this color study from college.

#Abstractart #acrylics #color #art #painting #framing #BlueSkyArt #artyear #stunday #creative #process #artprocess

A head and neck of a woman with eyes closed, red covering her hair. A blue swirl in the background. Three small puddles of orange in the foreground. A poem about the Faceless Woman is illegible.

Faceless Woman
graphite and crayon

Based on a visual dream, these dreams without explanation are food for my soul. It’s not a dream with a narrative, it’s just images, like gifts from a muse.
#surrealism #feministart #surreal #dream #image #BlueSkyArt #artyear #faceless #woman #art

Vincent van Gogh ~ Mulberry Tree, 1889

It’s SOOO GOOD 🤤

Thank you!