Jen Spencer is a Maryland based artist specializing in pop surrealism paintings and drawings. Her background as an English teacher strongly influences her illustrative, narrative-driven style. With an occasional detour into clay and digital mediums, Jen’s first love is painting. Jen is inspired by nature, children’s books, folklore, witches and whimsy.
Creating art is how I make sense of the world. The process of drawing or painting allows me to both “zoom out” and view the largest and more abstract forces at work in my life (birth, death, love, time, memory) and also to slow down and closely examine the tiniest details of my current, tangible reality (the veins of a leaf, the soft hairs on a baby’s cheek, the delicate evolution of shadow to darkness as a summer day turns to night). Art is my escape and meditation. It is how I engage with my own gratitude for being alive.
Painting especially, brings me a sense of peace and calm that I otherwise find difficult to attain. One of my greatest joys is becoming lost in the “flow” of my work. I find a strange pleasure in the resulting cramped shoulders and cleared mind that come with such extreme focused hours in front of a canvas. Just as certain musical tones and melodies can tap into our deepest emotions or transport us to another place, when I am creating, my mind draws back a veil and exposes a level of consciousness I am then free to explore. It’s a place where I can block out the questions and pressures of the world around me, quiet my mind, and have the liberty to “suppose.” Supposition is a seed, and when it is nurtured and cared for, beautiful gardens may grow. My wish is to create many gardens for myself and others to enjoy.
Postcard Show, Brassworks Gallery - Portland, OR, December 2024
Chiaroscuro, Zo Gallery - Baltimore, MD, October 2024
Memoir, Curio Art Gallery - Lisbon, Portugal (online), September 2024
Everything But The Kitchen Sink, La Luz de Jesus Gallery - Los Angeles, CA, August 2024
Mythic, The Dark Parlour - York, PA, April 2024
Spring Chicken, Found Studio - Baltimore, MD, April 2024
Botanica, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, April 2024
Monochromatic 2024, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, March 2024
Hearts 2024, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, February 2024
Apiarium Exhibition, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, November 2023
9th Annual Spooky Art Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, October 2023
Fuzzy Exhibition, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, September 2023
It's Complicated Exhibition, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, February 2023
8th Annual Spooky Art Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, October 2022
HERstory Exhibition, Girls Who Paint - Washington DC, September 2022
Dots and Stripes Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, September 2022
Le Salon Show, TAG Gallery - Frederick, MD, August 2022
Fungi Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, August 2022
Water Exhibition, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, July 2022
The Great Big Bug Show- June Exhibit, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, June 2022
Aviary Exhibition, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, May 2022
Magic, Myths, Mystery Exhibition, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, April 2022
Crush Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, February 2022
Mini Art Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, November 2021
Solo Booth, International Edgar Allan Poe Festival - Baltimore, MD, October 2021, 2022
7th Annual Spooky Art Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, October 2021
Lyrical Show, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, September 2021
The Great Big Bug Show- June Exhibit, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, June 2021
Solo Art Wall Exhibit, KAT Cafe - Frederick, MD, December 2019
Hive Vintage and Handmade Market, Maryland Farm - Colombia, MD, September 2019
Solo Booth, Mt Airy Arts Festival - Mt. Airy, MD, June 2019
Corazon - February Exhibit, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, February 2019
The Great Big Bug Show- June Exhibit, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, June 2018
Duality - May Exhibit, HIVE Artspace - York, PA, May 2018
The Small Art Show (presented by Gallery 788), La Cakerie - Baltimore, MD March 2017
Kinder Dreams Exhibit, Escape Artists Gallery - Baltimore, MD, November 2016
Artdromeda Show, Gallery 788, Towson Arts Collective - Baltimore, MD, July 2016
All or Nothing Exhibit, Escape Artists Gallery - Baltimore, MD, July 2016
Bloom Show, Escape Artists Gallery - Baltimore, MD, May 2016
That’s What She Said, Escape Artists Gallery - Baltimore, MD, March 2016
Solo Booth, Cromwell Valley Arts Festival - Baltimore, MD, May 2015, September 2014
Word Art Exhibition, Towson Arts Collective - Baltimore, MD, April 2015
Escape Artist’s Group Exhibit, Pizza Studio - Baltimore, MD, March 2015
SoWeBo Arts BARCS Fundraiser Show, Zella’s Gallery - Baltimore, MD, January 2015
SoWeBo Arts Fall Members Show, Stricker Street - Baltimore, MD, October 2014
WAF Group Exhibition, Pratt Street - Baltimore, MD, October 2014
SoWeBo Arts Emerging Painters and Drawing Artists Showcase, Zella’s Gallery - Baltimore, MD, July 2014
WAF Group Exhibition, Roland Park Place - Baltimore, MD, March 2014
WAF Group Exhibition, Gallery Unicorn - Baltimore, MD, May 2013
Solo Booth, Baltimore Open Studio Tour Kick-Off Party - Baltimore, MD, October 2012
WAF Group Exhibition, Antreasian Gallery - Baltimore, MD, October 2009
Featured artwork covering HIVE Artspace "Great Big Bug Show" in The Dillsburg Banner, June 9th 2022
Images Used for Exhibit Materials for HIVE Artspace, October 2021
Artwork Used for Promotional Images for Print Center USA, February 2020
Featured Artist for Hiatus Cheesecake, October 2019
Cover Art for Allegany College of Maryland’s Expressions Literary and Arts Magazine, Fall 2003