Jen Barker
photography, acrylic painting, metalwork, fibers, and more
Winter Street Studios
Studio A1
832-464-6185
info@jenelizabethbarker.com
My art often examines mental health and grief through a wide variety of mediums as an entry point into human experiences. Discussing such difficult topics as suicide and loss so openly challenges the stigmas surrounding mental illness. And making art while struggling with these maladies of the mind is a way for me to fragment off a piece of that pain and contain it within the work as if capturing my demons in horcruxes. Baring my soul in such raw moments opens the door for others to see their lives and struggles. Through observing my personal experiences of grief and hurt, viewers can feel less alone managing their own bereavement and healing process.
I will receive my BFA in Sculpture from the University of Houston in the spring of 2022. Though I am currently studying sculpture, I consider boundaries between the mediums to be irrelevant and enjoy expressing myself through photography, abstract painting, nature-inspired metalwork, conceptual crochet, and more. Through this varied approach, I aim to find a balance between the personal and universally relatable human experiences, as well as to spark in my viewers the same passion for deep emotions and thinking that I so value in my own life.
