Artist Statement

I’ve always been interested in realism as a means to an end, using the labor of my hands to lure the viewer into deep thought. For years I dove into using my canvas to reflect what I felt to be important and also challenging parts of human existence.  In my early work, it was a vulnerable exploration of what it felt like to be a woman in this world.  This led to a series called Customer Service which highlighted the thankless work of my co-workers and friends, while also speaking to capitalism and undervalued labor.  From there, I created work about income inequality and homelessness in Chicago, capturing loss in the wake of the foreclosure crisis.  Later, I traveled to the remote Alaska Native village of Newtok to document the detrimental effects of climate change.  I became entrenched in rendering the details of a culture of inequality.  

As we headed into a global pandemic and a time of political turmoil, I knew I needed to shift gears in my practice.  With reminders of the world’s pain and injustice surrounding us everyday, I needed my artistic practice to take on a new role, one that provided inspiration and hope. At the same time, I began a daily routine of going for walks.  On these walks, I began to slow down and notice the beauty that surrounds me every time I walk outside.  Something that is at first glance mundane can transform as you look at it longer and closer.  

Seemingly ordinary spaces became portals to something extraordinary–the space between day and night, between known and unknown, between here and there.  In these liminal spaces, I found magic. I let myself remember what it felt like to play outside as the sunlight faded away.  I let myself play in the space between reality and somewhere else, delighting in symphonies of color and bursts of neon brushstrokes.  My new paintings of this world illustrate a place filled with color, mystery, and possibility.  These paintings show that even here and now, there is beauty to relish in, joy to surrender to, and magic hiding in plain sight.  

Biography

Jennifer Cronin is a Chicago-based visual artist known for her realistic paintings that explore the mystery and complexity of everyday life.  Cronin’s work has evolved many times over, delving into psychology, income inequality, and climate change.  Her most recent work celebrates the mundane, infusing quotidian scenes with a sense of magic and mystery.  In support of her forthcoming body of work, Jennifer was awarded grants by the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation and Chicago DCASE.  Jennifer’s work has been featured on NPR, Newcity, and Sixty Inches from Center and included in exhibitions at the Elmhurst Art Museum, Museo Internazionale Italia Arte, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  Jennifer received her BFA in painting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is represented by Elephant Room Gallery in Chicago.