The Millcreek Arts Council along with Millcreek library feature a local artist's work each month. Last month artist Jen Gilson displayed paintings to visually delight the community.   

Jen Gilson said, “My journey as an artist began before I could speak. My first words didn’t come until I was three years old, and during those early years, my mother instinctively placed crayons and paint brushes in my hands. I would express myself through color and form before I did so with words.”  

Creating art became a way for Gilson to navigate life during those formative years and continued to guide her throughout adulthood. 

“In my late 20s, I faced the emotional turmoil of infertility and years of longing and grief as I tried to grow my family. At that time, painting became my refuge,” Gilson said.  

Gilson explained that painting helped her process grief and each brushstroke became a silent language.  

“Creating art has always been my safe space, a means of confronting raw emotion and finding a path through difficult times,.” she said.  

Many things inspire Gilson to paint including fruits and vegetables, beautiful flowers,  majestic landscapes, green mountaintops, and even a recent first-time visit to Kauai. 

“Sunshine Strawberry” painted by Jen Gilson displayed at Millcreek Library last month. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

 “I love oil painting. It's my first love. I love how you can mix the perfect color, and it stays wet on your palette for hours. I love how forgiving it is, and that you can add new values into a scene as the light changes on your subject matter,” Gilson said.  

"Taking up Space" is a self- portrait that Gilson painted. She says it is one of her favorite paintings. “It shows me, sitting on the floor, leaning back with both arms behind me, and looking right at the viewer.” 

It’s the image of a low maintenance daughter and friend which is how Gilson describes herself.  “This piece was a statement that I am allowed to take up as much space as everyone else. I deserve to be seen and heard, and painting this empowered me to speak up more, create boundaries, and to trust myself,” Gilson said. 

Gilson enjoys painting part time and is a full- time mom. “I dedicate two days a week to painting and running art errands, and the other five days I am chasing my twin toddlers around, driving my two older kids carpools, cheering on my kids at baseball and soccer games and all the other glamorous things moms do for their families!” 

To view more of Gilson’s artwork, visit JenniferGilson.com. All of Gilson’s artwork is available for purchase.