About Our Art...
Jeannie has lived in Bloomington-Normal since she was a baby and began drawing at a young age, focusing on horses. She pursued interior design at Stephens College before transferring to Illinois Wesleyan, where she earned a BFA in Fine Arts in 1972. Her passion for art led her to study various mediums, including watercolor, sculpture, painting, art history, and printmaking.
After college, Jeannie worked as an Assistant Buyer at Roland's, where she developed a love for antiques and craftsmanship. She later opened The Leaded Window, a gift shop and interior design business, which she ran for seven years before taking a break to raise her two children.
Jeannie discovered a new passion for theater set decoration, prop design, and costume work when her children were in high school. She contributed to over 125 local theater productions, working with Prairie Fire Theater, IWU Opera Department, Heartland Theater, and Holiday Spectacular.
Additionally, Jeannie worked at A. Gridley Antiques in downtown Bloomington, where she arranged pieces, made sales, and met fellow antique enthusiasts. She continued her studio art, creating pieces from antique jewelry, beads, wood, torn paper, oil pastels, and gel pens. Her assemblage art often includes humorous elements and repurposed materials like old toys, metal springs, and piano keys. You can view her work on her website at www.studiobart.studio
Jeannie is currently creating wooden frame pieces repurposed from discontinued picture framing samples given to her by local framing artist Timothy Kent. Craftsman Steve Stinger miters the wooden pieces into small frames, and Jeannie adds antique vintage jewelry from her collections. Some pieces have an architectural feel, while others are humorous.
"These picture frame pieces are small, most measuring only 3"x3" with varying depths depending on the frame and added elements. They are usually no more than 3" deep. I call them "Small Frames", and each is signed and individually numbered. Originals can hang on the wall or sit on a shelf or table."
Jeannie has also commissioned photographer Ken Kashian to create enlarged giclee prints of each original, offering a new wall art aspect to the Study. These matted and framed prints are gaining popularity.
Additionally, Jeannie has returned to watercolor painting, focusing on floral subjects, and plans to continue when her garden is in bloom. She is also available for commission and consignment orders.
Jeannie’s artwork will be displayed at the IAA Credit Union main lobby at 808 IAA Drive, Bloomington, IL during the months of April, May, and June 2025.
