Jennifer Kaiser

Jennifer Kaiser grew up in a multigenerational house in the suburbs of Chicago, surrounded by family, tradition, celebrations and history.  The small brick bungalow, first owned and tended to by her grandparents, was filled with a large family of nine. At an early age, Kaiser learned to find solace in the personal spaces she created for herself. She loves to read, to learn, and most of all, to play. The concept of “home,” the one you grow up in and the ones you create for yourself, has always been central to these passions.

Kaiser resides in the Town of Wilson, in the Black River area of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. She is a mixed-media collage and assemblage artist. She says, “I consider myself a preservationist of moments in time–the ones that connect us to our deepest selves and those we love.”

She finds inspiration in stories, real and imaginary, as well as objects with patina and a sense of history and utilitarian mystery.  Much of her inspiration derives from the Black River area, its history, culture, artists and the woods and waters surrounding it.

“I enjoy the challenge that comes with foraging for materials and finding inspiration to repurpose objects, giving them a new life or voice,” Kaiser says “Moments in history and the lessons we absorb from them are lost or forgotten with the passage of time and the speed and delivery of distractions. My art encourages a moment of pause and reflection. It is my story as well as the story of those that came before me and those that will one day come after me.”

Kaiser has a BA in literature from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and a Juris Doctorate Degree from DePaul College of Law in Chicago, Illinois. She practiced law for over twenty years before deciding to retire early to devote herself full-time to her artistic passions.