Sweany Artworks

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Juniper Art Gallery is OPEN Six Days/ Week!

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Who are we? We're a family of passionate fine artists, artisans, craftspeople, photographers, seamstresses, creative thinkers, and travelers. Raised to appreciate the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us in our daily lives, we take nothing for granted.

Sweany Artworks was established by Jaime Sweany to share the past and present of her family’s love for one another, appreciation of intrinsic beauty and enduring artistic expression. Acknowledging most prominently the historical accomplishments of Paul and Margaret, Sweany Artworks is also pleased to share the contemporary works of successive generations.

Sweany Artworks giclee reproductions are available for in-store and on-line purchase through Juniper Art Gallery. We also offer Gift Certificates.

Paul J Sweany (1927-2009) was a multi-talented renaissance man. In 1951, he received his B.F.A. from John Herron School of Art (Indianapolis, IN). He was a prolific artist, best known for his watercolor paintings. His career included over 75 solo exhibitions, more than 200 awards, with artwork in private collections the world over. He was an enthusiastic instructor and taught art and art history at John Herron School of Art, Marian College, and the Indianapolis Arts Center (IAC). For nearly 40 years of summers, Paul led art tours throughout Europe, sharing his extensive knowledge and passion for the Italian Renaissance with his fellow-travelers. In 2001, the IAC held a lifetime multi-media retrospective of Paul’s work which included watercolors, oils, ceramics, enamel jewelry, intaglio, lithography, pen & ink, pencil, dry brush ink, silkscreen, photography and a book of his poetry. Paul was an avid nature lover and environmentalist. He saw beauty in even the most-subtle and overlooked details which were depicted skillfully in his intricate watercolor paintings. See The Overlooked. 

Margaret Sweany Margaret Sweany (1928-2012) was born in Logansport, IN. Her early love and talent for drawing drove her to be the first female drafting student in her high school. She was intrigued by engineering, architecture and constructing useful solutions for spatial needs. Her talents encompassed both two and three-dimensional work. Her first employment was as a technician in a photo studio, and she remained an avid photographer throughout her life. Margaret attended John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana where she met and married Paul J Sweany. Together they raised four daughters in an environment saturated by creativity, art and music. Margaret is best known for her outstanding ceramic sculpture. She taught clay courses at the Indianapolis Art Center, where she and Paul were active teacher/members for over 50 years. When they retired to Bloomington in 1999 she began experimenting with oil paints and creating collages from old magazines and photos. Her paintings reflect her love of Italy and Greece, formed during her travels to Europe with Paul. Her lively collage work highlights Margaret’s wonderful wit and sense of humor.

2nd Generation (daughters):

Jessica (Sweany) Rutherford was raised in Indianapolis and now resides in Georgia. She studied art in high school and John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. She married and raised two sons and is now a proud grandmother. While raising her family, Jessica was not involved in the fine arts but learned to knit and design her own patterns of clothing; she experimented with jewelry-making, photography and sewing. Jessica designs much of her own clothing and enjoys buying second hand garments, taking them apart and recreating them into new items to wear (upcycling). Slightly over 40 years after leaving art school, Jessica is once again enrolled in art classes in Atlanta (GA) and enjoying painting, drawing and ceramics.

Juniper Art Gallery sells Jessica’s art prints and Jessie’s Jaunty Jewelry (handmade and affordable!).

Justyn (Sweany) Wolf recalls how special it was to grow up in a home surrounded by an artistically gifted family, with her parents providing a home that was not only beautiful and welcoming but also a gallery, a stage, an art room, and gourmet "restaurant". She notes that she and her sisters were raised with an awareness and appreciation of fine art, music and theater. Her parents were constantly pointing out composition, color, lighting, texture, lines, and beauty. The whole family pursued and expressed themselves artistically as naturally as breathing.  Justyn is led by a passion to draw, make collages, create photographs, note cards, and design/make jewelry, but no matter how she expresses herself creatively, she wishes to inspire, bring joy, excite and encourage the living/hopeful spark that resides within each person. She creates artwork from her home studio in Rochester, NY.

Juniper Art Gallery sells Art Rains jewelry, cards and photography. Justyn’s work can also be found at https://www.facebook.com/ArtRains

As a young girl, Jaime Sweany loved visiting the art studios of her parents’ peers; these acquaintances began her lifetime passion for the arts and for artists. In 1978, she moved to Bloomington, IN and received her B.A. in Fine Arts from Indiana University. Jaime operated a portrait photography business, Illuminessence Photography throughout the 1990’s. In the mid-1990’s, her love of birding and the natural world evolved into co-ownership of a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise. From 2002-2011, she owned and operated Wandering Turtle Art Gallery, receiving the 2009 “Small Business of the Year” award from Downtown Bloomington, Inc. She then served as executive director for the Brown County Art Guild (Nashville, IN).; and directed creative arts programming at the Endwright Center at Area 10 Agency on Aging (Ellettsville, IN). Jaime also has worked with Sycamore Land Trust and served as the Associate Publisher for Bloom Magazine.

Jaime is now thrilled to represent Sweany Artworks and the finest of regional midwestern artwork through Juniper Art Gallery in Bloomington, IN. 

Jenny (Sweany) Stankiewicz is a multi-faceted artist based in Spencer, IN.  Jenny studied fine arts at John Herron School of Art (Indianapolis) and has more than 35 years of experience as an archival picture framer. She was an instructor at the Indianapolis Art Center and the Endwright Center (Area 10 Agency on Aging) in Ellettsville. Jenny has an extensive portfolio as a multimedia artist/instructor, including pastels, acrylics, mixed-media, collage, and more.

Juniper Art Gallery is proud to sell Jenny’s jewelry and upcycled glass creations and art prints. Her work can also be found at https://www.facebook.com/LostandFinds/

We have some 3rd generation Sweany’s too...

  • Tierney McGuire Wilson 
  • Kayleen Cohen 

 

154 products