Painter finds home in Bloomington

The warm months at the beginning and end of the school year bring students and Bloomington residents outside, especially to the downtown and Kirkwood areas.
Amidst bikes and street musicians, there are two spots in town that, more often than not, are flecked with vibrant paintings.
“I saw it was nice weather, and a friend told me it was pretty hoppin’ down here, so I grabbed all my stuff and hurried down,” local artist Jake Gardener said.
Gardener’s hand-painted, hand-drawn mini-murals have been a fixture on Kirkwood for awhile now. He’s been creating the works for more than four years while traveling around the states, but he spends the bulk of his time in Bloomington.
The small pieces, made with spray paint and paint markers, each have their own unique inspirations, Gardener said. His works fit into various categories like creatures, iconic images, vegetables and music. No matter the theme, Gardener said he strives to keep the colors bright.
While Gardener appreciates the attention that his art gets from passers-by and those who purchase, he said his art benefits him in other ways. 
“Art is very healing,” Gardener said. “I enjoy the process. It’s pure love. I get to express things and share my emotions with others.”
He has no formal training, but Gardener said his pieces have been popular with patrons of the Kirkwood shops as well as local artists.
He added that the expansive artistic community in Bloomington has been very supportive and allowed him to feel at home with his creativity.
Despite his transitive beginnings as a travelling artist, Gardener now has his spot to prop his paintings on.
“It doesn’t matter where you’re at, you can always make art,” he said.