Mary Jean Ruhnke

I create art to express my thoughts and feelings, to make sense of life’s quiet complexities, and to find meaning in the spaces between joy and sorrow. My work is narrative contemporary—each piece tells a story while inviting others to unlock their own. I believe art becomes most powerful when it opens the imagination and reflects our shared humanity.
Living on a small goat farm in Texas, I draw inspiration from my environment and my inner child. The animals, the stillness, and the rhythm of rural life remind me daily of nature’s honesty and humor. From my tiny home art studio—once shared with my growing family—I blend ink and textured acrylic to create dreamlike works that resonate with emotion and curiosity.
Entirely self-taught over the past 15 years, I’ve developed a visual language rooted in both play and introspection. Each painting is an exploration of wonder, resilience, and connection—an invitation to pause and feel. Through my work, I strive to remind others that meaning often reveals itself not through answers, but through presence, imagination, and the courage to feel deeply.