Jeni Shoemaker

Jeni Shoemaker is a multidisciplinary artist whose life has been defined by the act of making and the mastery of complex systems. Her creative journey began at her mother’s side, but her professional path led to a distinguished 23-year career with the Department of Defense. Today, Jeni translates that lifelong experience into bold, theatrical compositions in a variety of mediums.

Jeni’s work is a vibrant union of her many roles: historic persona actor, bespoke period costume maker, and narrative world-builder. Her talent in writing murder mystery scripts and her role as a Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master inform the “theatrical maximalism” of her art. She doesn’t just “make”; she constructs stories, treating each individual piece as a setting in a larger drama.

After a period of arty stagnancy, Jeni is profoundly grateful for the renewed inspiration found here at the Realm that has returned her to the studio. Originally from Virginia, she moved with her husband to McKees Rocks (Robinson) in 2024 to be closer to their three grandsons. When she isn’t at her easel, she offers sewing instruction and business consulting, bringing the same strategic yet creative energy to her clients that she brings to her work here at The Castle.