Refuge Studios Iowa City - S. Lucas St. Giclée Print | Iowa City Series

A series inspired by the city scape that make up Iowa City’s charm.

Artist Statement:

Living in the Midwest, I am constantly inundated with rhetoric that this place isn’t beautiful or worth seeing or that our land and people aren’t worth protecting. Especially the line I always hear is “just move”.I’m fascinated by how many of us have fallen for that. When much of Iowa’s natural habitat has been bought and eviscerated for corporate interests and our public programs completely gutted it makes sense why the ugliness is all that people see. A lot of my work is inspired by my desire to draw attention to the seemingly mundane and often overlooked. Small things as simple as a home is equally as important and beautiful because life is just what you make of it. I’m incredibly proud to be apart of this community because I see people actively try to make this city a better place to live.

Hand-painted Giclée Gouache Print

• Printed on Moab Archival Paper

• Printed using Archival Grade Pigment-based Inks

• Artwork is unframed and sized 8.5” x 11”

About Refuge Studios

Refuge Studios was started in 2021 by me (Jess Duling) to expand my creative practice and to create work that aligns with my core values of environmental and social advocacy. It has also become a space to provide creative encouragement.

I aim to inspire creatives to pursue their creativity, to never be afraid to learn new things or feel like they aren’t good enough to start.

My work is recognizable by its bright saturated colors and lighthearted themes focusing on creative encouragement, nature, mental health, and social advocacy. I primarily work in graphic illustration, print design, acrylic gouache, and photography. 

My long-term goals are to incorporate water-based printmaking into my practice hopefully in the near future since printmaking was part of my BFA degree. I am eco-conscious in my production practices so I use sustainable and eco-friendly materials wherever I can in my studio.

In my spare time, I document my creative process and make tutorials and share those videos on Tik Tok and Instagram weekly.