Jennifer E. Donnelly is a multifaceted artist, maker, and designer whose practice bridges discipline and intuition. A combat veteran turned sculptor, she works primarily with steel—bending a rigid medium into fluid, expressive forms that carry the weight of resilience and transformation.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. During her senior year, she deployed to Iraq, an experience that left a lasting imprint on her worldview and creative voice. After returning from war, she made San Antonio, Texas her home—a city whose vibrant culture, warmth, and community continue to inspire her work.

Though trained in graphic design, Jennifer’s creative curiosity led her from the digital screen to the welding studio. What began as a practical interest in building furniture evolved into a deep passion for sculpture. Mostly self-taught, she draws on techniques from painting, printmaking, and design to elevate her steel pieces, creating works that feel simultaneously grounded and ethereal. She often combines expanded metal, wood, chain, and found materials, giving new life to recycled elements.

Her process is intuitive and meditative—each work begins with a spark of emotion or memory and unfolds through exploration. “I allow a concept to reveal itself,” she says. “I let it flow through me.” The resulting sculptures carry layers of meaning, often balancing strength and vulnerability, form and freedom.

Resilience lies at the heart of Jennifer’s philosophy. Her art embodies recovery, reflection, and spiritual renewal—a visual language forged from lived experience. Through her work, she invites viewers to feel what words often can’t express: the quiet power of endurance and the beauty that emerges from struggle.

Jennifer has exhibited in community shows and is eager to continue expanding her presence in galleries across Texas and throughout the country. She accepts commissions and collaborations, offering collectors and supporters an opportunity to participate in her evolving journey. Her website serves as both a portfolio and an open invitation—to connect, to collect, and to witness her ongoing exploration of strength, form, and self.