In a cozy studio tucked away in Pittsburgh, Jen Gallagher is busy creating a world where dragons live among us—reading books, going on adventures, and sometimes, even drafting architectural plans late into the night. Jen’s artwork is as whimsical and playful as the creatures she paints, but beneath the layers of watercolor, there’s a story of resilience, empowerment, and the unyielding determination of a woman who has spent 30 years carving out her space in a male-dominated world.
Jen’s journey as an artist began not with dragons, but with precise architectural renderings. For decades, she worked as a landscape architect, where her skills brought numerous award-winning projects to life. Yet, in a field where her voice was often drowned out by the din of male colleagues, Jen struggled to assert her authority. “Women always need to work twice as hard to be recognized,” she says, reflecting on the hurdles she faced. But these challenges only fueled her creative fire, leading her to embrace her artistic side more fully as a means of expression and empowerment.
Her art is a celebration of this journey. Each piece, whether it’s a watercolor painting or a knitted amigurumi critter, is infused with a sense of wonder and joy—a stark contrast to the struggles that have shaped her life. The transition from architectural renderings to her current whimsical style was not just a shift in medium, but a reimagining of her identity as both an artist and a woman.
For Jen, the theme of empowerment is central to both her art and her life. This is perhaps most poignantly expressed in her ongoing “dragon series,” where a maternal dragon balances her career and her role as a mother. In one of her upcoming pieces for an exhibition titled “A Flight of Empowerment,” Mama Dragon is depicted at her architecture desk, drafting her latest design after hours. Curled up on the floor, playing with toys and building her own little world, is her daughter, a little dragon following in her mother’s footsteps.
“I truly believe women can do anything,” Jen asserts. “We are constantly filling so many different roles, and I want to show that you can have your little one share in that life with you.” Jen’s own daughter, who has accompanied her to countless meetings, site visits, and community events, has been both witness and participant in her mother’s journey. “I pretended to be confident more for her, but strangely it finally stuck for me,” Jen admits with a smile. “And here I am…proud to be everything that I am.”
Jen’s commitment to empowering others, particularly younger women, extends beyond her artwork. Through her involvement with LocalGood, a collective that supports local artists, she has found a community where she can inspire and uplift others. She is also guided by the women in her life who continue to push her to be the best version of herself. Among them is Lisa Zahiya, a life and business coach who has been both a friend and mentor for 15 years. “She really has made me confront my worst tendencies and rise up to be more myself,” Jen says. “She has forced me to rewrite my inner narrative, and it has led to so many new discoveries.” This sense of discovery, of constantly evolving and finding new ways to express herself, is at the heart of Jen’s work.
Her art is not just about creating beautiful images, but about telling stories—stories of strength, resilience, and the everyday magic that comes from believing in oneself. Through her whimsical, playful creations, Jen Gallagher invites us all to embrace our inner dragons, to be strong, free, and unafraid to assert our opinions and creativity. And as she continues to paint and knit her way through life, Jen hopes to inspire others to reach their own heights of empowerment—so that one day, they too can soar as high as their imaginations will take them.
Jen Gallagher will be part of an upcoming exhibition at one of LocalGood’s partner galleries, Songbird Artistry, titled “Flight of Empowerment”. The show will run from September 13th through the end of the year. For more information, please visit Songbird Artistry’s website here.