Spenser Bower
Spenser has always wished for the power to freeze time. His work captures golden, ephemeral moments of vibrant youth in tableau, drawing inspiration from Chicago’s frenetic energy—especially its iconic queer scene.
His paintings are meant to evoke the melancholic joy of a remembered summer afternoon. Though each vignette may have lasted only a fleeting instant, his goal is to make them last long after he’s no longer here to remember them.
Artist’s statement
Spenser Bower is a visual artist working primarily in oil paint, originally from Des Moines, Iowa and currently based in Chicago. His paintings are a kaleidoscopic exploration of queer joy and nostalgia.
Bower’s body of work often centers queer spaces, including Chicago’s Hollywood Beach, Boystown nightclubs, and the shaded poolsides of Palm Springs. His paintings feel like tender memories, painstakingly preserved—each one capturing moments of youth that might have otherwise slipped away, reimagined as something lasting and luminous.
He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2021. His inspirations include Doron Langberg, David Hockney, and Jenny Morgan. Bower’s work has been exhibited at WHIM Chicago, Var Gallery, Art Space Chicago, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Purple Window Gallery, Union Street Gallery, and the Chicago Fine Art Salon.
Book him, babe
Spenser takes commissions, bookings, questions, and compliments, preferably in that order.
Some slots fill fast. Interpret that how you will.