Why We Chose Jennifer

NIA Centre is proud to announce Detroit-based visual artist Jennifer Maples as its featured artist for ArtPrize 2026 with her submission, Through My Eyes. 

As board members considered artwork to host for ArtPrize, they were immediately drawn to Jennifer’s piece. “Jennifer’s work was visually striking and incredibly intricate,” said Robert Upton, Board Chair of NIA Centre. “Every board member saw something special in the work, and decided to select Jennifer unanimously.”

That selection laid the foundation for a broader exhibition, titled Healing Through My Pain. This exhibition includes Through My Eyes with additional pieces of Jennifer’s work. Maples’ work is deeply connected to her personal experiences and her commitment to creating conversations around mental health. 

In her artist statement, she writes, “My art is my superpower because it helps me say what words cannot.” She also describes her artistic journey as having “blossomed into my form of therapy” and says her work has helped her “challenge stigmas surrounding mental health.”