Heidi Jeub, A "Working" Artist

It's common for artist Heidi Jeub to go out in public with paint still stained on her hands.

The 1995 Sartell High School graduate who now lives in St. Cloud juggles motherhood, teaching engagements, graduate school and abstract acrylic painting in her two studios.

"She's a true working artist," said Dan Barth, a co-owner of the Pioneer Place, which features Jeub's art in the VerandaLounge. "She's always working on varying things. She always has her sketchbook with her. The process never stops for her."

Even after she completes a piece.

"I don't celebrate, I just move on," said Jeub, who received the 2014 Central Minnesota Arts Board Emerging Artist Award in March. "It is important to me to move on from one series to the next."

Jeub, who has three children, is working on her master's in Arts & Cultural Leadership at the University of Minnesota. And she recently added more to her plate.

She received a grant to design bike racks made of materials salvaged from the former Verso Paper mill in Sartell.

She's also hosting a public reception at the Veranda Lounge from 5-7 p.m. May 1.

"Like many artists, she has a lot going on — you have to in that profession if you want to pay the bills," said Joe Schulte, a technology education teacher at Sartell High School who is working with Jeub on the paper mill project.

"But I like to surround myself with busy people because busy people get things done."

Jeub previously worked on the Seberger Park mural project. She is the former director of Visual Arts Minnesota, which organizes numerous events and consults local artists on how to make a living.

"It sounds very cliche to say, but I think one of major skills as an artist is she does think outside of the box," said Dan Mondloch, a St. Cloud watermedia artist who worked with Jeub on the Seberger Park project. "She's very talented."

Jeub, who became interested in becoming an artist through study of architecture, also stays busy teaching.

She currently works with students at Foley High School and with adults in Sauk Rapids through Hillside Adult Education. She teaches drawing and painting classes.

"Many people have said you can't teach abstract to high schoolers because people think they don't have the mental capacity to do it," Jeub said. "The real issue is that abstract is hard to understand. It is a balance between intellect and intuition.

"When you don't know what you are going to wear in the morning without worrying about what other people think, you are not going to trust your intuition. It is difficult for a young person to understand."

Jeub has, however, been encouraged with the progress of the high school students.

"The underlying theme with everything I've done in the classroom is the concepts of creative confidence and the creative process," she said. "I found kids have given themselves permission to make mistakes. They understand that they are learning along the way."

As her fingernails attest, Jeub still finds time to paint — her true passion.

She does her painting while listening to techno music through headphones.

"It's a pulse," Jeub said. "The energy level has to be high for me."

She has studios at the Flat Iron building in St. Cloud and at Hillside Elementary School in Sauk Rapids.

"Things are really busy, but I still somehow manage to squeeze mental time with intuitive time," Jeub said. "It's about creativity and having a creative practice."

If you go ...

What: Reception for abstract acrylic artist Heidi Jeub.

When: 5-7 p.m. May 1.

Where: Veranda Lounge at Pioneer Place on Fifth.

More information: www.heidijeub.com