Local artist AJ Bauers has loved art her whole life. She plays music, she writes, she paints, but it was something deeper that drove her to share her art with the world. “I was battling anxiety and depression for a long time, and one of the best ways for me to express what I was feeling— because being a Midwesterner, you’re not really so great with sharing emotions all the time— I was able to represent that in an art piece” She said in an interview with KFYR. Art is her way to share stories and connect with people in a way that words sometimes don’t always accomplish. It’s a way to bring a sense of community and togetherness to the world. In 2025, AJ Bauers made her Capital Gallery debut as a contributing artist for “Serenity”. She has exhibited at Art Workshop Mandan, and Bismarck Arts and Galleries Association. In 2024, her piece “Midwest Menagerie”, won the People’s Choice Award at the Autumn Artistry Show.