Originally from the Northern Michigan, life circumstances have kept Jennifer far from the idyllic small town she still calls home, and this has played a crucial role in the development of her work. Her photographs explore the longings that exist within ourselves and our relationships, things we wish we could hold on to but can’t, and the nostalgia that accompanies the process of aging. She is most interested exploring and pushing the boundaries of what a photograph can communicate on an emotional and psychological level.
Jennifer received her M.F.A. in Photography from Hartford Art School and her B.A. in Art History and Studio Art from Michigan State University. After a decade in New York, and some time in Copenhagen and Victoria, BC, Jennifer recently settled in Portland, Oregon where she is a working artist, an instructor of photography and design, a freelance book designer, and a mom.
Cassiopeia A (Remains of a Dead Star)
Cassiopeia A is a supernova remnant in the constellation Cassiopeia, the Queen. The original star, about 15 to 20 times more massive than our sun, died in a cataclysmic “supernova” explosion approximately 11,000 light-years away within the Milky Way. A supernova is the explosion that occurs at the end of a massive star’s life; and Cassiopeia A is the expanding shell of material that remains from such an explosion–more beautiful and permanent than what once was.
This work examines the journey of life after the numerous tiny physical or emotional “deaths” we endure in our lifetime. It’s about the place in between an ending and a new beginning.
To view more of Jennifer’s work please visit her website.