Barstow's Featured Artist: Jennifer Ablard

Barstow’s is a small family owned business and we are committed to supporting other local farmers, local crafters, and local artists.  Our walls are reserved for the art of local painters, sketchers, and photographers – giving us a beautiful and unique perspective on the area that we live and love.  Visit us to enjoy lunch, soak in the rural views, and view the local art of your creative neighbors!

**Jennifer Ablard**

*March 28, 2025 - May 14, 2025*

Jennifer has always made art.  But photography is her love.  Her first darkroom photography experience was in 9th grade.  She minored in Studio Art in college and continued to make photographs for the next few decades!  The rediscovery of cyanotype printing reignited her love of photography.  This  alternative photographic process is a hands-on medium which does not heavily rely on a computer to create.   After the pandemic she decided to pursue her love full time.  The source Jennifer’s photographs are drawn from a lifetime of work. She loves seeing old work in a new light.

She currently has exhibit space at the Mill district Local Art Gallery in North Amherst MA. She has taught workshops here as well as with the Western Massachusetts Master Gardeners Association. 

**Description of the Art:**

Jennifer’s body of work is an exploration of the process of making cyanotypes. A light-sensitive emulsion is applied to durable paper. Then a photograph negative, plant material or other solid object is placed on the paper, and the arrangement is exposed to UV light.  After exposure the print is processed using tap water.  There are variations to this process such as using wet paper, double exposure, moving the objects during the exposure process. It can feel like EVERY print is the result of an experiment. Each print is unique, subject to the variables of length of exposure to UV light  and the technique used to apply the chemistry! Her Photography is inspired by the love of the outdoors, nature, and the abstract and patterns found in everyday life. Her work evokes questions of ‘where?’,  ‘how?’ and ‘what?’.