Originally from California, Brescia relocated to the Boston area to attend MassArt as a Master’s of Fine Art candidate in Photography. They describe their practice as “encompassing photographic narratives rooted in the dissection of identity, environment, ascribed meaning, and memory.” The series of works on view reflects the artist’s interest in black and white, the dichotomy of light and darkness existing side by side, through stark images taken while driving through California.

Natalie Brescia: Roadside Remnants is on view from June 29 - August 30, 2023, with a reception to be held on June 29, 2023, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

This exhibition is supported in part by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, a non-profit dedicated to planning and sponsoring free educational and cultural programs for all who visit the JP Library and by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

A multidisciplinary artist and educator, Brown credits her sewing skills to the local 4H club, an experience which led to her commitment to teaching sewing to the next generation of artists through lessons and workshops. Her new body of work on view titled "Motherhood is Perennial" explores the quilt as an object that provides warmth and comfort, similar to the ways a mother does. Saved and mended through generations, quilts transform as they age, and gain personality through their owners.

Christine Brown: Motherhood is Perennial is on view from May 4 - June 28, 2023, with a reception to be held on May 4, 2023, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

This exhibition is supported in part by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, a non-profit dedicated to planning and sponsoring free educational and cultural programs for all who visit the JP Library and by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Currently pursuing her MFA in Photography at MassArt, Nosenko first studied design in Moscow and worked for an urban planning company before turning to event photography and portraiture. Her series on view in this exhibit explores immigration, displacement, nomadism, and familial separation, reflecting on her own experiences growing up within a Kazakh family living in Russia, and now living in the United States for the past few years with limited ability to travel outside the country.

Yana Nosenko: I’m Glad You’ve Left is on view from March 2 through May 3, 2023, with a reception to be held on March 2, 2023, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level. 

This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.

Often inspired by her world travels, Bucklaew’s work is characterized by bold shapes, limited use of color, and tactile qualities resulting from a mixture of printmaking techniques. She seeks to capture on paper her own ephemeral impressions of place and time, as well as the emotional impact they can have. To achieve this, her practice “often explores variations on a visual theme in order to capture just the right mood, or to reflect our own changing perspectives.”

Quenby Bucklaew: Winter Landscapes is on view from January 5 through March 1, 2023, with a reception to be held on January 5, 2023, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.

About the Exhibition:
March 2020 disrupted our daily lives and left us to navigate the feelings of loneliness and confinement. As artists this was exceptionally challenging taking a toll on our mental health while our resolve to create waned. As time went on, the constraints of life under lockdown eased up for some and we began to venture forward. Artists in this exhibit pay tribute to their personal determination to overcome a challenging situation through art.

Exhibiting Artists:
Jenny Bergman, Rachel Bingham, Alex Blaisdell, Shari Caplan, Sarah Deckro, Kathleen Dunn, Steven Edson, Fernando Fula, Weiying Huang, Jared Katsiane, Maggie Loh, Lydia Mullan, Anne Nydam, Iris Osterman, Robin Radin, Katarina Romanik, Rani Sarin, Stacy Shorr, Lyasya Sinkovski, Benjamin Stalnaker, Eric Taylor , Christine Tierney, and Towana Wright.

Forged in Isolation is on view from November 4, 2022 through January 4, 2023, with a public reception to be held on November 10, 2022, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

Portman specializes in detailed, studied renderings of city- and landscapes in ink and watercolor, exploring what he describes as “the dissonance between perceived unique individual solitude in a crowded environment, and the commonness and sameness of such feelings.” Often drawn from his own photographs, his images of familiar Boston landmarks like the Boston Public Library and the Gardner Museum tap into shared experiences of those who live in or visit the city, while offering quiet, reflective interpretations of these environments.

Eli Portman: A City in 7 Years is on view from September 2 through October 28, 2022, with a public reception to be held on September 8, 2022, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.

Her recent series captures the diversity of Jamaica Pond, both its natural wonders of flora and fauna like turtles, herons, and the movement of the water, as well as the people and pets who frequent the space, walking, exercising, reading, fishing, and relaxing. Serene and introspective, rich in detail and color, the photographs invite viewers to pause and reflect on the spectacular beauties of nature and their own connection to the natural world.

Dawn Colsia: Preserving Nature in the City: A Daily Walk Around Jamaica Pond is on view from July 11 - August 31, 2022, with a public reception to be held on Thursday, July 28, 2022, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-2 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.

Her compositions explore connections between people, nature, public spaces, and the written word, especially relevant now during our recent experiences of isolation. A teacher as well as a writer and artist, Donley says, “My students come from all over the world, and they remind me that home is fragile and varied and elusive. Just the word ‘home’ can bring a smile or a tear… I write and draw in an attempt to locate home, some center point that grounds me.”

Jan Donley: Reading & Riding is on view from May 6 through July 6, 2022 with a virtual artist meet-and-greet on Thursday, May 12, 2022 from 6:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday-Saturday 9-5 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.

With a steady hand and an incredible eye for detail, Jain is known for her delightful collage compositions featuring all manner of flora and fauna, with rabbits, frogs, birds, and snakes hidden among flowers and forest greenery. Using bright colors and a range of found imagery, her constructions are playful, textured, and often enlightening.

Marnie Jain: In Close Proximity is on view from March 6 through April 30, 2020, with a public reception to be held on Thursday, March 12, 5:30 - 7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday-Saturday 9-5 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.