A Measured Perspective
Jennifer Jollow and Laura Brown
March 13th - April 3rd, 2007
Reception: March 18th, 2007, 6-8p


Jennifer Jollow

Jennifer Jollow
My artwork over the past few years reflects my academic and personal interest in the study of women and global issues surrounding gender. My work is informed by my research and from information gathered from classes and articles but also through my own experiences as a woman. I am interested in representations of the female body and beauty and the social norms related to these that govern our behaviour and desires. My work is a personal exploration within this context. It is about being a woman and being feminine in relation to how ‘society’ reflects an elitist and extreme view of desirability, sexuality and femininity; and most importantly how I am affected by it. It is my critical questioning and
assessment of the literature and academic discourse on this topic that informs my work. Technically, I am experimenting with materials and fabrics in rendering my images including references to sewing (needles, threads, safety-pins and patterns) in relation to body image, plastic surgery (reconstruction) and the female form. Most of my work is the result of the manipulated interplay of paint and drawing materials and how the layers I create form an intimate connection to one another. For me, the construction of my paintings are just as important as the final piece; for it is the process that fuels the end result.

Jennifer Jollow is completing her fourth year in the Bachelor of Fine Art Honours program at Queen’s University. Her keen interest in the sociology of gender and the construction of femininity has continuously fueled her work through her four years and has even steered her towards a minor in women’s studies. Jennifer’s recent work explores social issues surrounding women and the female body in a provocative and personal manner. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, she intends to take a Bachelor of Education degree in the hope of pursuing a career in teaching and eventually a Masters in art education.


Laura Brown

Laura Brown
In recent years, I have developed an interest in the social and political issues facing women globally. As a result, I have taken a number of courses in women’s studies and the sociology of gender, which have enabled me to develop my own understanding of the diverse myriad of problems which effect women in both public and private spheres. Through my art practice, my goal is to create a visual narrative based upon my acquired knowledge and understanding, in order to ultimately raise awareness and bring discrete issues to the forefront.

I deal with a variety of different subjects that range from genocide and sex trafficking to body image and subjugation. Social, political and geographical undertones have always played an important role in my work and I constantly strive toward developing a more critical and comprehensive understanding of the world around me. One of my main objectives in this body of work, is to accommodate my own moral standpoint, while at the same time recognize that the term “women’s issues” encompasses a vast number of diverse and culturally informed experiences and situations, which I may not be able to fully understand as a Western artist.

Successfully merging my literary studies with my art production is an endless, yet exciting challenge for me. The development of an aesthetic narrative has not been an easy task, and the translation of abstract ideas onto canvas presents new obstacles everyday. However, I hope that despite the diversity of problems I choose to explore, the overarching theme of women’s issues bring my pieces together in a cohesive and readable way.

Laura Brown is in her fourth year in the Bachelor of Fine Art Honours Program at Queen’s University. She began her art education in a Special Series Visual Arts Program at high school. Her then burgeoning interest in fine arts led her not only to pursue her BFAH degree, but it also led her to become involved in leadership positions with Mural Routes Inc., a company that produces large scale, outdoor murals. As well as completing smaller mural commissions in her spare time, Laura has been the recipient of a number of art awards including first place in the Art Guild of Scarborough Youth Competition. Currently, she is looking forward to furthering her art education and eventually getting involved in illustration, design or art direction.