Jennifer Babcock is a native of Virginia. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Brigham Young University, where she studied painting and drawing with Hagen Haltern, James Christensen, Bruce Smith, Frank Magelby, and Robert Marshall. As a figure painter, Jennifer is drawn to the personality of her subjects, whether they be people or something as unexpected as the chairs that people live with. Jennifer and her husband have 9 children, four who have joined them in the past four years! Portraits and her specially commissioned works grace the walls of many homes and businesses throughout the greater Metropolitan DC area. Other artistic pursuits include furniture restoration, the making of hand bound books, photography, and murals.

Shows:  2016 “No Empty Chairs” solo show at SVU, 2013 "Art des Femmes" The ArtisTTable, 2013 Southern VA University's "Shenandoah Invitational" Art Show, 2013 "DC Artist Interrupted: A Woman's Art Collective," 2012 Southern VA University's "Shenandoah Invitational" Art Show, 2011 Southern VA University's "Shenandoah Invitational" Art Show, 2011 "Fulfill The Vision" at the Washington, DC Temple Visitor Center, won People's Choice Award, 2006 7th International Art Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, "Our Heritage of Faith," 2004 "Women of Faith" at the Washington, DC Temple Visitor Center, 2002 "Women of Faith" at the Washington, DC Temple Visitor Center

More Passageways

 Passageways: Beta Krestiayan 24" x 36", oil on canvas

 Passageways: Mabirati 30" x 24" oil on canvas

 Passageways: Ye Birhan Menged 36" x 24", oil on canvas

 Passageways: Dove II 11" x 14", oil on canvas

 Passageways: Entry 11" x 14", oil on canvas

Passageways: Prayer 24" x 36"

Vision of the Arts spring auction!

Go to http://visionofthearts.org/auction.html to bid!

New works for my Passageways series in progress!

24" x 36" oil on canvas, newest work for my series called "Passageways."

Flashback about frames

When I first thought about how to frame my chair paintings, I wanted to do something unique that would work well with the whole concept. John, my brilliant support, suggested putting something on the frames, and that lead me to think of the hundreds of family pictures that I had scanned over the past few years. I had pictures of almost all of the ancestors whose chairs I was painting. The chairs are portraits to me, and I thought it was kind of funny that the frames would have the images of people, while the paintings were of their chairs. I thought it was a cool spin on the traditional portrait.

I printed out way too many photos and even some of my dad's writings to cover the frames with. After doing the first couple of frames, I realized that the black and white photographs were detracting from the paintings with their sharp contrasts. I decided to dim that contrast by painting thin glazes of paint on top of the prints before sealing them. Then I had the idea of adding glazes of color on the frames. I like how they turned out! It felt so good to me to see those familiar and lovely faces surrounding the chair portraits. It was like a welcoming crowd of ancestors wanting to have a conversation. Some day I hope to sit down with all of them.

This one shows the more intense contrast before I subdued the frames with glazing.

This one has been glazed to show a more even tone.

I printed these pictures out lighter and glazed with white.

I thought it would be fun to do a blue glaze.

Birhane and her son

24" x 20" oil on canvas, purchased by BYU for the JFSB building.

Hark All Ye Nations

30" x 40" oil on canvas, purchased by BYU for the JFSB building.

A video about the show!

This offers a little glimpse into what my show is about. I'm grateful to my friend, Rose Dall, who put this video together. http://youtu.be/iVy1coo4d7s

Making frames

Yellow sticky notes were well used by my dad. He used them to write thoughts, notes, and poetry. His handwriting was beautiful. I treasure his notes and it seemed especially fitting to include them on this frame.

Upcoming show at SVU!

There will be a lecture at 4 pm, and the opening reception will be from 5-6 pm. Hope to see you there!

Marwin's Rocker II

30" x 30" oil on canvas

Yardley (Sold)

30" x 40" oil on canvas

This chair was passed down from my mom's side of the family. On the back hangs my mom's favorite needlepoint that her mom, Alice, made for her. My dad re-caned the seat and the small book on top of the pile is a set of scriptures that belonged to his father. The other two books are full of Yardley family genealogy, which is from my mom's side of the family. It is likely that the chair comes from the Yardley family as well.

Dorothy's chair

48" x 48" oil on canvas

This is the companion piece to "Benjamin in Blue". This chair belonged to Dorothy, claiming her spot at the dining room table. Then it belonged to her daughter, Alice, before moving to my mom's house. This painting is also in honor of my mom, with one of her wedding presents displayed on the trunk, and the chair that reminds me of the great woman that she is and the great women she came from.

Useful (Sold)

14" x 28" oil on canvas

This sturdy little stool was made by my husband's great grandfather. It used to be a tall stool, but was shortened when we inherited it, all dusty and with only 3 legs intact, from John's parent's garage. It had been painted several times and we never tried to improve it. We thought it had a lot of character just how it was. It is still very useful.

My husband's great-grandfather used to make furniture from anything he could find out in the scrap pile. He also enjoyed carving wooden spoons. He was very talented.

Red Rocker

24" x 32" oil on canvas

This white rocker (in red) sports a seat caned by my dad, a skill he learned after his retirement.

Benjamin in Blue

24" x 36" oil on canvas

My great grandfather Benjamin V. Marsh, sat in this chair at every meal.  This chair was for him, and there was another one that my great grandmother liked to sit in.  When these chairs went to live with my parents, my father sat in this one and my mother sat in the other.  His and hers.  I'll have to paint hers.

Blue Ogden

24" x 36" oil on canvas

This little chair came from Ogden, Utah, and is one of the chairs made by my ancestor who settled there.  It came into my dad's possession with three others.  One is the youth chair that I love to paint, the other I haven't painted yet, and the last one is represented in the Chair Memorial painting.

Painting for March- Russell

24" x 36", oil on canvas

This painting is based off of a photograph of my dad when he was a baby.  He's sitting in the chair that I have painted many times.  It's my favorite chair to paint.  It was made by his pioneer ancestor who ended up in Ogden, Utah.  His dad's sisters had it until my dad asked for it many years ago.  I don't know if he was aware of this photograph.  I got it from his sister, Anne, not too many years ago.  The chair must have been meaningful to the photographer, who I assume is one of his parents.  It looks like it was pulled out of an outbuilding, was covered in cobwebs, and has a broken arm at a crazy angle.  It meant enough for them to put their little son in it, to remember the chair.

It was poignant and kind of strange for me to be painting this while looking at the photograph for reference, and then looking at the actual chair.  It was already worn in the same places as it was when my dad was a baby.  The rungs grooved where feet would go.  The arm, fixed by a large headed nail, holding it in the right spot.  My dad, as a baby.  How time flies.  Things last longer than people sometimes.  But how fitting to have this painting in the midst of the other chair paintings I'm doing.  The show is full of chairs that were meaningful to my dad in some way.  It's for him, and here's his opportunity to be in it.

Chair Memorial

36" x 60", oil on canvas

This was painted as a way to honor my dad on the 6th year after his passing. He loved this chair, which he called a high chair, even though it wasn't made for babies. It was made for younger children who were able to sit on their own, but weren't quite tall enough to reach the table. It came from my dad's family in Ogden. Hanging on the back is his favorite hat, woven from the wool of the sheep, which he wore when he was in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia in the 60's, and afterwards on special occasions. Leaning on the chair is his favorite walking stick. It's also from Ethiopia. My dad got it from a guide that was leading him through the mountains of Ethiopia. The guide used the top end to poke and stir the fire. The stick is gnarled beautiful. My dad said that the guide was reluctant to part with it, but in the end he gave it to my dad. He loved it and cared for it for the rest of his life. It still has a charred end.