About
Jennifer Shaw is a fine art photographer whose work is based on both a world observed and a world constructed, often focusing on the fleeting and personal within the sphere of her immediate surroundings. She is currently experimenting with photogravure, a light-based intaglio printmaking process. Play is integral to her practice, and throughout her work she embraces the simple, the understated, and the symbolic to address themes of climate, family, and home.
Jennifer’s images have been published in two monographs: Hurricane Story (Chin Music Press), and Nature/Nurture (North Light Press). Her work is held in collections including the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. In 2020, Shaw was one of three finalists for the Gibbes Museum’s 1858 Prize, and in 2021 she was recognized in Photolucida’s Critical Mass Top 50. She is represented by Cole Pratt Gallery.
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Education
BFA Photography, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, 1994
Solo and Two Person Exhibitions
2022
swan, swan, spiderweb, Cole Pratt Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
2018
The Space Between, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, Massachusetts
2017
Flood State, Galeria Photo/Graphic, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
2016
Flood State, Guthrie Contemporary, New Orleans, Louisiana
Hurricane Story, Soho Photo Gallery, New York, New York
2015
The Space Between, Guthrie Contemporary, New Orleans, Louisiana
Featured Artist: 8th Annual Plastic Camera Show, RayKo Photo Center, San Francisco, California
2014
Tobia Makover & Jennifer Shaw, Baker + Hesseldenz Design, Tucson, Arizona
2013
Jennifer Shaw: Nature/Nurture and Relics, Baum Gallery of Art, University of Central Arkansas
2012
Hurricane Story, Centre for the Living Arts, Mobile, Alabama
2011
Hurricane Story, Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana
Hurricane Story, FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA Signature Exhibit, San Antonio, Texas
2010
Hurricane Story, Jennifer Schwartz Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
Nature/ Nurture, Guthrie Contemporary, New Orleans, Louisiana
2009
Hurricane Story, Guthrie Contemporary, New Orleans, Louisiana
2007
Hurricane Story, Farrington-Smith Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
2004
Jennifer Shaw and Francis Billes, The Darkroom, New Orleans, Louisiana
2001
New Orleans and Beyond, Joey K’s, New Orleans, Louisiana
Botanicals: Photographs by Jennifer Shaw, Galerie Avance, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Holga Project, Gallerie Porche-West, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Holga Project, Oculus Gallery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024
The Paula Tognarelli Collection, The Maine Museum of Photographic Arts, Portland, Maine
Size Matters, Medium Festival of Photography/Athenaeum Art Center, San Diego, California
Memory Orchards, Candela Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
2023
Hello, I’m a Ghost, The Broad Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana
A Day in The Life, Art Conscious, Arabi Louisiana
2022
(a) relation of body to water, North Seattle College Art Gallery in Seattle, Washington
Enlighten, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, Massachusetts
HUMAN/NATURE, Lishui Photography Museum, Lishui, China
Living Image, The Halide Project, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2021
HUMAN/NATURE, Lishui Photography Festival/Lishui Art Museum, China
The Emotional Brain, Carroll Gallery, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
2020
Searching for Home, Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Georgia
Shape/Shift, Through This Lens Gallery, Durham, North Carolina
Authentic Marks: 3rd International Printmaking Exhibition, Zayed University, Dubai
Lo-Fi, Hardy and Nance Studios, Houston, Texas
2019
PHOTO IS:NIGHT, PHOTO IS:RAEL International Photo Festival, Tel Aviv, Israel
Reflection: 180 Years in Photography, Ellen Noel Art Museum, Odessa, Texas
Land / Sea / Sky, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, Texas
Gallery Artists Exhibition, Galeria Photo/Graphic, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Picture Your Story… Visual Storytelling with a Southern Bent, Central ArtSanctuary, Mobile, Alabama
Diversity: Alternative Paths in Contemporary Photography, Wichita Falls Museum of Art, Wichita Falls, Texas
2018
Between Land and Sea: Binh Danh, David Knox, and Jennifer Shaw, The Arsenal at The Cabildo, Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Stephens Garage Collection, Kirschman Artspace at NOCCA, New Orleans, Louisiana
Diversity/Us: Cyanotype Flags, A, Smith Gallery, Johnson City, Texas
Calamity Jane, The Front, New Orleans. Louisiana
Unbound 7, Candela Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
2017
Size Matters, Medium Festival of Photography/ Helmuth Projects, San Diego, California
Hands Around the World, A. Smith Gallery, Johnson City, Texas
RayKo’s 10th Annual Int’l Plastic Camera Show, San Francisco, California
2016
Space, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, Massachusetts
The Dog Show, Studio Inferno, Arabi, Louisiana
Louisiana Photography Biennial, New Orleans Art Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Face to Face, Hilliard Museum of Art, Lafayette, Louisiana
2015
The Rising, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
Katrina @10, The Shaw Center, Glassell Gallery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The Photobook Show, Athens Photo Festival, Bernaki Museum, Athens, Greece
About the Jurors: Randell Henry, Phyllis Lear and Jennifer Shaw,
LSU Union Art Gallery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2014
Mark of the Feminine, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans in Photography, Multimedia Museum, Moscow, Russia
7th Annual International Plastic Camera Show, RAYKO Photo Center, San Francisco, California
2013
Inventing Reality, A Gallery for Fine Photography, New Orleans, Louisiana
Intersections of Gender and Place: Bethany Collins, Sandra Luckett, Jennifer Shaw and Katherine Taylor, Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Mississippi
Unbound 2, Candela Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
Antiquarian and the New Alchemy, Serenbe Photography Center, Palmetto, Georgia
2012
5 Rooms/ 5 Photographers, Guthrie Contemporary, New Orleans, Louisiana
Transience: Angela Bacon Kidwell, Adam Ekberg and Jennifer Shaw, Perspectives Gallery, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Summer Salon 2012, Jennifer Schwartz Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
NOLA Now: The Human Figure, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
2011
Low Tech/High Art, The Business of Art Center, Manitou Springs, Colorado
The Dust Never Settles: Wyatt Gallery, Jennifer Shaw & Dave Anderson, Photographic Center North West, Seattle, WA
Before During After, Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana
2010
Photographs, Design Within Reach, New Orleans, LA
Delugians, Salomon Fine Arts, New York, New York
Before During After, DiverseWorks Art Space, Houston, Texas
Before During After, GRID 2010 Photo Biennale, Amsterdam
2009
CURRENTS 2009, Crescent City Brewhouse, New Orleans, Louisiana
National Juried Photography Exhibition, 1212 Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
Spirit World, New Orleans Photo Alliance Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
2nd International Plastic Camera Exhibition, RayKo Photo Center, San Francisco, California
2008
AlterNative Prospects, Farrington-Smith Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Imagist, Rebekah Jacob Gallery, Charleston, South Carolina
Sanctuary, SoHo Photo Gallery, New York, New York
40 Days and 40 Nights, Louisiana State Archives, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Critters, New Orleans Photo Alliance Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
Publications
Two-Headed Zine, Issue 01; Creatures from the Unearthly Grove, Two-Headed Press, 2023
Water Site: Limited Edition Portfolio, Antenna Press, 2023
Integrate City Life Into Nature, Lishui Photography Festival Catalog, 2021
The Stephens Garage Collection, St. Veronica Press, 2020
Searching for Home Exhibition Catalog, 2020
Authentic Marks: International Miniature Printmaking Exhibition Catalogue, UAE, 2020
All About Photo Magazine, Issue 12, 2020
The Hand Magazine, Issue 28, May 2020
#NoFilter: Get Creative with Photography, Laurence King Publishing, April 2019
Series of Dreams: 17/68, edited by Russel Joslin, Skeleton Key Press, 2018
Polymer Photogravure: A Step-by-Step Manual Highlighting Artists and Their Creative Practice,, Routledge, Fall 2018
Oxford American, Issue 100, Spring 2018
Le donne fotografe dalla nascita della fotografia ad oggi, Pendragon, Italy, 2017
2017 SAFOTO Web Galleries Monograph, Sept 2017
Southern Glossary, Issue 2, Summer 2016
Hurricane Story eBook, Chin Music Press, August 2015
Inventing Reality, LUNA Press 2013
Nature/Nurture, North Light Press 2012 (monograph)
Hurricane Story, Chin Music Press, July 2011 (monograph)
A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana, University Press of Mississippi, 2012
Square Magazine, Issue 2.3, (UK) October 2011
One, One Thousand, September 2011 (online publication)
Fraction Magazine, Issue 23, February 2011 (online publication)
Plastic Cameras: Toying With Creativity, Focal Press, 2010
Before During After: Louisiana Photographers Respond to Katrina, UNO Press, 2010
Light Leaks Magazine, Featured Interview, Issue 17, July 2010
High-quality, Lo-fi Photography: 2009 International Plastic Camera Show, RayKo Photo Center Exhibition Catalog, 2009
Shots 101: Dreams, Autumn 2008
Oxford American no. 62: New Orleans/ Gulf Coast Issue, Sept 2008
The Photo Review: 2008 Photo Review Intl Photography Competition, Fall 2008
Shots 97: Dress Up, Autumn 2007
B&W Magazine, Spotlight Feature, Issue 51, June 2007
Regards sur la Nouvelle Orleans, Exhibition Catalog, 2007
The New Orleans Review, Spring 2007
Light Leaks Magazine, October 2006
Shots 92: Documentary & Photojournalism Issue, Summer 2006
Katrina Exposed: A Photographic Reckoning, Exhibition Catalog, 2006
Shots 89: The Portfolio Issue, Autumn 2005
The Sun, Issue 349, January 2005
Bibliography
“Best Fine Art Photographers in New Orleans,” Giggster, June 10, 2021
“Jennifer Shaw”, Catalyst Interviews, June 17, 2020
“Hurricane Story”, Snowflakes in a Blizzard, Dec 10, 2019
“The 8 Best Fine Art Photographers in New Orleans,” Peerspace, October 22, 2019
“Interview: Jennifer Shaw – It’s Personal,” Michael Kirchoff, Analog Forever Magazine, September 5, 2019
“Review: Photographers find the link between water and destiny in ‘Between Land and Sea,” D. Eric Bookhardt, The Gambit, January 14, 2019
“The Space Between,” Suzanne Révy, What Will You Remember, Sept 25, 2018
“Curator’s Viewpoint: Jennifer Shaw,” Elin Spring, What Will You Remember, Sept 12, 2018
“Jennifer Shaw: The Flood Story,” Aline Smithson, LENSCRATCH, Jan 20, 2017
“Nature/Nurture by Jennifer Shaw, ” Lamono Magazine, 2016
“Jennifer Shaw,” Southern Glossary, June 2, 2016
“Dreaming in Black and White with Jennifer Shaw,” Wendy Laurel, Let The Kids, Sept 18, 2015
“A Journey in Photographs,” Elizabeth Kukla, NolaVie, August 29, 2015
“Journey of Discovery,” Steve Pill, Black + White Photography (UK), August 2015
“American Connection,” Susan Burnstine, Black + White Photography (UK), June 2015
“Childhood in New Orleans,” PDN Photo of the Day, April, 2015
“PhotoNola 2014: Jennifer Shaw talks with Judy Sherrod,” South x Southeast photomagazine, November 2014
“Mark of the Feminine” Misses Its Mark, at the New Orleans CAC,” Rebecca Lee Reynolds,
Burnaway, September 12, 2014
“Jennifer Shaw’s Photographs From ‘The Space Between’ Take Us Into The World Of Childhood,” Moray Mair,
Mutant Space, May 2, 2014
“Jennifer Shaw,” Aline Smithson, LENSCRATCH, Mar 25, 2013
“Inventing Reality is a snapshot of visionary photography in New Orleans,”
John d’Addario, The New Orleans Advocate, January 2014
“Jennifer Shaw Interview,” Jonathan Blaustein, A Photo Editor, Jan 30, 2013
“Jennifer Shaw Interview: Throwing Everything Into Photography and Persevering for the Image,” Freddy Martinez, PhotoWhoa, Aug 23, 2013
“Hurricane Story,” Morgan Searles, The Advocate, Dec 8, 2012
“Rising from Katrina: Before (During) After” Shelf Unbound, December 2012
“The Best Books of 2011,” Photo-eye Magazine, January 2012
“11 Best Photography Books of 2011,” Maria Popova, Brain Pickings, Dec 5, 2011
“Look: New and Notables,” RISD xyz, Fall 2011
“This Week In Photography Books” Jonathan Blaustein, A Photo Editor, Oct 21, 2011
“Big Hurricane vs. Tiny Viewfinder,” Jeralyn Gerba, Fathom, Oct 13, 2011
“Two New Books From Chin Music Press,” Roxane Gay, HTML Giant, Sept 20, 2011
“In Focus: Jennifer Shaw,” Susan Burnstine, underexposed, Sept 11, 2011
“Jennifer Shaw’s ‘Hurricane Story’,” Scott Andrews, San Antonio Current, Sept 6, 2011
“’Hurricane Story’ Told With A Toy Camera,” Claire O’Neill, NPR The Picture Show, Aug 29, 2011
“’Hurricane Story’ documents close escape from Katrina,” Bobby Tanzilo, OnMilwaukee, Aug 23, 2011
“Hurricane Story: A conversation with photographer Jennifer Shaw,” Erin Peterson,
ThirdCoast Digest, Jul 12, 2011
“Hurricane Story: A Haunting Analog Photo-Memoir of Katrina, Partway Between Nightmare and Fairy Tale,” Maria Popova, Brain Pickings, Jul 7, 2011
“Ex-Milwaukeean delivers unusual book drawn from Hurricane Katrina experience,” Jim Higgins,
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, Jul 6, 2011
“Order, chaos, order: Jennifer Shaw’s ‘Hurricane Story’,” Rob Walker, Design Observer, Jun 29, 2011
“Success Stories: Jennifer Shaw,” Aline Smithson, LENSCRATCH, Jun 14, 2011
“Rising from Katrina: Before (During) After” Shelf Unbound, December 2010
“The fine line between meaningful art and disaster porn,” Cinque Hicks,
Creative Loafing, Atlanta, Aug 3, 2010
“Flood Borne,” D. Eric Bookhardt, Gambit Weekly, Jan 8, 2008
“Labor of Love,” Doug MacCash, The Times-Picayune, Dec 7, 2007
“Jennifer Shaw,” Laura Camille Tuley, New Orleans Review 32:2, Spring 2007
“Magic, Mutants and Rock Stars, “ D. Eric Bookhardt, Gambit Weekly, December 12, 2006
“Femmes Fatales,” Doug MacCash, The Times-Picayune, March 24, 2006.
“LSU Union Gallery offers look at La. art scene,” Anne Price, The Advocate, Nov 13, 2005
“Past as Present,” D. Eric Bookhardt, Gambit Weekly, June 1, 2004
“A Beautiful Black and White Blend,” Doug MacCash, The Times-Picayune, May 14, 2004
“Picture This,” Doug MacCash, The Times-Picayune, January 17, 2003
“The Art of Renewal,” D. Eric Bookhardt, Gambit Weekly, March 30, 1999
Lectures & Panel Discussions
Artist/Juror’s Lecture, Griffin Museum of Photography/ Somerville Toy Camera Festival, Sept 2018
SPE National Conference Panel: Mutual Efforts: Threading Community, Creativity and Commodity, March 2015
Visiting Artists Lecture, University of Central Arkansas, Oct 2013
Visiting Artist Lecture, Louisiana State University, Oct 2012
Louisiana Book Festival Panel: Worth a Thousand Words: Picturing Catharsis, Oct 2011
Exhibiting Artist Lecture, Photographic Center Northwest, May 2011
Before During After Panel, Contemporary Arts Center, Aug 2010
PhotoNOLA Gallery Talk, Farrington-Smith Gallery, Dec 2007
ArtSpeak, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA, 2004
Collections
Embassy of the United States of America, Moscow, Russia
Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, Alabama
Kohler Art Library Archives, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana
Ministry of Arts and Culture, Paris, France
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, Texas
New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
Shaghaf Permanent Collection, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Southern Graphics Council Prints Collection, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
The Stephens Garage Collection, New Orleans, Louisiana
Awards
2021- Critical Mass Top 50
2020- Finalist, 1858 Prize
2020- Merit Award, All About Photo, B&W Photography
2019- Critical Mass Finalist (Top 200)
2018- Critical Mass Finalist (Top 200)
2017- Critical Mass Finalist (Top 200)
2014- Critical Mass Finalist (Top 200)
2013- Critical Mass Finalist (Top 200)
2011- Best Photography Books of 2011, Brain Pickings
2011- Best Photobooks of 2011, Photo-eye (selected by Gordon Stettinius)
2009- Best of Show, 2nd RayKo International Juried Plastic Camera Exhibition
2008- Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation Grant
2007- B&W Magazine Portfolio Contest Spotlight Award
2007- Idea Village/ ArtDocs Grant
2003- Individual Artist Mini-Grant, Louisiana Division of the Arts
2000- First Place, Cemeteryscape 2000
1999- Individual Artist Mini-Grant, Louisiana Division of the Arts
1999- Honorable Mention, The Art of Photography
1999- Honorable Mention, Southeastern Juried Exhibition
1998- Juror’s Award, 20x20x20: A Compact Competition
1993- T.C. Colley Memorial Scholarship, RISD
Gallery Representation
Cole Pratt Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Galeria Photo/Graphic, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico