Dan’s Cover Artist Jennifer Hannaford Gets a Solo Show

On this week’s cover of Dan’s Papers is a stunning artwork by Long Island artist Jennifer Hannaford, who is currently featured in the debut show of the new Art Studio Hamptons Gallery in Westhampton Beach. Here, she discusses her steps to create “The Journey,” using fingerprints in art and forensic science, and the Seascapes & Swimmers exhibition, on view through July 31.

A Conversation with Jennifer Hannaford

Can you tell us about the inspiration or commission that led to the creation of “The Journey” and the underwater photoshoot that followed?

“The Journey” is the piece of art I started when I moved into my first studio outside of my home, in 2022. This work is special to me, as it represents an absolute commitment, as an artist, at this stage in my life. It was also created during an experience of personal healing. My subject is breaking through the surface and perhaps witness to something more. Working the layers in the reflection was an almost meditative process, for me. Not just with this work, but with most of my art. Above all, the piece is intended to soothe the viewer and bring one into the layers and on a visual journey of their own.

How did this painting’s unique composition come together from the photos taken, and is this the only painting from this photoshoot?

I have tens of thousands of photos of swimmers. My crew, family and friends started taking photos in 2013 for this series. This painting is comprised of photos from a variety of photoshoots, as many of my works are. Though I use a reference photo when I start a painting, I usually let that photo go at some point and let my creative instinct take over.

How long did this piece take you to paint, and can you share any additional details about it?

This work took approximately six months. However, I work on many paintings at the same time. I allow surfaces to dry and revisit them. I paint over the tops of previous layers with brushes or my fingers and add interest by building the surface up and sometimes scraping back to those initial layers. My goal is not to create an exact replica of my reference photo, but a color and texture experience, and I like paint to look like paint.

How does “The Journey” fit into the theme of Seascapes & Swimmers, the debut exhibition at the Art Studio Hamptons Gallery?

This is my first solo show, and it is focused on my works depicting my take on water and swimmers, but, more importantly, it is the debut exhibition for Art Studio Hamptons Gallery, new to Westhampton Beach. Gallerist and owner Eileen Baumeister McIntyre is an artist and jeweler who owns the jewelry boutique Garden of Silver on Main Street. The space has been in Westhampton Beach for five years, and it is worth noting that she has won Dan’s Best of the Best Jewelry Store in the Hamptons category for four of those years.

Eager to bring fine art to the area, she saw a need for a gallery. The space is unique in that it displays fine art on the gallery side, but there is also space dedicated to art classes for all ages. It is a truly unique experience for art appreciation, learning and collecting.

The gallery will showcase emerging and established artists.

How did you develop your art style, and would you say it’s still evolving?

My style will continue to evolve, as each painting is an opportunity for experimentation and growth. I hope to continue to do this with my oil paintings. However, I would also like to revisit a medium that I have not worked with for a few years: my own fingerprints in ink. This is a form of art that got me back into creating artistically, and I was inspired by the work of Chuck Close. He used his own fingerprints to create portraits in a pointillistic style. Picasso also used his own fingerprints to create portraits of his children.

When I first got back into art in my 30s, I was still a forensic scientist. One of my areas of expertise was the recovery of fingerprints from evidence and their analysis. I was inspired by the work of Close and became motivated to recreate mug shots comprised of my own fingerprints, using black ink traditionally used to record prints for comparison purposes. Mug shots capture the individual in a most vulnerable moment, unscripted and beyond choice. While these images are necessary documentation for criminal records, they reveal more. An entire range of unmasked emotions is accessible.

Now, I wish to explore more. Like Chuck Close, I am going to use primary-colored inks to create the portraits with my own prints. Because this is far more challenging than black ink, this will require a great deal of experimentation. This medium is less forgiving than oils, as each mark is permanent, so the sequence of layers is critical.

Would you like to share any closing thoughts or additional information?

It is fun when two careers collide! Though I left forensic science in 2019 to pursue art full time, I have been called upon to look at friction ridge detail recovered from works of art. Friction ridge detail left on such surfaces may be a useful way to determine authenticity. Of course, there are many factors that must be considered in these examinations.

Lately, I have been assisting a colleague examining prints recovered from several different potential Basquiat collections. Utilizing forensic science in the art world is something I did not anticipate would be part of my journey, but it sure is exciting.

The Art Studio Hamptons Gallery is located at 108 Main Street #2, Westhampton Beach. Stay up to date with the gallery’s exhibitions at facebook.com/artstudiohamptonsgallery.

And to see more of Jennifer Hannaford’s art, visit jenniferhannaford.com.