The Jennie Jones Photography Collection
Photographer Jennie Jones. Portrait by Herb Ascherman.
BROWSE ALL ITEMS IN THIS COLLECTION
The end result of years of selection and weeding by the photographer, our Jennie Jones Photography Collection is comprised of more than 27,000 photographic materials (negatives, transparencies, proofs, prints), published materials (books, serial publications) and audio-visual materials.
The collection is especially strong in documenting the architectural history of Cleveland — construction (Society Tower, Jacobs Field, Gund Arena, Cleveland Browns Stadium), restoration/renovation (Terminal Tower, Society for Savings, Allen Theatre), expansion (Cleveland Botanical Garden) or demolition (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers building). These on-site photographs also document construction processes and the efforts of local builders and workers.
The collection represents the bulk of Jones' 30-year career as an architectural and commercial photographer and photographic artist/essayist. The majority of items are comprised of Jones' analog photography, with occasional proofs and prints after her transition to digital photography. A more comprehensive inventory of the materials in this collection is available at the Michael Schwartz Library.
“Her work is a priceless record of Cleveland’s heritage of construction and design. She is a creative artist with strong individual aesthetics who has dedicated her life to sharing the beauty of Cleveland with the world.”Finding aid to the Jennie Jones Collection
—Arnold Berke, Preservation Magazine
Video from the Artists' Archives of the Western Reserve
Photographer - Jennie Jones from Artists Archives on Vimeo.
About Jennie Jones and her work
Jennie Jones was born in Denver, Colorado, and moved to Cleveland in 1978. She initially used her photography in her art history lectures. However, in 1983, she took a significant step by opening her own studio focusing on architectural and urban landscape photography. Her work includes the documentation of most of the major Cleveland building projects of the latter decades of the 20th century, including TRW, Inc., Tower City Center, the old Post Office, Gateway and the east wing of the Cleveland Public Library.
As a photographic artist, Jones has focused on Cleveland's industrial landscape including the Flats and the Cuyahoga River, its bridges and industrial remnants. An evocative example can be found in her Night Series. Her photographic essays often depict the complex interactions of physical and intellectual labor, machinery, workflow and the architectural environment, particularly evident in her essays on the Cleveland Plain Dealer's printing and shipping facility and the Cleveland Clinic in its 75th year of operation.
Her architectural photography has appeared in World Architecture, Inland Architect, Forbes and Fortune Magazine as well as many local publications. Her work is displayed in many private, corporate and museum collections, including the Cleveland Clinic, TRW, Inc., The Plain Dealer, Progressive Insurance and the Cleveland Museum of Art. While technically retired, Jones continues to take on select projects, such as the documentation of the expansion of the Cleveland Museum of Art (2013).
A life member of the American Society of Media Photographers, she served as President of the Cleveland North Coast chapter and was a member of the national Board of Directors.
More about Jennie Jones from the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve
Books By Jennie Jones
Books authored or illustrated by Jennie Jones at the Michael Schwartz LibraryCleveland: Inside Outside: A Personal Photographic Journey (1981 – 2011)
In 1986, she published Cleveland: A Celebration In Color, which sold out two editions. Her second book Celebration II: Cleveland In Color was published in 1991.
