Portraits From Boston, With Love

Jaypix Belmer, Reflect the Light, 2014. Inkjet print on metallic finish cotton paper, Sheet: 61 x 61 cm (24 x 24 in.) Collection of the artist © 2014, all rights reserved Jaypix Belmer

Ally Schmaling, Kirbie, 2024. Inkjet print on mold-made watercolor paper, Sheet: 49.5 x 33 cm (19 1/2 x 13 in.) Collection of the artist © 2024, all rights reserved Ally Schmaling

Olivia Slaughter, Michael Christmas, 2024. Silver gelatin print on fiber base paper, 59.4 x 59.4 cm (23 3/8 x 23 3/8 in.) Collection of the artist © 2024, all rights reserved Olivia Slaughter

Jaypix Belmer (Jaypix Belmer) is a non-binary Indigenous person of color, who works in photography and design capturing the “visual soul of their subjects.” Born and raised in Boston, Jaypix photographs and engages with communities of color, LGBTQ communities, and other historically or currently excluded or disenfranchised communities in Greater Boston. Jaypix’s professional style combines innovative design and artistically bold portraits that shine a light on individuals, enabling confidence towards the pursuit of their own vision. Being able to capture a feeling rather than a moment is a unique aesthetic evident throughout their work. Jaypix has an extreme commitment to storytelling. Through dialogue Jaypix establishes a strong relationship with the people they photograph, which results in creative image-making. Jaypix brings awareness to public spaces and institutional complexes to generate conversations about community and unconsidered people and places in our everyday lives. When not assisting people with transformation, Jaypix works on local and national commercial projects based around anthropology, amplifying the artist identity and honoring environmental assets through archiving and exhibition to build vibrant livable neighborhoods.

Follow on Instagram: @jaypixmof

Ally Schmaling (they/them) is a non-binary portrait photographer, joy machine, and an interdisciplinary maximalist. Ally is particularly dedicated to the documentation and elevation of queer and gender-expansive communities in Boston. Their colorful painterly work aims to express the most dynamic, unapologetic, and expansive “themness” of their subjects—a celebration of the impossible breadth of what bodies can be and look like. As a non-binary queer person, Ally’s portrait work is informed by their own mercurial experience of gender and their continual pursuit of shaping an identity outside of binary constructs. In addition to creating portraiture, Ally is dedicated to community engagement and activism in Boston and beyond. Ally believes, unequivocally, in the dignity and beauty of all humans.

Follow on Instagram: @allyschmaling

Olivia Slaughter (she/they), a self-taught photographer, redefines storytelling through their lens, allowing subjects to shape their own narratives. Featured by Vogue Italia, Time Magazine, and the Boston Art Review, Slaughter’s work is a vibrant exploration of light, movement, and color, capturing today’s living history. Recognized for their commitment to racial justice, Olivia received an Honorarium from the Harvard University Committee on the Arts. A fixture in Boston’s artistic community, they served as the artist in residence at Harvard Art Lab and Windy Films. Beyond photography, Olivia actively seeks collaborations with artists of color and all genders. Their impactful contributions extend to projects with Hilary Hahn, Ayanna Pressley, The Boston Globe, and as creative director for WBUR’s Sound On Series. They also have shown work in collaboration with the ICA and Virgil Abloh. Through their work, Olivia Slaughter sparks conversations, empowering individuals to define their stories and challenging the narrative of our shared history.

Follow on Instagram: @slaughter.olivia