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CV Art and Frame in Zionsville brings fine art to downtown community

Small businesses are the backbone to the local economy. News 8’s Aleah Hordges gives the INside Story of how women-owned businesses are evolving and driving change in entrepreneurship, despite economic uncertainty.

This is the first of a five-part series on women-owned businesses in central Indiana.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) – You can find an array of artwork hung up on the walls of CV Art and Frame in downtown.

The business was once a small framing shop and was purchased in 1986.

It now it displays more than traditional art. Owner and president Barbara Jennings said she hopes to stir imagination.

“My parents were looking for an investment when they stumbled across it. I was a new mom with a six-month-old baby and they thought this might be a great opportunity for me to be able to bring the baby to work and still work and earn a living as I needed to,” Jennings said.

The owner said it didn’t take long to master how to frame.

“Framing is a really special talent and it’s a craft that not everybody can do, so it was something that I took to and it was great. it was a lot of fun for me,” Jennings said.

Though framing was a passion, Jennings mentioned she couldn’t resist her love for art.

CV Art and Frame later incorporated art and now up to 50 artists are on display inside the gallery.

Their work includes portraits, photography, abstracts and more. It’s captivated customers from across Indiana and beyond the state lines.

“When you look at a piece of art whether it’s to be happy or to just ponder or whatever it does,” Jennings said. “I think the importance of art is to invoke feeling and also we have sold a lot of art because it matches the sofa and that’s okay, too.”

CV Art and Frame President and owner credits her flexibility, taking care of clients and adapting to change for reasons why the gallery remains in business.

Jennings said she has never let being a minority hold her back through the challenges a business owner can face.

“If there were prejudices, which I’m sure there were, I didn’t even allow it to phase me and you just go after what you want,” added Jennings.